Ready or not, here it comes! NYC Pride is just around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited. After two years of virtual hangouts and COVID-conscious kickbacks, it’s finally time to come together again in one of the greatest–and gayest–cities in the world.
NYC Pride is more than a festival, it’s a jam-packed multi-day event that attracts hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of proud queers and allies from every part of the globe. Among them, some of the hottest InstaGays™ in the Big Apple have been known to take part in the festivities. GayCities had a chance to catch up with a few of these fine folks, and here are our favorite takeaways.
27Travels – Gabi & Shanni on finding fun
Shanna: “Pride is always really special for us. We actually met at the Cubby Hole during Pride. So we always try and go. Even during the pandemic, NYC didn’t have a parade, we still went to the West Village just to be around that area. There are always a bunch of parties on the Christopher Street Pier.”
Gabi: “If you’re visiting New York City for Pride, it’s a really good idea to look up some actual queer bars and support those instead of a random bar along the pride route. Some might put up a rainbow flag to get your business, but they don’t support the LGBTQ community all year long.”
Kim Petras will headline Pride Island
Pop singer Kim Petras just made a show-stopping surprise guest appearance at LA Pride, joining Christina Aguilera on stage to perform “XXX” from her recent sex-positive EP Slut Pop. She also delivered an incredible Coachella set, teasing the crowd with unreleased songs from her forthcoming debut full-length studio album…so there’s no doubt her headlining Pride set will be something special.
Vance Garrett takes it all in
Vance: “Pride in New York City is unlike any event in the world. The gay rights movement began here with Stonewall, so there’s a lot of rich history in the streets of this city for gay people. It’s a fantastic, rare thing in Manhattan to see crowds of people taking over city avenues and sidewalks — just enjoying one big celebration of life.”
Lady Bunny on good eats
LB: “I really love the food at Elephant and Castle in the West Village–their hash browns can’t be matched. Also, I used to live on the same block as Tea and Sympathy. Although you don’t normally think of English cuisine as being the world’s tastiest, the food here is delicious. The tastiest brown bread I’ve ever eaten. And they offer a classic English tea on a three-tiered china tray bursting with confections like cake, scones, and cucumber sandwiches.”
Peppermint talks up the Parade
Peppermint: “I think my most memorable Pride is probably a toss-up between two different years in the parade. The first was when me and my posse marched (WALKED) the entire route in heels to Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s supposed to be here”: most of us were naked by the end of the parade! The second was when I was featured with Alec Mapa on a float in our pajamas. In Chelsea the fun really started: a terrible thunderstorm came and drenched us. It was like a river of hair products and bronzer down 5th Ave.”
Need-to-know info
Check out our NYC Pride Guide for location maps, nearby LGBTQ-friendly businesses, and more event details.
Multiple Grand Marshals are slated to lead the NYC Pride March on Sunday, June 26, 2022. Ts Madison, Punkie Johnson, Schuyler Bailar, Dominique Morgan, and Chase Strangio will head this year’s celebration, with Angelica Ross returning for a second year as co-host and featured performer of the broadcast special.
The 53rd NYC Pride March will begin at noon on June 26th from 25th Street and 5th Avenue. Marchers will proceed south on 5th Avenue before heading west on 8th Street. After crossing over 6th Avenue, the March will continue on Christopher Street passing the Stonewall National Monument. It will then turn north on 7th Avenue, passing the New York City AIDS Memorial, before dispersing in Chelsea at 16th Street and 7th Avenue. More than 75% percent of all marching groups are non-profit organizations, and more than half of all marching groups are participating free of charge.
The NYC Pride March broadcast special, co-hosted by Angelica Ross along with WABC’s Ken Rosato, Lauren Glassberg, and Sam Champion, will return for its sixth consecutive year. Featuring live performances and on-air interviews, the broadcast will air from 12 pm to 3 pm ET on Sunday, June 26. It’s available on TV as well as on streaming platforms.
UP NEXT: 10 summer travel essentials we’re packing this Pride month
