NYC Pride Guide- All You Need to Know for 2016!

Equality needs you!

This weekend, the 2016 NYC Pride festivities kick off, featuring a roster of iconic LGBT events including the March, Rally, PrideFest, Teaze, and Dance on the Pier, along with a variety of other events for LGBT and allied people of all ages.

NYC Pride traces its roots to the 1969 Stonewall Riots, and the first Pride March that took place in New York City to commemorate the Riots in 1970. In 2015, an estimated 2 million people participated in NYC Pride. NYC Pride is also hard at work preparing for the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall in 2019, when New York will welcome LGBT people from across the globe for WorldPride.

For more information about NYC Pride and the 2016 event roster, visit www.nycpride.org.

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The March
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The 47th NYC Pride march will step off at noon on June 26, at 5th Avenue and 36th Street in Manhattan. The route proceeds through Midtown down 5th Avenue, before heading west into Greenwich Village, ending at Christopher and Greenwich Streets. In 2015, an estimated 2 million spectators lined the two-mile route.

The Rally
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The first NYC Pride Rally occurred one month after the Stonewall Riots in June 1969, when 500 people gathered for a "Gay Power" demonstration in Washington Square Park, followed by a candlelight vigil in Sheridan Square. NYC Pride has continued this proud tradition by hosting the event in various locations throughout the city. This year's event will take place Friday, June 24th, at Hudson River Park: Pier 26 (7-10pm).

Teaze
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Teaze (formerly Rapture on the River) is NYC Pride's exclusive Saturday event for women. After over a decade of "rocking women's worlds," we're refreshing the event and introducing tons of exciting new ways for ladies of all walks to come together and celebrate Pride! Must be 21 or older to attend. NYPD enforces a strict no bags allowed policy. Takes place Saturday, June 25th, Hudson River Park: Pier 26 (3-10pm).

Fantasy
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After living out your burlesque fantasy last year, this year join us for a NEON fantasy unlike any you've ever experienced. Dress up in your brightest neon colors and kick off NYC Pride weekend properly. NYC Pride and Brian Rafferty Productions invite you to come experience NYC's newest gem, The Diamond Horseshoe, on Friday, June 24th, 2016. Hidden beneath Times Square, this $20 million club showcases some of the best performance artists, lighting, sound, and special effects in New York City.

VIP Rooftop Party
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NYC Pride and Brian Rafferty Productions proudly present the sixth anniversary of the VIP Rooftop Party! On Saturday, June 25 (2-10pm), dance on the most exclusive rooftop venue overlooking the greatest city in the world during the best weekend of the year! This is the only Saturday afternoon event of NYC Pride, the largest Pride week in the nation. Must be 21 or older to attend.

WE Party: Graffiti
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The official Saturday night event of NYC Pride returns as Masterbeat once again transforms the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom into NYC's biggest mega-club for WE Party: Graffiti with world-famous production featuring thundering concert sound, hundreds of moving lights and lasers, and a theatrical production showcasing the hottest dancers and performers in the world.

For 2016, we're taking you back to the streets of New York. Remember the old city? Let us take you back to a time when NYC was edgy and alive with the beat. We'll be "breaking" all the rules as we transform the Hammerstein into the streets of New York with back streets, subways, fire escapes and alleys. It's New York, and in New York we do it like no other city in the world!

PrideFest
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PrideFest, which will be going into its 23rd year in 2016, is our annual LGBT street fair that combines vendors, entertainers and activities for a day of fun and celebration in the name of equality. PrideFest attracts thousands of out-of-state visitors and brings them together with local residents and families, corporate sponsors, community leaders, and local business owners.

Round out your Pride experience with a trip to PrideFest. It's the perfect place to stop to listen to a few tunes, grab a bite to eat, or score some great Pride gear. And the best part is, attendance is totally free!

Dance on the Pier
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Dance on the Pier will be celebrating 30 amazing years in 2016 with newly expanded hours! It will again serve as the largest fundraiser for NYC Pride and our LGBT nonprofit grant winners. This year we are continuing to bring the biggest and best talent from around the world.

The event will once again close with the world's longest-running LGBT fireworks display over the Hudson River produced by Pyro Engineering, Inc. All proceeds from the Dance on the Pier benefit New York City's Official Pride events and local LGBT community organizations.

Femme Fatale
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Just because The March is over doesn't mean the party is! NYC Pride, Stacy of Stonewall, Kate of LovergirlNYC, Cynthia Russo, and Dreamgyrls Entertainment present Femme Fatale, the newest official Sunday event for women during NYC Pride week. Things are going to get crazy at this exclusive rooftop party as you dance atop the greatest city in the world. Let's usher in a new era for women at the largest Pride weekend in the nation!

Broadway Sings for Pride
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On Monday, June 20, 2016, non for profit BROADWAY SINGS FOR PRIDE will premiere their 6th anniversary benefit concert in New York City at the JCC Manhattan! This milestone event will be filled with singing (from pop to Broadway), stories, special celebrity guests and more! The show will honor the Tyler Clementi Foundation and AIDS pioneer and activist Ruth Coker Burks. Broadway Sings for Pride, is a multiple award-wining is a non-for-profit organization that brings together Broadway talent, activists and celebrities to educate the public, raise awareness of the needs of LGBTQ youth, and support these young people so that they may reach their full potential.

Lorna Luft Celebrates Pride Week
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After several sold-out Feinstein's/54 Below engagements, Lorna Luft returns with a brand new show to celebrate Pride Week in NYC! The evening will be a celebration of what it means to be proud. Join Lorna Luft as she sings, tells stories, and focuses on the history behind New York City Pride and what it means to her while also dedicating her show to everyone who has pride in themselves. This is a show for all ages, shapes, and sizes and is a true celebration of who we all are, Lorna- style!?

For more information about NYC Pride and the 2016 event roster, visit www.nycpride.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos