Pride Weekend 2025 is finally here, and New York City is pulsing with energy and celebration.
After weeks of honoring LGBTQ+ culture and diversity, the rainbow-wearing season is about to reach its peak — but don’t worry, there’s still a full weekend ahead.
Whether you want to dance and groove, march and protest, mingle and kiki, or watch and reflect, plenty of events remain for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and their friends to mark the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising — the pivotal moment when a small group of defiant and powerfully bold patrons at a West Village bar stood up to injustice and sparked a life-altering revolution.
Here’s how you can get started. Happy Pride!
Saturday, June 28
Black Trans Pride, Manhattan
The piers are alive with Black trans Pride! STARR, the nation’s oldest transgender rights organization, invites revelers to a festive, weekend-long celebration of transgender icons and Black trans brilliance at the Christopher Street Piers, dubbed the “birthplace of our modern trans rights movement.” Founded in 1969 by trans rights giants Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the group now known as the Strategic Trans Alliance for Radical Reform continues to advocate for and fiercely protect members of the transgender, gender nonconforming and sex work communities from discrimination and oppression. Each all-day event will feature Black trans vendors, community organizations, local artists and the DJs “who keep the rhythm of our movement alive,” including Jasmine Infiniti, Guerrilla Pump Infiniti and DollNxtDoor. Free. Saturday and Sunday, noon-midnight at Pier 45 at Hudson River Park, 389 West St.
Harlem Pride, Manhattan
It’s soulful, it’s scintillating, it’s spectacular — it’s Harlem Pride’s Sweet 16! Uptown’s most dazzling celebration of LGBTQ exuberance is bringing its incomparable mix of energy and eleganza to its new Manhattanville location. The vibrant afternoon will feature local vendors and entertainment by headliners Damez, Miss Mojo and Regi Angelou, as well as a sickening Sweet 16 Mini Ball emceed by ballroom royalty Kevin Jz Prodigy and judged by voguing legends Simone Carter, Pony Zion and Arturo Miyake-Mugler. The event is co-hosted by Jerrie Johnson, one of the stars of Amazon Prime’s “Harlem,” and the Plant Kween herself, style guru and influencer Chris Griffin. Free. Noon-6 p.m. (mini ball starts at 4 p.m.) at 12th Ave. between 131st and 132nd streets.
Sweetwater: The Gospel of Iman, Manhattan
As Pride Weekend gets underway, a compelling new play invites audience members to reflect on the meaning of chosen family through the lens of a young, gay Black writer and a struggling Black actress as they navigate New York City during the height of the AIDS crisis. Broadway’s Jhardon DiShon Milton stars in the National Black Theatre’s production of “Sweetwater: The Gospel of Iman,” a newly commissioned work from NBT’s Playwright Resident Nathan Yungerberg. The story explores a powerful bond between friends that defies conventional definitions of love and takes them on a journey that reshapes their understanding of legacy, intimacy and devotion. Tickets start at $25. Saturday: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sunday: 3 p.m. at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, 66 E. 4th St.
Planet Pride: Cosmic Portal, Brooklyn
More is more when it comes to Planet Pride. East Williamsburg’s massive celebration of queer culture, identity and fabulousness is back for another oversized dance floor extravaganza. Planet Pride: Cosmic Portal promises to transform the world-famous, if controversial, Avant Gardner event venue into a 12-hour spectacle of lights, grooves and beats. Headlined by Dutch future house pioneer Oliver Heldens, the dance-till-you-drop marathon will take over the venue’s Great Hall and King’s Hall, delivering what organizers call “a sensory overload with 500,000 watts of sound, a 390-inch LED screen, 300 moving lights [and] 20 lasers.” An impressive lineup of DJs and performers — including EDM-pop trio Cheat Codes and house superpower Tom Stephan, of Superchumbo fame — as well as a “surprise headliner,” will push the Pride celebration into another dimension. Opens to ages 21+. Tickets start at $100. 4:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. at Avant Gardner, 140 Stewart Ave.
