Throughout June, Pride celebrations and observances take place across the City, as LGBTQ+ residents, visitors and allies look to reflect on progress and push for more change. What began more than 50 years ago as a commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village has expanded to parades, concerts, dance parties, marches and art installations in all five boroughs. Consider warming up with a tour of notable LGBTQ+ historic sites, and then choose some of these popular Pride festivities to add to your calendar.
Staten Island Pride Fest. Photo: Julienne Schaer
Staten Island Pride Fest
Various locations, Staten Island
May 2–June 11
Staten Island began its Pride celebrations in early May with a free dance party for all ages celebrating movement, joy and mental health. Local events thoughout the month include Pride Fest Bowling, a Staten Island FerryHawks baseball game and Youth Prom—all leading up to the big Pride Festival at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden on May 30. The revelry continues through mid-June with additional programming.
Courtesy, Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Iconic Pride
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave. at 112th St., Morningside Heights, Manhattan
May 15–July 1
The Cathedral Church at St. John the Divine celebrates Pride over six weeks, kicking off with a pair of book launches. The big event, Pride Eve, takes place on May 30. The evening features a cocktail hour, crafting time, an exploration of the cathedral, a raffle and a performance from Greedy Peasant. Additional events throughout the celebration include a family picnic with a performance by the Queer Big Apple Corps, evensong service, a gay and sober meeting and other welcoming and inclusive events—all beneath the location’s interior Pride Lights display.
New York Liberty Pride Night
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn
May 29
The WNBA’s New York Liberty host a Pride Night in May when they face off against the Phoenix Mercury at home. The event is titled “Pride is Power” and serves as the unofficial kickoff to Pride month in June. Past years have featured performances from the team’s mascot, Ellie the Elephant, and other special in-game elements that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Big Onion Walking Tour: Social Justice in the Villages
Starts at plaza at Astor Place and Cooper Square, East Village, Manhattan
June 6 and June 27
Get your history lesson to-go with this walking tour that dives into the backstories of LGBTQ+ rights. You’ll learn about over 200 years of activism as an expert guide takes you past significant locations—like the Stonewall Inn and Gay Street—that are connected to the accounts.
Courtesy, Queens Pride
Queens Pride
37th Avenue, from 75th to 89th Streets, Jackson Heights, Queens
June 7
Now in its 34th year, NYC’s second-biggest Pride celebration stretches along 15 blocks and includes a popular parade, multicultural festival, exhibitors and live entertainment. Visit the website for details about this year’s performers. Note too that borough baseball team the Mets host a Pride night later in the month (June 26).
Pride at the Whitney
The Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St., Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Throughout June
The venerable arts institution features plenty of LGBTQ+ programming in honor of Pride. On June 5, the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus performs “Our Joy is a Protest” with other choirs throughout different floors of the museum. Other offerings typically include a Queer Teen Night, with music, dance and art; the Radical Joy Ball, celebrating all members of the community, including those with disabilities; and walking tours of the Meatpacking District that shed light on the neighborhood's queer history. Check the Whitney’s calendar for more events as the dates approach.
OutCycling Pride Ride
West Side Bike Path at 145th Street, Hamilton Heights, Manhattan
June 14
Participating cyclists can choose between three routes along Manhattan’s west side, ranging from 40 to 100 miles, each of which offers a custom GPS map or downloadable cue sheet. Riders are supported throughout with snacks, hydration and mechanical support (if needed), and there’s an array of food available at the finish line, including a post-ride barbecue. Wearing Pride swag—or a prepurchased branded jersey—is encouraged.
Queerly Festival
Under St. Marks Theater, 94 St. Marks Pl., East Village, Manhattan
June 11–July 3
The 12th anniversary of Frigid New York’s queer artist ensemble features a lineup of theater, dance, music and film offerings. Past performances have included a drag show, darkly humorous tales from a Moth storytelling champion and a Juneteenth burlesque night. Visit their Instagram page for schedule updates.
Brooklyn Pride. Photo: Brittany Petronella
Brooklyn Pride
Various locations, Brooklyn
June 12–June 20
The borough’s Pride events include a Brooklyn Cyclones Pride night (June 12) and a Youth Pride celebration (June 20), but the main day is June 13. Happenings then include a 5K run-walk, the 30th annual Brooklyn Pride Multicultural Festival (on Fifth Avenue between Union and 9th Streets in Park Slope) and a twilight parade also along Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue.
