Rainbow Rendezvous: A Guide to NYC's Pride Events & Hotel Packages
Take a bite of Big Apple Pride!
PHOTOS COURTESY PANORAMA ROOM; PARK LANE NEW YORK; NOMO SOHO
New York City is set to commemorate Pride this year under the powerful theme: Strength in Solidarity, a salute to Pride’s roots as a fierce response to all types of discrimination, without toning down the celebratory mood.
The NYC Pride March, renowned for its vibrancy and resilience, will be led this year by celebrated actor and singer Billy Porter and activist Randy Wicker. The March begins at the junction of 25th Street and 5th Avenue at noon on June 25, with coverage available on ABC 7, ABC7NY.com, and ABC News Live for those who can't join in person.
Adding sparkle to the Pride weekend celebrations, global superstar Christina Aguilera will be the main attraction at Pride Island, the yearly dance extravaganza at Brooklyn Army Terminal. General admission tickets start at $99.
For the historically inclined, the Whitney Museum of American Art has been conducting Queer History Walks, and will continue to do so throughout June in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, delving into the neighborhood's rich LGBTQ+ history. Additionally, Pride Tours NYC offers daily guided strolls with highlights including The Stonewall Inn and Julius’ Bar.
Where to eat & drink
PHOTO COURTESY TRUST BAE
Isle of Us, an Upper East Side cafe and marketplace, features an assortment of healthful foods and pantry items sourced locally. This Pride month, they are showcasing other queer-owned brands, from home goods to gourmet condiments. Don't miss their special Big Gay Bowl and Big Gay Coffee, with $2 from each bowl and $1 from each coffee donated to Born Perfect, a survivor-led campaign aimed at ending conversion therapy.
The rainbow sapin sapin Chef Frances Tariga created at Trust Bae, her NoMad sushi restaurant, will be rolled in golden sesame seed and cornflakes and a bed of fresh coconut, served in a coconut shell with banana leaf, then garnished with pulled sugar and gold. For June, a portion of proceeds from the dessert will go towards The LGBT Community Center, which helps to provide programs for health, wellness, and community connection.
Inspired by Mexico City's taquerias, Toro Loco offers a colorful, two-level dining experience with an outdoor patio. Known for its lively weekend Mezcal Brunch and Sunday Drag Brunch featuring Frida Cox and Jessica Rose, the vibrant restaurant is donating a part of this month's drag show proceeds to GLAAD in honor of Pride.
Baked goods for a good cause
PHOTO COURTESY ZOLA BAKES
Celebrate Pride with vibrant rainbow cookies, handcrafted with raspberry, apricot, and chocolate hazelnut fillings from Zola Bakes. These cookies, baked in small batches and topped with a stunningly dark and white chocolate drizzle, are the brainchild of Samantha Zola, a pastry connoisseur trained at Épicerie Boulud and Magnolia Bakery. For every box sold during Pride Month, $5 will be donated to The Trevor Project. Available directly from Zola Bakes or Goldbelly, each $59 package includes 20 cookies.
Cocktails for the community
PHOTO COURTESY PORTER HOUSE
In celebration of Pride Month, Chef Michael Lomonaco’s renowned restaurants, Porter House and Center Bar, nestled in the Shops at Columbus Circle, are backing The LGBT Community Center with proceeds from their LGBTQ cocktail sales. The Center, a haven for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, offers a broad array of services spanning advocacy, health and wellness, recovery, youth, families, and the arts. The mouthwatering LGBTQ cocktail is crafted with Fresh Lemon juice as the base, mixed with Porter's Botanical Gin, a dash of Peychaud's Bitters, house-made thyme-infused simple syrup, and a bit of Quinine to top it off.
Martinis and milkshakes
PHOTO COURTESY PARK LANE
Collaborating with the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Park Lane New York, introduced their signature Pride cocktail, the Hetrick & Martin-Tini. This vivid blend of Absolut Vodka, blue Curaçao, and passion fruit, crowned with a luxurious cashew macadamia nut hibiscus foam, is available throughout June at the hotel's intimate lobby bar, Rose Lane, and the breathtaking 47th-floor rooftop bar, Darling. Every cent from this month’s Hetrick & Martin-Tini sales will be contributed directly to HMI.
Thompson Central Park is celebrating Pride Month by offering specialty drinks at their food venues and donating proceeds to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. For June, New York’s famous eatery, Burger Joint, will serve a Vanilla Passion Fruit shake with a custom rainbow marshmallow topper from Squish Marshmallow and a sparkler toothpick. There is also an option to make the shake boozy! Parker’s offers a specialty Pride cocktail menu in the lobby lounge with signature drinks like Ruby Slipper, Rainbow Mule, and Pink Drag.