Sunday, June 29
Queer March, Manhattan
“Resist! Reclaim! Rejoice” is the theme of this year’s Queer Liberation March, the daring and irreverent protest organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition to honor the original rebellious spirit of the Stonewall Riots. Since its inaugural edition in 2019, the QLM has consistently asserted that Pride is political and inseparable from the broader, intersectional fight for liberation. Today, amid a relentless wave of attacks on the LGBTQ community — particularly trans youth — and an unprecedented assault on immigrants, civil liberties and constitutional rights, organizers say the march’s mission feels more urgent than ever. More than 45,000 people are expected to participate in the seventh annual QLM, which this year begins at the NYC AIDS Memorial. The site was chosen to both “honor the history of our communities’ resilience in the face of a hostile federal government, and to return the energy of Queer Liberation to Midtown Manhattan, as we did with our first two marches,” said RPC co-founder Jay W. Walker. Free. Assembly begins at 11 a.m. at the NYC AIDS Memorial, 7th Ave. and W. 12th St. March begins at noon and travels to Lenape Circle at 8th Ave. and 57th St.
NYC Pride March, Manhattan
Join millions of spectators and participants in a colorful show of solidarity, advocacy and joyful defiance as New York City honors the legacy of its first Pride March, held in June 1970 to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This year’s theme — “Rise Up: Pride in Protest” — should serve as a call to action for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to continue the fight for equality amid increasing discrimination. “This year, more than ever, we acknowledge that Pride can be celebrated in many ways, but at the heart of our mission, we recognize that we must also remain steadfast in protest,” said NYC Pride co-chair Kazz Alexander. Free. 12 p.m. March begins at 5th Ave. and 26th St. and continues through the city until 7th Ave. and 15th St.
NYC PrideFest, Manhattan
Billed as the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ street fair, PrideFest is once again taking over the streets of Greenwich Village for an all-out celebration of queer joy and chosen family. Hosted by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fan favorites Jan Sport and Jackie Cox, the 31st annual extravaganza will feature music by Brooklyn-born indie darling Iniko and trans TikTok superstar Ve’onder Mitchell; DJ sets by Armana Khan and Luxx Noir London; surprise guests and more. Little ones can enjoy a full slate of entertainment at the FamilyFest stage. “It’s our moment to reflect on what it means to rise up — while celebrating the vibrant creativity of queer artists,” organizers said. Free. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on 4th Ave. between 8th and 14th streets. FamilyFest at Astor Pl.
Dreamland: Pride in Central Park, Manhattan
Dreamland: Pride in Central Park returns to the iconic SummerStage for an afternoon of nonstop dance floor magic, headlined by British electronic duo Gorgon City and featuring a dazzling performance by Grammy-nominated dance diva Hayla. The event, conceived by nightlife powerhouse Jake Resnicow, is a vibrant and inclusive celebration of LGBTQ+ identity. “We’re not just throwing parties — we’re building platforms for self-expression, connection and cultural impact,” he said. “Through music and togetherness, we’re creating space for every voice to be heard and every color to shine.” Tickets start at $100, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the City Parks Foundation. 3-11 p.m. at Rumsey Playfield, E. 71st St. and East Dr.
The Dance on the River: A Gay & Sober Cruise, Manhattan
Celebrate Pride, sobriety and community while soaking up the Manhattan sunset. Gay & Sober, a nonprofit that has provided a safe and enriching experience to the sober LGBTQ community for nearly 15 years, has partnered up with NYC Pride for the city’s first official sober event during Pride Month. Highlighting the importance of sober, safe spaces for LGBTQ community members, the event welcomes those in recovery from addiction or simply seeking fun and connection without drugs or alcohol. Dance to the beats of DJ Syimone while taking in breathtaking views of one of the world’s most famous skylines. Dress code: Cowboy Carter. Tickets start at $75. 8-11 p.m. Boarding starts at 7:30 p.m. at Pier 83, W. 42nd St. and the Hudson River.
Wonderlanadu Pride Skate Party, Brooklyn
Bushwick’s Xanadu Roller Arts has teamed up with Company XIV — the brilliantly twisted minds behind “Nutcracker Rouge” and “Cocktail Magique” — for a Pride night like no other. Fulfill your Olivia Newton-John fantasy as you step through the looking glass and into a magical post-Pride March party on wheels with the cast of Company XIV’s baroque burlesque adventure “Queen of Hearts.” The event, which is sure to get curiouser and curiouser as the night goes on, will feature pop-up performances by Pepper Solana, who plays the White Rabbit, and Mauro Bruni, the show’s Mad Hatter. DJ Misbehaviour will keep the party going. “Pride is all about celebration, self-expression and community,” said Austin McCormick, the artistic director of Company XIV. “Partnering with Xanadu allows us to extend the magic of our ‘Queen of Hearts’ performance into an inclusive after-party where everyone can continue the celebration together.” Open to ages 21+. Tickets for $27. 8 p.m.-midnight at Xanadu Roller Arts, 262 Starr St.
