Hello Darlings! Pride may not officially be here yet, but New Yorkers know the real kickoff happens the second the group chats start exploding and the calendars begin filling up. Have you made your plans yet? More importantly, have you planned your looks? Pride season is creeping up fast, and this week’s roundup is here to help you get ahead of the chaos.

Want to spend Pride weekend dancing under a Brooklyn bridge with Kim Petras, Romy, CupcakKe, and one of the wildest queer crowds in New York? You could win free tickets to LadyLand 2026, the massive one-night Pride bash returning to Under the K Bridge Park on Saturday, 6/27.*

JUST ANNOUNCED

• Mimosas, drag queens, raffle prizes, and a reason to wear something impractical before noon? Say less. NYC Pride’s “It’s Giving Brunch” drag brunch fundraiser returns on Saturday, 6/20 at Stella 34 in Macy’s Herald Square.

• The Queerly Festival announced its 2026 theme: “Then, Now, and Always,” focused on queer futurism, history, mythology, and performance. This annual event happens from Thursday, 6/11 until Friday, 7/3 at Under St Mark’s Theater.

• NYC Pride announced the return of Youth Pride at Pier 16, the free daytime event focused on LGBTQ+ teens and young adults on Saturday, 6/27. Expect performances, community resources, workshops, and one of the most genuinely joyful crowds of Pride month.

FREE PRIDE EVENTS IN NYC

Not every unforgettable Pride moment happens behind a paywall. Some of the best parts of Pride in New York are still the free ones. These are some of our favorite free Pride events.

• 5/31 - BRIGHTON BEACH PRIDE @ BRIGHTON BEACH

• 6/07 - QUEENS PRIDE PARADE @ JACKSON HEIGHTS

• 6/27 - HARLEM PRIDE @ HARLEM

• 6/27 - NYC DYKE MARCH @ BRYANT PARK

• 6/28 - PRIDEFEST @ LOWER MANHATTAN

THIS WEEKEND

LOCALS ONLY

• Last week’s Ali Forney Center’s gala fundraiser raised more than $3 million for LGBTQ+ youth homelessness services. The annual fundraiser brought together celebrities, activists, and community leaders to support one of the country’s most important organizations serving unhoused queer youth right here in New York City.

• The NYC Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus is speaking out against federal pressure on NYU Langone over trans youth care. The message from local leaders is clear: gender-affirming healthcare is healthcare, and New York’s LGBTQ+ communities are watching.

• Brighton Beach Pride marks its 10th year with a May 2026 parade serving LGBTQ+ immigrants and refugees from post-Soviet countries. The Brooklyn-based celebration has become one of the city’s most meaningful and culturally specific Pride events, especially for queer Russian-speaking communities.
  

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