On June 28 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by police. The five days of rioting that followed this raid was the turning point in the LGBTQ+ movement. Every year after that on or near June 28, New York City has held NYC Pridefest. NYC Pride, where it all started in the U.S., has a variety of events and activities that happen throughout the weekend.
NYC Pride kicked off pride weekend on June 29 with Youth Pride. This event was designed specifically for youth to connect with one another. Youth Pride took place at South Street Seaport Museum. This event attracted more than 5,000 LGBTQIA+ youth from diverse backgrounds to celebrate together, as youth came from around the city, state, and world to celebrate.
On the June 30, the official NYC Pride March and Pridefest took place. There were activities, performances, and special appearances from Jordy, Kim Petras, and Frankie Grande at this unique event in New York City. The march, starting at 25th Street and 5th Avenue, ended at 16th street after passing Stonewall Inn, New York City AIDS Memorial, and the Stonewall National Monument, a veritable history tour of big queer moments. Over 2.5 million people attended this year. If you went to this event, you definitely didn’t feel alone; I certainly didn’t—I felt a sense of belonging and love.
Pridefest did end earlier than expected because of the weather, but NYC Pride’s Annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ Womxn, Bliss Days, ended the long weekend celebration with a rotation of DJs, dancers, and pop-up performances. The proceeds from this event went directly towards keeping NYC Pridefest, Pride March, and Youth pride free to the community.
If you’re ever lucky enough to be in New York City during this iconic celebration, we definitely suggest you check it out. The sense of unity cannot be matched.
Photo courtesy of social media
