COMPLETE
NYC PRIDE EVENT
THE DREAM
THE MARCH SUNDAY, JUNE 28 BEGINS AT 36TH ST. AND FIFTH AVE. TURNS WEST AT 8TH ST. ENDS AT CHRISTOPHER AND GREENWICH STS. LINE UP: 11 A.M. STEP OFF: 12 P.M. (RAIN OR SHINE) The oldest of all Pride traditions is the annual Pride March. Since 1970, the first anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, LGBT people have gathered on the last Sunday in June to demand equal rights and social acceptance and to celebrate our victories and unique cultural traditions. In 1970, an estimated 2,000 people walked 51 blocks through Manhattan chanting, “Say it clear, say it loud. Gay is good, gay is proud.” And Pride was born. In the years that followed, the March has grown and changed in many ways. While we have much to celebrate 46 years after Stonewall, in New York we will continue to call for liberation from injustice of all people. With an audience that numbers in the millions, we work hard to ensure that the March is an event for our diverse population of LGBT people—including youth, transgender people, LGBT people of color, and more—to express themselves freely and completely.
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Once again, the March will kick off with an opening ceremony at the starting line including the National Anthem and a moment of silence for those we have lost to HIV/AIDS and anti-LGBT violence or suicide. For the second year, the Boy Scouts of America will provide our color guard along with Fred Sargeant, a retired police officer who participated in the first Pride March of 1970. Look for the official NYC Pride Float, featuring key members of the landmark marriage equality case due to be decided by the Supreme Court in June. We’ll also be unveiling something big we’ve been planning for an important upcoming anniversary. We will have hours of entertaining floats, marching groups, performers, and supporters joining us—check nycpride.org for additional line-up information. We anticipate having over 350 different groups marching this year, making it one of the city’s largest events. Announcers will be located at the intersections of 36th St. & Fifth Ave., 24th St. & Fifth Ave., 8th St & Fifth Ave., and Christopher & Bleecker Sts. Groups stop to perform for our judges on Fifth Ave. at 8th St.
WHERE TO WATCH There are no bad places to watch the March. The expansive sidewalks of Midtown along the Fifth Avenue portion of the route offer more space for a casual viewer who only wants to watch part of the day. The cozy, tree-lined streets of the West Village have more charm, but are also more densely crowded. Accessible seating is offered to people with mobility issues. To obtain a ticket, please contact march-help@nycpride.org by June 14.