Brooklyn is kicking off pride month with The 28th Annual Brooklyn Pride on June 3rd. The borough’s rich queer history makes for the perfect place to let your freak (and Pride) flag fly.
From Walt Whitman’s gay encounters in the 1860s Navy Yard to the affectionately nicknamed Dyke Slope of the ‘80s and ‘90s, it’s safe to say Brooklyn is pretty freakin’ gay. The borough is now home to the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the world’s largest collection of lesbian history since 1974. The growing queer bar scene, including long-standing staples like Gingers and newcomers like The Bush, Mary’s, and ANIMAL, proves the neighborhoods are as gay as ever.
This year’s celebration is packed with nine incredible events over 11 days, including a festival, twilight parade, and youth pride. The theme is Pride: All Day, Every Day.
“Brooklyn Pride makes me proud to know that I’m a part of a team that contributes to so many moments of happiness,” said Cam Moore, a member of the Brooklyn Pride board. “To me, Brooklyn Pride is about community while still creating a family-oriented pride celebration.”
Arguably the most delicious Pride event around, The Multicultural Festival will take place on June 8 between 11am and 5pm. Hundreds of vendors will fill 5th Avenue between Union Street and 9th Street in Park Slope. It’s a great opportunity to support local businesses and city-wide creatives. At the heart of the festival, around 3rd Street near the Old Stone House, you’ll find the Brooklyn Pride Main Stage. Between 12pm and 6pm, music will flood the festival. Emcee Lailah Lancing keeps the stage moving with performers such as Emergency Tiara, The Big Girlz, Blahzi, and Nikael.
This year’s Grand Marshals include Tiq Milan and Dr. Sandra Scott. Milan is a trans writer, public speaker, and advocate. He is currently a national spokesperson for GLAAD and previously worked as a mentor at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, an LGBTQ youth nonprofit in New York City. Dr. Scott is the first ever LGBTQ+ Black woman to lead Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in its 100-year history. The two will be honored on June 3rd at the Brooklyn Central Library at 6pm. Don’t miss this free event and learn more about these trailblazers.
After the festival, the party marches on (literally!) at the Pride Twilight Parade. The march starts at 7:30 pm and runs through 10:30 pm on 5th Avenue from Lincoln Place to 8th Street. It’s the city’s ONLY twilight Pride parade and will feature queer floats and marchers from around the world. The parade is expecting a record turnout this year, and organizers announced they reached full capacity earlier this month. Good thing there’s no limit on crowd numbers!
Brooklyn Pride is hosting an Interfaith Service on June 4th between 7pm and 8pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn on Henry Street. Organizers are partnering with local religious organizations to lead a night of fellowship and music. Later that night, at 6 pm, you can enjoy pride from the comfort of your own couch with free Virtual Drag Bingo. Prizes start at $25, so you can win some serious coin.
On June 5th, the side-splitting Brooklyn Pride Comedy Night will take place at Brand Saloon on Vanderbilt Avenue from 7pm to 8pm. It will be hosted by Lois Thompson with appearances from Elsa Waite, Bailey Pope, Arjun Banerjee, and Young Tef. Get ready to laugh until your stomach hurts with some of the best queer comedians around.
On June 6th, you’re invited to cheer on the Brooklyn Cyclones on their Pride Night. If you grab $30 tickets through this link, you’ll be seated with your fellow gays and receive a special Pride jersey. Along with the baseball game, there will be performances by the Gay Men’s Choir, Dreama Belle, and Cheer New York.
On June 7th, Brooklyn Pride Movie Night will show Caribbean Queen, a short film following Q, a young Caribbean boy who wants to become the Queen of the West Indian Day Carnival Parade. The free showing will be at 4th Street and 5th Avenue at 7:30pm.
Wrapping up the whirlwind of festivities on June 15th is Youth Pride, the premier event for queer youth aged 13-21. It will take place on 4th Street, next to J.J. Byrne Playground, from 12pm to 5pm. Teen talent will take the main stage, share their stories, and show off their skills. If you’d like to participate, registration is still open for talent. There will be arts and crafts, surprise DJ sets, and giveaways from sponsors and event partners. Carnival games will also be set up, along with a 360 photo booth. Of course, no event would be complete without food! There will be lunch stations available all afternoon. Younger siblings are welcome to stay in the playground during festivities.
“Brooklyn Pride is about visibility, support, inclusion, and celebrating who you truly are,” said Ariel Sanders, a member of the Brooklyn Pride board. “There are still many battles to be won, especially with the hundreds of anti-LGBT bills being proposed, including in our own backyard (Long Island); Brooklyn Pride gets to be a respite from that, in a smaller, more intimate and family-friendly environment.”
If you want to help out, Brooklyn Pride is still looking for volunteers. You can fill out the form here to assist with any of the events. Exciting details and updates are still being released, so make sure to keep up with their Instagram. See you there!
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