Baseball bats and Meatpacking
COURTESY NOMO SOHO
On June 21, the NY Yankees will host their first-ever Pride Night. A portion of tickets will benefit Heritage of Pride, the organization that runs New York City's official LGBTQ+ events, including the March, Pride Island, Youth Pride, and other events throughout the year. Special event tickets start at $50 and include a NY Yankees hat with the Yankees logo in the Progress Pride Flag colors, a hot dog and a drink.
On June 21, Rooftop Films and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy partner on Queerly Beloved: Pride Shorts in the Park, a free program of short films from around the world, at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn.
Debuting on June 22, the Meatpacking Business Improvement District (BID) presents a groundbreaking photography exhibition, A District Defined: Streets, Sex, and Survival, This unique exhibit explores the queer nightlife of Meatpacking during the 80s and 90s, showcasing never-before-seen works from eight acclaimed artists who documented various aspects of the District at the time, including Lynsey Addario, Lola Flash, Jill Freedman, Efrain Gonzalez, T.L. Litt, Catherine McGann, Katsu Naito, and Joseph Rodríguez. Experience this captivating photographic journey at 401, a distinct new venue at 401 West 14th Street. Open to the public from June 22 through July 9.
On June 22, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 PM, Motto by Hilton New York City Chelsea will host a Pride celebration. The evening will be filled with engaging performances from renowned Drag Queens Pattaya Hart and Serena Tea, vibrant entertainment, and exciting celebrations. The night will be enhanced by the appearance of live DJ Dayah Modo, ensuring a non-stop, celebratory atmosphere. Additionally, attendees can indulge in specially crafted Pride-inspired food and cocktails.
Above it all
COURTESY PANORAMA ROOM
On June 22, from 7 p.m., the Panorama Room, perched atop the Graduate Roosevelt Island Hotel, will host Elevation 2. The event, set within their Private Dining Room, offers gel manicures, oracle/tarot card readings, a body positivity station, and a financial literacy networking space. Celebrating the queer community, the event aims to inspire through sound, social exchange, and artistic expression. The main bar will come alive with an eclectic mix of music from DJs and performances by Drag Queens, including Bones Jones.
On June 22, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad partners with The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art for the 'Live For The Arts' event. The celebration includes unveiling the first-ever Leslie-Lohman Museum Art Suite and new staff uniforms, both designed by queer artist Tura Oliveira. The evening also showcases unique pop-up exhibits by emerging LGBTQIA+ artists, with complimentary refreshments from The Wilson, INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad's signature restaurant.
Pride t-shirt designed by Adam Whyte
PHOTO COURTESY GOTHAM
On June 23, Gotham, NYC’s first legalized cannabis and cultural concept store, will launch their first-ever CannaKiki, to mark the start of Pride Weekend Celebrations with a loud and proud homage to the LGBTQ+ community. Free and open to all, this unique event brings together a diverse group of hosts to champion inclusivity and visibility in New York's community. Attendees are welcome to partake in a lively open mic karaoke session, enjoy giveaways, savor special cannabis treats courtesy of queer-owned brands Drew Martin and Cann, and samples from Florist Farms. Additionally, a portion of June's proceeds from Gotham's PRIDE cannabis menu and the PRIDE tee designed by NYC photographer Adam Whyte will benefit the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, an NYC-based community organization working to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression regardless of income and race, and without facing violence.
On June 23, from 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., dive into a vibrant evening pulsating with pride, passion, and freedom of expression at cloudM, the 20th-floor rooftop at citizenM in the Bowery. Make your evening sparkle a little brighter with their special Pride Soiree Cocktail, where 10% of the profits will be donated to an LGBTQIA+ organization. Secure your place in this vivid celebration via Resy. Tickets start at just $12, which includes the Pride Soiree Cocktail, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening.
On June 23 and 24, kick off Pride Weekend in style by hopping aboard the Pride Afternoon Booze Cruise. Revel in festivities on a two-deck yacht, with general admission tickets starting at $69.
On June 24, from 12 p.m. 5 p.m., Williamsburg’s iconic Domino Park will host NYC Pride’s Youth Pride event in partnership with Target, It Gets Better Project, Blue Man Group, Children’s Museum of Art, Gotham Cheer, and GLSEN. The event will feature performances and appearances by Snookie Lanore, Devan Ibizia, Blue Man Group, It Gets Better Project, DJ Tru Violet, and Gotham Cheer. There are no fees to attend, but RSVP is required.
