June 28, 1969 at the New York City’s Stonewall Inn, patrons of the bar were fed up with the consistent raids, harassment, and arrests by police for daring to live out loud in a safe space. At this raid, on that day, the patrons stood up to the police with protests and clashes that lasted for six days. With that moment, the LGTBTQIA+ civil rights movement began and with that history, Pride has always been about community and protest. The first NYC Pride March was organized by the Christopher Street Liberation Day Committee in 1970, and marches have continued every year since.
This year is no different. Pride Month is a time for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to come together to fight for our rights, push for equality, and demand a brighter, more just future for everyone, regardless of who they are, who they will become, or who they choose to love.
It is a time to come together to support each other and share in our collective joy. Now more than ever, the protest and the celebration could not be more central to our identity. The official 2026 theme for New York City is: “For All of Us,” a tribute to LGBTQ+ trailblazers inspired by activist Marsha P. “Pay it no mind” Johnson.
As the LGBTQIA+ community faces hostility and political attacks, this year’s march is a reminder of the Pride movement’s origins in protest—a powerful call to action for our communities and allies to rally and march in defiant celebration, advocacy and solidarity. Pride has always been about resistance—from the Stonewall Uprising to today’s fight against attacks by this administration.
The NYC Pride 2026 celebration includes the annual NYC Pride March, among the largest LGBTQIA+ Pride marches worldwide, and PrideFest, the largest LGBTQIA+ street festival in New York, on Sunday, June 28. Let us make sure our activism and community continues impacting lives beyond the month of June. Find more info here: https://nycpride.org/home/events/