Are you an LGBTQ person looking to meet other beautiful LGBTQ people? Get the scoop on some of the best Queens Pride Day parties and events.
Pride Month which is in June is a big month for the LGBTQ community. During that month pride festivals take place all throughout New York. Every borough has its own pride festival. Queens Pride is the second biggest festival in New York. Keep reading to find out where to go and what to do during Queens Pride.
Major Queens Pride Pre-Celebration
Winter Pride is the fundraising event that raises funds for Queens Pride. This year it happened at Terrace on the Park, a major NYC location in Queens. I’ve been to the venue once and I can it’s one of the most beautiful NYC landmarks. The place is huge and has different sections including a rooftop, suite, penthouse, and outdoor space. Being that place is so lavish you can only imagine the powerhouses that come in and out of the building. The tickets for Winter Pride started at $150 just for the early bird special.
Why you must attend Queens Pride?
Queens Pride is a huge festival that brings together thousands of LGBTQ persons and allies. The festival takes place during the first weekend of June. It was founded in 1993 and has become one of the biggest pride festivals in New York. The parade takes place on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights. This year the Queens Pride parade takes place on Sunday, June 4th from 12 pm to 6 pm. Besides the Parade itself here are some reasons to attend Queens Pride:
- Jackson Heights is a safe neighborhood for the LGBTQ community It is one of the most welcoming LGBTQ spaces in Queens. There are several gay bars close to each other, including Friend’s Tavern, Club Evolution, Music Box, and Hombres Lounge. I’ve been going to some of these places for years and never experienced any type of homophobia. You can raise the gay flag openly and not worry about being attacked.
- You’ll feel a sense of belonging. There are many queer persons like myself who grew up closeted due to fear and shame about their sexuality. Even after I came I still felt a huge sense of relief at Queens Pride since I’m around so many other LGBTQ persons. Even if you’re introverted you’ll be able to open. At the festival, you will meet tons of other people who will embrace and give you a sense of empowerment for being LGBTQ.
- You will meet people from all walks of life. Thousands of people attend the Queens Pride Parade. And yes, it does get overwhelming but you can meet all types of people including gay seniors, gay immigrants, queer persons of color, etc. There is also eye candy at the festival!
- Lots of resources and services are available. There will be tons of LGBTQ organizations walking through the parade and/or at booths. These agencies include Queens Center for Gay Seniors which provides a safe environment for gay older men, AIDS Center of Queens County which is the largest provider of AiDS services in Queens, SAFE which provides services to asylum seekers, Carribean Equality which provides services for Carribean LGBTQ immigrants, and LGBT Network which provides advocacy and support for LGBTQ persons in Queens and Long Island.
Queens Pride Day Parties & Events
There will be parties and events going on during Queens Pride. Below are some of the hottest LGBTQ events taking place:
Queens Pride Day Party
Queens Pride Day Party is the only black queer event. This event is a day party hosted by Men Who Brunch (MWB). The reason why this event is curated is that many of the past Queens Pride events cater to the Latin and white communities. Even though there is a black gay population in Queens there is no space that caters to our culture. And so MWB will be curating this day party for Queens Pride. The party will be from 6 pm to 10 pm and will take place at Vibes Restaurant, a black-owned venue in Jamaica, Queens. Of course, anybody is welcome to come to the party but if you’re looking for a black gay event in Queens come to the Queens Pride Day Party. The venue is to be announced and will take place from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Arrebato
This is a huge dance party in Astoria DJs from all over the country will be spinning there including Israel and Columbia. The party lasts for 12 hours and is 4 pm to 4 am. The event will take at the Melrose Ballroom which has a huge dance space.
Other Pride Celebrations
Brooklyn Pride
Brooklyn Pride takes place the weekend after Queens Pride in Park Slope. The parade actually happens on Saturday and this year it will be on June 10th from 10 am to 12 pm.
Bronx Pride
Bronx Pride also takes place during Pride Month in June.
Harlem Pride
Harlem Pride takes place in Harlem, a black gay mecca. It started in 2010 and has attracted more than 10,000 visitors from all over.
NYC Pride
NYC Pride is one of the biggest pride festivals in the world. It brings together more than 100,0000 people from all over the world. The parade takes place in Lower Manhattan on Sunday, June 25 20203. It starts on 25h St and 5th Ave. You don’t need tickets for the Parade as it is free. But if you would like to join the NYC Pride March you have to contact NYC Pride.
Wrap up
Queens Pride will be amazing this year. What’s very exciting is that there will be a black gay event curated by Men Who Brunch. If you’ve never been to the festival this is definitely the year to attend.