On June 24, from 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge will partner with amfAR to host Pride Social at Harriet's Rooftop. Guests can enjoy views of the NYC skyline while supporting this fantastic organization, as well as enjoy elevated entertainment, DJ sets from Eli Escobar and Amber Valentine and hosts CT Hedden and Amanda Lepore. Tickets start at $55.52.
On June 24, Elsewhere Pride takes place from 3 PM. Tickets start at $39.14. The event will feature various DJs and performers, such as Rochelle Jordan, BAYNK (DJ Set), Amorphous, Whorechata, DJ Gay Panic, Cute Boys, and more.
On June 25, Hot Rabbit Presents Triple Crown, Elsewhere's Daytime Rooftop Pride Party. Tickets start at $25.
On June 25, Common Ground in the West Village is hosting an all-day Pride Party kicking off around 3 p.m. Hosted by TikToker Kenneth Pabon, the party will be replete with immersive decor, interactive face painting, and specialty cocktails, the proceeds from which will benefit The Trevor Project. Although walk-ins are welcome, reservations via Resy are highly recommended.
On June 25, embrace the rhythm of Pride as Horse Meat Disco makes its triumphant return to NYC. Dance from 10 p.m.until dawn at the Knockdown Center in Queens, with EJIM, Phillip Evelyn II, Matt Ford, Levi Jackman Foster, and more set to host the electrifying evening. Tickets start at $67.
On June 26, celebrate Pride with the Vale Cinema Series’ inaugural event. Set on the scenic Turf Club rooftop of The William Vale in Brooklyn, the series will kick off to celebrate Pride with a screening of the cult classic, Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Through July 9, The Paley Center for Media presents Paley Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Will & Grace – an immersive exhibition honoring the series’ transformative impact on TV and LGBTQ+ representation. Visit The Paley Museum for a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic series, featuring original props, costumes, and interactive installations. Entry to The Paley Museum is complimentary for Members, while non-members can gain admission for $20. Tickets are discounted at $16 for students, teachers, seniors, veterans, and first responders. Admission is free for children aged 12 and under.
Where to stay – Crowne Plaza HY36
COURTESY CROWNE PLAZA HY36
Crowne Plaza HY36 has unveiled its vibrant “Stay with Pride” package, available throughout June. This exciting offer includes two Pride-themed cocktails at Burgerology, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, and a specially curated welcome bag brimming with Pride essentials and treats such as sunblock, glitter, and a Pride flag. The hotel even caters to four-legged companions with Pride-themed bandanas. For every package booked, Crowne Plaza HY36 will donate $10 to The Ali Forney Center, an NYC nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding LGBTQ+ youth from homelessness and fostering their independence.
Where to stay – Smyth Tribeca
COURTESY SMYTH TRIBECA
Smyth Tribeca is rolling out the rainbow carpet with their Love Out Loud Pride Package this June. As an official hotel partner for Pride NYC, guests checking in will receive special room rates starting at $389/night, exclusive merchandise, and two complimentary Pride-themed cocktails to sip in style at either the hotel's signature restaurant, Smyth Tavern or Galerie Bar, the property's creative cocktail lounge. The Love Out Loud Pride Package is available to book online or by calling the hotel directly for the remaining days of June 2023.
Where to stay – Kimpton Hotel Eventi
PHOTO COURTESY KIMPTON HOTEL EVENTI
Kimpton Hotel Eventi is offering the Love is Love NYC Pride Package that includes celebratory cocktails for two at The Vine; a $50 food and beverage credit; waived guest amenity fees; and a Pride Welcome Kit received upon check-in with a $10 subway card, delicious popcorn from queer-owned business Pipcorn, mini pride flags, rainbow sunglasses, and a Kimpton Eventi Pride t-shirt. Kimpton Hotel Eventi will also donate to The Trevor Project for each booking. Additionally, they will offer guests an extended wine hour during Pride Weekend. This offer is valid for stays through June 30th, 2023; the starting rate begins at $339/night, 2-night stay minimum. To book, guests can call (212) 564-4567.
Where to stay – Intercontinental Barclay New York
PHOTO COURTESY INTERCONTINENTAL BARCLAY
Intercontinental New York Barclay, a classic hotel in Midtown East, offers the Barclay Pride Package, providing everything needed for a successful trip to New York City. Travelers will receive a welcome Pride amenity, a full route of the NYC Pride Parade, and two complimentary Ilegal Mezcal Celebrating YOU cocktails. A portion of proceeds from the Celebrating YOU Cocktail will be donated to wayOUT, a non-profit organization that works to empower LGBTQ+ youth to feel safe being who they really are.
