{"id":22645,"date":"2012-05-22T12:07:48","date_gmt":"2012-05-22T17:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=22645"},"modified":"2018-03-06T13:57:01","modified_gmt":"2018-03-06T19:57:01","slug":"side-with-pride-gay-pride-events-in-new-york-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/side-with-pride-gay-pride-events-in-new-york-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Side with Pride: Gay Pride events in New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From hard bodies to festivals, it’s an all-out party in the streets of Manhattan come Pride Week (June 16-24). Credit: See-Ming.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Markus Boeker<\/em><\/p>\n

Why do I celebrate Gay Pride?<\/p>\n

Because I live it. I\u2019m a gay male in my 40s living in New York City, which just happens to burst with gay pride year-round, and not just during the March on Sunday, June 24. And for the record: Even if I was a 30-something straight man, I would still celebrate gay pride.<\/p>\n

Commemorating the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, when locals rioted after police raided a gay bar in Greenwich Village, the first Gay Pride parades were held the weekend of June 27 and 28 in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The symbol that we wave proudly — the LGBT flag — made its rainbow debutat the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade in 1978 after former Mayor Harvey Milk asked his friend Gilbert Baker to design a symbol that rallied lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. And recently, President Obama took the bold step of becoming the first U.S. president to support same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s certainly a lot to celebrate, and I\u2019ll personally join the nation in my own backyard at The New York City Gay Pride March on June 24. With gay icons Cindy Lauper, Chris Salgrado, Phyllis Siegel and Connie Kopelov as grand marshalls, the event is a float-filled, eye candy-colored dance party that electrifies Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan and beyond.<\/p>\n

Know before you go<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Diversity
    \n<\/strong>This should go without saying, but the carnival is open to all<\/em> people — regardless of your sexual orientation. I\u2019ve been joining the fun for a decade now, and each year, I\u2019m astounded by the colorful crowd attending the event — parents with kids, senior citizens, high-ranking politicians, including the Mayor of New York City.<\/li>\n
  2. Is it all one wild party?
    \n<\/strong>No. While full-volume playlists — including gay anthem \u201cI Will Survive\u201d — and shirtless boys are to be expected along the streets of the West Village (which, incidentally, has the best views), you\u2019ll find smaller gatherings anywhere along 5th<\/sup> Avenue. Feast on butterfly costumes, flowers and the infamous motorcyclecade called the \u201cDykes on Bikes\u201d (and yes, it\u2019s OK to call them that).<\/li>\n
  3. Hotels
    \n<\/strong>Pretty much every hotel in New York City is gay-friendly, and frankly, that should go without saying. But if you\u2019d like to take a deeper dive, check out the properties and user reviews on     GayOrbitz.com<\/a>. And now, my personal faves, in no particular order:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n