Kylie Minogue will perform at NYC Pride Island on Sunday | Photo: Dancing video YouTube
Iconic NYC Pride Parade will prompt marchers to be ‘Defiantly Different’ on the annual march of 24 June.
Started on 14 June, NYC Pride Festival will culminate in the annual parade. It is one of the biggest and most popular LGBTI marches across the US.
Last year, more than 450 contingents and 110 floats took part and many more are expected this year. For the first time, NFL and MLB will join the parade with their own contingents.
Next year, New York will host WorldPride. 2019 will also mark the 50th anniversary of Stonewall Riots, which sparked the conversation about LGBTI rights starting right in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Defiantly Different
This year’s official theme Defiantly Different celebrates diversity, even across the LGBTI community.
NYC Pride announced the chosen theme earlier this year with a dedicated series of portraits of LGBTI people and allies who are constantly challenging the societal norms. Among those photographed by celebrities’ favorite Danielle Levitt, 10-year-old drag kid Desmond Napoles, known on social media as Desmond is Amazing.
Desmond was the youngest among those photographed. The eldest was 94-year-old community activist Frances Goldin, known for the ‘I Love My Lesbian Daughters’ sign she wields at the parade every year.
Desmond is Amazing stars in NYC Pride Campaign ‘Defiantly Different’ | Photo: NYC Pride YouTube
The ‘goddess of pop’ to headline NYC Pride
‘With the success of last year’s Pride Island, we are thrilled to bring back our music festival in a two-day format,’ said Pride Island Director Jose Ramos.
The location in Hudson River Park’s, Pier 97, the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, will host Swedish pop star Tove Lo, headlining on Saturday. Big Freedia, known for being the voice opening Beyoncé’s Formation Tour, and RuPaul’s Drag Race last winner Sasha Velour will also join.
Kylie Minogue will be the headliner at Pride Island on Sunday. The Australian-British singer just released her fourteenth album Golden, eight years after her last work Aphrodite.
The ‘goddess of pop’ will perform her legendary hits − Can’t Get You Out Of My Head anyone? − along with her new catchy single Dancing.
This year’s Grand Marshals are former tennis player Billie Jean King, LGBTI organization Lambda Legal, writer Tyler Ford, and activist Kenita Placide.
Billie Jean King was portrayed by Emma Stone in Battle of the Sexes (2017) | Photo: Andrew Coppa
The new route
Held ever since 1970, NYC Pride has changed its route for this year. Kicking off at 12pm on 7th Avenue and 16th Street, the new route will include:
- ADA seating at the AIDS memorial (12th Street and 7thv Avenue)
- Judges Stand (8th Street and 5th Avenue)
- Grandstand (25th Street and 5th Avenue)
- Dispersal (29th Street and 5th Avenue)
If you can’t make it on the day, ABC7 will broadcast the parade from 12 to 3pm.