Broadway Bares
Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center, 311 W. 34th St., Midtown, Manhattan
June 21
This striptease variety show includes 200 of the City’s premier dancers participating in dazzling burlesque numbers that pay homage to the energy and electricity of Las Vegas. VIP guests will rub elbows with the show’s Tony-winning creator, Jerry Mitchell, at a private cocktail party.
Youth Pride. Courtesy, NYC Pride
Youth Pride
South Street Seaport Museum, Pier 16 and Pier 17, The Seaport, Manhattan
June 27
Over 5,000 young participants join each year for this event, which features carnival attractions, a nonalcoholic beverage bar and free food, DJ and musical performances, special guest appearances and more. This year’s theme, “For All of Us,” is intended to foster inclusion and empowerment for LGBTQ+ youth and their families.beverage bar and free food, DJ and musical performances, special guest appearances and more.
Harlem Pride. Photo: Michelle Rick
Harlem Pride
Twelfth Avenue at 133rd Street, Harlem, Manhattan
June 27
Now in its 17th year, Harlem Pride expects to attract more than 20,000 participants for a day of community and special events, with celebrity guests, community leaders, health practitioners and performing artists. Attendees can expect to enjoy food and merchandise vendors as well.
NYC Dyke March. Photo: Jeanette Spicer
NYC Dyke March
Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
June 27
This volunteer-run visibility and protest march has drawn self-styled “dykes” to NYC’s streets for more than three decades, proudly running without permits or sponsors. Anyone who identifies as a dyke can join, and participants often show up with homemade signs underscoring an array of social and political messages. For more, see our article on the march’s history.
Front Runners NY LGBT Pride Run 4M
Start location TBA, Central Park, Manhattan
June 27
This 4-mile course weaves through Central Park and follows in the footsteps of the City’s first Pride Run in 1982. The event has become so popular that it broke a Guinness World Record (largest Pride charity run) in 2019. This year’s race is themed “Hearts in Motion: United in Every Stride” and benefits Housing Works, which provides a comprehensive array of services to homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The run routinely sells out, but it is of course free to watch and cheer on the runners.
NYC Pride March. Photo: Raisa Ruben
NYC Pride March
Start: 25th Street and Fifth Avenue, Flatiron District, Manhattan; Finish: 16th Street and Seventh Avenue, Chelsea, Manhattan
June 28
The City’s biggest annual civil rights demonstration wends down through Greenwich Village and back up, transforming downtown Manhattan with a full day of inclusive celebration. There are awe-inspiring floats, incredible performances, dizzying costumes and streets packed with revelers. This year’s grand marshals include Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, Bernie Wagenblast, Bowen Yang and Gays Against Guns—nominated by the community and Pride allies.
PrideFest Street Fair. Photo: Charles Roussel
PrideFest Street Fair
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
June 28
The sidewalks of the Village will be full of exhibitors, food and merchandise vendors, special entertainment and various activities. This combination of traditional street fair and performing arts spotlight attracts families, local leaders and business owners and international talent.
Dreamland Pride in Central Park
SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park; enter at East 69th or 72nd Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan
June 28
This massive neon-lit dance party in the middle of the park attracts thousands of celebrants and proportionately epic performers—this year, that includes Purple Disco Machine, Kungs and Dani Brasil.
Courtesy, Gay and Sober
Gay and Sober Pride Celebration
Parade: Meetup location is The Virgin Hotel at 30th Street and Broadway at 11:30am, Nomad, Manhattan
Dance: Circle Line Cruises, Pier 83, West 42nd Street and Hudson River Park, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan
June 28
This observance for those in recovery pairs two events: a daytime parade followed by a double-decker bus, and an evening cruise on the Hudson River that hosts a floating dance party spun by special guest DJ Syimone and includes a fireworks display.
Queer Liberation March. Photo: Jeanette Spicer
Queer Liberation March
NYC AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle, Seventh Avenue and West 12th Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
June 28
This community gathering, organized by grassroots collective Reclaim Pride Coalition, was developed to center the perspectives of marginalized communities without corporate interference and works to supports all LGBTQ+ individuals. Click here for photos of the march from a few years ago.
Bronx Pride. Photo: Brittany Petronella
Bronx Pride Festival and Health Fair
Crotona Park Amphitheater, 559 Claremont Pkwy., Charlotte Gardens, Bronx
July 18
Stretching the Pride celebration into July, the Bronx’s annual gathering draws big crowds. This year’s hosts are Kelly KaBoom, Tym Moss, Lorena St. Cartier and the so-called Queen of the Bron, Appolonia Cruz; visit the website for more details on this year’s event.
Check out more LGBTQ+ stories here.