June 11, 2019
Most people are aware that June is designated “Pride Month”—a celebration of the diversity of the LBGTQ community. Although nowadays most major cities host parades and festivals to commemorate pride, fewer people remember that the seeds of Pride Month were planted in NYC, with the Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969. On a hot summer night, the police once again raided a gay bar, a frequent event in the 60s, but that night the patrons of the Stonewall Inn— a bar in the West Village—had had enough. A riot ensued, which marks the turning point for the LGBTQ community and the beginning of a gay movement. Read more on the history of Stonewall here.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, and in honor of the event, NYC is the headquarters for WorldPride2019/Stonewall 50, a month-long series of LGBTQIA+ events throughout the boroughs—all culminating in the largest Pride March in the world on June 30th, which is expected to draw record crowds. It’s a celebration of all the advances the LGBTQ community has seen in the past 50 years and a statement to the world of all that remains to be done, here and abroad.
You can see a full listing of Pride events this month at the WorldPride website, but there are several notable events occurring right here in the NoMad neighborhood.
Love & Lipliner at The James Hotel
June 13 at 7:00 p.m.
As an official sponsor of WorldPride 2019, The James New York-NoMad Hotel is offering special WorldPride package rates for the month of June and is celebrating Pride with numerous month-long observances.
In partnership with Stonewall Community Foundation, The James Hotel New York—Nomad will present ICONS — a public exhibit that will feature both people who continue to inspire the LGBTQ movement today and sites of historical significance to the community through boldly colored imagery and wordplay. The featured icons will represent a broad swath of the community and its history organized by the exhibit’s six themes of activism, arts, literature, fashion, nightlife and pop culture, but each will share the common thread of its connection to New York City as a center of LGBTQ influence and a global leader in celebrating sexual and gender diversity.
During Pride, the hotel will feature garments from from FEIGN at 5Phere, the hotel’s retail popup. Created by New York City designers Jon James and Jené Stefaniak, FEIGN is an androgynous collection of gender-neutral clothing in which each piece is conceived around a sentiment instead of a gender.
However, THE can’t-miss event of the month is Love & Lipliner, a celebration of drag featuring performances from top New York City queens Jan Sport, Lagoona Bloo, Jasmine Rice, Rosé, Kizha Carr, Brita Filter, Vix, and RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine contestant Alexis Michelle.
Guests will learn the historic significance of drag while enjoying a mini-drag makeover tutorial. Six select guests will receive full drag makeovers from the queens themselves. Tickets range from $25 to $225, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Stonewall Community Foundation.
The James New York – NoMad
22 East 29th Street
New York, NY 10016
Love & Lipliner
Thu, June 13, 2019
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Drag Brunch at Oscar Wilde with Jasmine Rice Labeija
Saturdays and Sundays in June
Named for one of the world’s most colorful gay figures, a renowned author, and a noted part-time resident of NoMad during the Gilded Age, Oscar Wilde will be celebrating Pride all month long with a special Drag Brunch each Saturday and Sunday during June.
Brunch will feature a special menu and performances by renowned New York drag queen Jasmine Rice Labeija. Performances begin at 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.. Reserved seating for $25 includes an entrée and one drink, with the option to upgrade it to an “unlimited boozy brunch” with 90 minutes of “free-flow” for $40. Reserve your seating on the website below.
Oscar Wilde
45 West 27th Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 213-3066
Tickets and Reservations via the website
Drag Brunch at Oscar Wilde feat. Jasmine Rice Labeija
Saturdays and Sundays through June, 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Shows at 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Pride Shake at Shake Shack
Available through June 30
Okay, we know this isn’t actually an event. It’s a milkshake. But it’s sparkly, it’s got cake batter and rainbow sprinkles, and it is for a great cause. It’s Shake Shack’s way of celebrating Pride. Proceeds from the Pride Shakes will benefit The Trevor Project, an organization focused on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LBGTQ youth and young adults. Stop by the original Shake Shack and pick up one . . . or several.
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
Pride March 2019—June 30
Held every year since 1970, the NYC Pride March is the largest and best-attended march of its kind in the world. The parade begins June 30 at noon, with the step-off right here in NoMad, at the northwest corner of Madison Square Park. This year’s grand marshal groups include the Trevor Project, the Gay Liberation Front, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (a co-founder, trustee and executive director of UK Black Pride, which promotes unity and co-operation among all Black people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent.), transgender activist Monica Helms, and the cast of dance musical POSE. Registration to march in the parade is now closed, but come out to watch and celebrate. Click here to view the parade map.
Pride March 2019
June 30, 2019
Step-off is at noon at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 26th Street
Free and open to the public
Parade route here