For the first time since 2019, the annual Pride Island festivities will return on Pride weekend in New York City — and this time the weekend-long event will have a new home.
Out trans pop star Kim Petras will headline Pride Island with a Sunday performance at the Play Lawn at Governor’s Island, while Papi Juice — an art collective aiming to empower LGBTQ people of color — will lead Saturday’s performances during the final weekend of June. The annual event previously took place at Pier 97.
Heritage of Pride, or NYC Pride, which leads the city’s main Pride March and related events, is spearheading the Pride Island programming. Pride Island kicks off on Friday, June 24 and lasts through the conclusion of Pride weekend on Sunday, June 26.
“With our first ever trans headliner and our move to Governors Island, this will truly be a historic weekend in the history of Pride” Lauren Cheeseborough, Pride Island’s event manager, said in a written statement. “The expansion of Pride Island to a 3-day event creates new experiences for the community to love and live their truth by dancing freely without fear of consequence.”
Sunday’s entertainment slate will also include DJ Eddie Martinez, DJ Dani Toro, and DJ Alex Chapman. Additional performers will be unveiled at a later date.
General admission tickets will go on sale on April 6, though pre-sale tickets are available for Mastercard customers.
“Pride Island is rooted in a history dating back more than 30 years,” Mario Schmitt, Pride Island’s director, said in a written statement. “After being silenced for the past 2 years due to the pandemic, we are coming back with one of the biggest events in Pride history. We are proud to be breaking barriers by introducing our first Pride Island headliner of the transgender experience.”
Pride Island will be just one part of what is expected to be a much busier Pride weekend in New York City following back-to-back years of COVID-related restrictions. While the alternative Queer Liberation March has drawn tens of thousands of people in recent years, the Heritage of Pride March has been limited to smaller events during the pandemic. The NYC Pride March is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 26.
