Are you a queer person of color looking to socialize and connect with thousands of beautiful black gay men? Come out to NYC Black Pride 2022.
There are many types of gay pride festivals. Sao Paulo Gay Pride is the biggest pride event in the world. NYC Pride Festival is another major pride event that takes place in Lower Manhattan during pride month and attracts millions of people. The NYC Pride route is from Fifth Avenue to Greenwich Village. One Pride festival I absolutely enjoy is the New York City Black Pride Weekend. The festival caters specifically to the black LGBTQ community. NYC Black Pride 2022 takes place from August 17, 2022, to August 21, 2022. This blog post will serve as a guide for the festival.
What is Black Pride?
Black Pride is a lineup of events for the black LGBTQ community. It was created to focus on the needs and desires of the black queer community since pride festivals have not always been inclusive of them. One of the biggest pride festivals is Atlanta Black Pride which is a lineup of events in South Fulton, the blackest city in Atlanta, and other parts of the city.
Why Should You Attend New York Black Pride?
NYC Black Pride was created in 1997 to bring black queer persons together in safe, comfortable spaces. Some of the persons responsible for it are Laurence Pickney and James Saunders. It was created in 1997 as a way to bring black queer persons together in safe spaces. This celebration attracts thousands of beautiful people from all over the East Coast and continues to draw more people every year. Here’s why:
- You’ll be in one of the best cities in the world! If you’re into the gay nightlife scene you definitely won’t be bored. There have been dozens of gay and gay-friendly bars, lounges, and clubs to go to. If you are not into the party scene you can still enjoy a variety of activities. Before the coronavirus outbreak, there were tons of events going on every single day of the week. Even on Tuesdays Frank Watson’s happy hour “Taco Tuesday” was always lit!
- There are so many gorgeous men. We gays already take pride in how we look and dress. This mindset is multiplied by many New Yorkers. During NYC BP a couple of years ago I went to a brunch party hosted by gay black event producer Joe Morris at the Rowhouse in Harlem. When I entered the venue I felt like I was in a fashion shoot. There was so much swag in the building. There were athletic men built men dressed nicely, twink boys with nicely fitted clothes, and tons of other guys wearing the latest fashions.
NYC BP and New York Pride can be easily confused with each other but they are two different gay festivals. NY Pride is a celebration of the whole LGBTQ community and takes place in June during Pride Month. The events started in honor of Stonewall Rights in 1969 which was a fight for gay rights.
Parties & Entertainment
NYC Black Pride Weekend is the week of August 15th. The executive director of NYC BP Weekend is Lee Soulja-Simmons. There are several events you can go to while being socially distant. Here are the events organized by the NYC BP Committee:
Health as a Human Right
Health as a Human Right is a staple event during NYC BP. It’s a discussion that focuses on health and wellness for the black LGBT community. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to impact persons of color, especially people within the LGBT community. What’s also sad is that many black LGBT persons lack access to good healthcare. Health as Human Rights program helps to address those inequities in healthcare and propose solutions for health and wellness for black LGBT communities. This year the event will be virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic. The event is free so you.
Songs for Marsha
It’s a dedication to Marsha P Johnson, the transgender activist who played a major role in the Stonewall riots in 1969 here in New York. She was the main LGBTQ activist that helped start gay pride festivals. Her involvement in the Stonewall uprising is one of the most historical moments. Whether or not you are a member of the LGBTQ community this is a New York event that you should definitely attend.
Mr. & Miss Black Pride International
Many members of the LGBTQ community are into fashion. Unfortunately, in even today’s time, black fashion designers are overlooked by white fashion designers. And so, NYC Black Pride cleverly used the concept of Ms. American and came up with Mr. & Miss. Black Pride International. This fashion show is targeted at the black LGBTQ community. The designers and contestants will be persons of color. The event will take place at the Center, a facility that allows dozens of LGBTQ groups to hold their meetings and functions.
Papito Blatin Explosion
If you haven’t been to the Rize you should check out especially, during NYC Black Pride Weekend. The Ritz is a multi-level club in Hell’s Kitchen, a gay neighborhood. If you’re looking to meet gay/bi-Latin men go to Papito Tuesday. Papito Tuesday is a Latin gay event that takes place on Tuesday nights at the Ritz. On Tuesdays, It’s a dance party where you’ll hear mostly Latin music including reggaeton, bachata, and salsa. There are also drag performances that happen there.
On Tuesday, August 16th there will be BLatin Explosion. This event is geared towards both black and Latino gay/bisexual men.
Ignite
This is the official opener for NYC Black Pride. The event takes place at Lambda Lounge, a black gay lounge in West Harlem. If you haven’t gone to Lambda Lounge this is the time to go. It’s a sexy venue with purple and a brick wall that gives it elegance. The crowd is mature and you’ll actually find people of all colors and backgrounds here but mostly African American.
Trappy Hour
credit: NYC Black Pride
Trappy Hour is one of the biggest black queer parties on the East Coast. It’s a weekly dance party in Harlem that takes place on Thursdays. The concept of Trappy Hour was Southern hip-hop music, r&b, and pop. The man responsible for Trappy Hour is black gay promoter Leon Hour. Trappy Hour used to be in Harlem Nights but is now at 4West, a gay black-owned lounge in West Harlem.
Hoodstock
credit: NYC Black Pride
Woodstock was a big music festival in New York that first took place in 1969. The event represented liberation, peace, and happiness. Unfortunately, Woodstock catered more to mainstream white culture. Black Pride took the concept of Woodstock and changed the name to “Hoodstock”(clever!).
Hoodstock will take place on Friday, August 19th at Christopher Street Pier. That pier was a place where many black LGBT persons use to congregate. I remember going there decades ago and seeing crowds of black queer persons vogueing, laughing, and just having fun. Sadly, the government stopped it from being a local hangout.
Heritage Awards Ceremony
credit: NYC Black Pride
This awards ceremony honors LGBTQ persons of color who have made contributions to the black LGBT community. This event takes place at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture located in Harlem, NY.
Fusion
credit: NYC Black Pride
Fusion is Friday night’s party. Some of the biggest black and Latin gay promoters will be hosting the party including Trappy Hour, Rich Star, The Phirm, Yamil X, and SeanDon. With these mega hitters, the party definitely will be packed. Make sure you get there early. The party is from 10 pm to 4 am. The venue is 5th & Mad which is conveniently located in Midtown with multiple train lines nearby.
Fusion
credit: NYC Black Pride
Fusion 2 is the sequel to one of the biggest parties during NYC Black Pride Weekend. This time the party will take place at Club Lambda, a gay black-owned club. It’s a very cute spot. On the first floor, there is a pretty large dance space. On the walls are pictures of the lambda sign. The lighting is a purplish color which gives the interior a sexy aura. If you’re claustrophobic you can go to the outdoor patio which resembles a garden.
Pride At the Beach
The beach is a hot spot for many black LGBT people. Jacob Riis is a beach in Queens that many of us flock to during the summer. There is even a section designated for LGBT persons.
Pride at the Beach is a beach event that takes place at Coney Island Beach. I went to this event in 2017 and I really enjoyed myself. The event has an educational and entertaining aspect to it. During this event, you’ll see LGBT organizations like Glaad, Harlem Pride, Tenz Magazine, etc. These organizations cater to the black LGBT and provide so many resources including HIV/AIDS educational workshops, youth mentoring, and panels on gay rights. The entertaining aspect of the event is the fashion shows, drag performances, and stage performances by LGBT artists. You’ll also be able to dance from sunset to sundown with house tunes by veteran LGBT djs Frankie Paradise, Missy B, and Sedrick.
Where to eat in NYC
Brunch 2 Harlem
The gays love brunch on the weekends so it made sense that a brunch event is included in the NYB Black Pride weekend roster. This is an event you can actually attend in person. Harmonica Sunbeam and other drag performers will be keeping guests entertained at this event. The location is B2 Harlem which is an upscale restaurant. The owner is a lesbian so if you’re an LGBTQ person you will definitely feel welcome here. I’ve been to B2 Harlem a couple of times. You will love the decor with paintings on the wall and nice flooring. The brunch is delicious. If you plan to have brunch with unlimited mimosas expect to pay about $55-$60.
Where to stay in NYC
How to stay safe
- Drink to a minimum. It’s ok to have a few drinks but once you feel you are going past your limit. Just stop. I almost got myself into a very dangerous situation in DC by getting intoxicated. Thank God nothing happened.
- Download the Uber or Lyft app. Train and bus are very convenient here in NYC. But after 9 pm most trains start running locally which will make stretch the distance to your destination. To avoid that and to ensure your safety use Uber or Lyft as a backup option for travel.
- Avoid random hookups. A potential hookup could lead to a deadly situation. Be careful who you’re going home with. That cutie with the nice booty may not really be the pretty person you think he is.
NYC Pride
NYC Pride is the first official pride event & pride celebration and is one of the largest Pride Festivals. It started with the Stonewall riots in 1969. One of those protesters was a black trans leader named Marsha P Johnson. She and other LGBT activists organized a march in support of gay rights. The parade organizers started a movement of pride festivals all over the country.
The pride theme is “Politics in Art”.
Other major Black Pride Festivals
Halem Pride
Harlem Pride is a black pride festival that takes place in June. It happens in Harlem, a black gay mecca.
Baltimore Black Pride
This event takes place in October which is LGBT history month. There will be workshops, a film, and parties.
Black Pride Nola
Black Pride Nola takes place from June 8t to June 11th. The lineup of events includes a pool party, a family picnic, and a pajama party.
Las Vegas Black Pride
This is the 5th annual Black Pride festival. Las Vegas Black Pride takes place in April. There are more than a dozen influencers involved.
Wrap Up
NYC Black Pride is a fun time to celebrate black gay pride. A lot of people assume Black Pride is just a big party but it’s more than that. The purpose of Black Pride is to promote unity and educate black SGBL communities so we can combat homophobia and racism and empower ourselves healthwise, economically, and spiritually. With the Black Lives Matter movement going on it’s even more important to show pride as a race. So, if you’re a queer person of color definitely come out.
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