The Hudson Valley loves love—also, and not coincidentally, fairness, equality, and self-expression. We love us some love, and we’re proud of Pride—and of the fact that, even in these politically conflicted times, queer folks find a warm and friendly welcome in the vast majority of our communities and spaces.
After all, the marvelous month of June was made for festivities—and local Pride organizations are increasingly filling the calendar with exuberance.
“I’m thrilled that Safe Harbors of the Hudson will be presenting its inaugural Pride on the Green celebration this year,” says Ken Martinez, director of performing arts and community programming at Safe Harbors. “Our Green is located right at the heart of downtown Newburgh, at the corner of Broadway and Liberty Street, and has become a de facto town square for our community—a responsibility we take seriously as the stewards of this vital gathering space. Since joining Safe Harbors in January, I’ve met with so many community members and found there is a real need for LGBTQ+ focused events that not only celebrate Pride Month but also bring Newburgh’s beautifully diverse community together.”
So, in keeping with Safe Harbors practice of meeting community needs, he’s doing something about that—and it ought to be a blast for everyone. “Pride on the Green is one of the first new programs I have instated here, and it means quite a great deal to me both as a gay man and a citizen of Newburgh to see that this is generating the excitement and interest that it has already,” says Martinez. “The good news is this is just the beginning; we are laying a foundation this year and intend to make Pride on the Green an annual event, growing into a bigger and better celebration every year.”
That’s the spirit of regional Pride talking, and the scope and variety of the planned fun has blossomed in recent years; there’s absolutely too much planned to fit here: tea dances, film screenings, performances and gatherings of all sorts, not to mention Pride Night with the Hudson Valley Renegades at Dutchess Stadium (June 11) which benefits Dutchess Pride.
To get the full scoop on all of this month’s Pride events, visit Biggayhudsonvalley.com.
—Anne Pyburn Craig
Hudson Valley PRide Month Parades and Celebrations by Date
June 1
New Paltz Pride
This event should be especially joyful in this 20th-anniversary year of the historic gay nuptials on the steps of Village Hall. The march steps off at New Paltz Middle School at noon, with festivities in Hasbrouck Park until 5pm and an unleashed after party at Snug Harbor featuring music and drag.
Stanford Pride
The 3rd annual celebration of Stanford Pride will be held at Thomases Equestrian on Pumpkin Lane in Clinton Corners from 1 to 4pm, with music, food, and activities for all ages.
Putnam Pride
The fifth annual Putnam Pride, happening in Carmel, will begin at 1pm with speakers at Gilead Presbyterian Church; from there, revelers will join in a car caravan to the festivities in Veteran’s Park, hosted by Angel Elektra and Shay D’Pines and featuring music, vendors, performances, kids’ activities and an open mic hosted by I.Den.t.T!.
Opus 40 Pride Picnic
The Saugerties sculpture park will host its second annual Pride Picnic and Family Fair from 11am to 5 pm, featuring Drag Story Time with Epiphany Penn, live music from queer-forward brass band Brasskill, Queer Bingo with Sis Jenner, local queer-owned food vendors and a kids’ dance party.
June 2
Athens Pride
Athens will host its fifth annual flag raising at 5pm at Riverfront Park in celebration of the courage and resilience of queer and trans folk past, present and future. There will also be more Pride on display in a comedy celebration on First Friday (6/7) taking place at the Athens Cultural Center from 5 to 7pm.
June 8
Poughkeepsie Pride Parade
The city’s sixth annual pride parade kicks off at noon and marches down Main Street to Waryas Park, where festivities will feature dozens of local restaurants, creatives, entrepreneurs, companies, and more.
Pink Robin Launch
Industrial Arts Brewing in Beacon will host the 2024 Launch and Pride Party from 12 to 9pm, featuring DJ Dolce. There will be kids’ games from 12:30 to 3:30pm, raffles, prizes and dancing, and the launch of Pink Robin, the first e-commerce marketplace dedicated to queer-owned brands. Part of the $20 admission fee, which includes a free raffle ticket, goes to support advocacy organization Defense of Democracy.
June 9
Warwick Pride
Warwick Community Center will host their annual family friendly Pride Day: Rise & Shine from 11am to 5 pm. Festivities will feature food, music, games, art, support tables, vendors and a parade stepping off at 1:30pm; a Pride Show will happen from 2:30 to 4:30pm at the Veterans Memorial Park Pavilion.
BeckHook Pride
A Pride organization formed in 2023 to support and celebrate the queerfolk of the Rhinebeck/Red Hook neighborhood, BeckHook will host its 2nd annual Celebration at Rhinebeck’s Church of the Messiah from 2 to 5pm. Festivities will begin with a nonsectarian gathering at 2 and continue with food, resources, music, crafts and dancing.
Woodstock Pride Parade
Woodstock Pride’s parade will step off at 12:15pm from the Comeau Upper Lot and frolic its way to Colony, where a post-parade bash emceed by Julie Novak with kickin’ music, hilarity, and some special guests, the owners and original bartender of the Stonewall Inn.
June 13-16
Kingston Pride Weekend
Features nightly celebrations at the Unicorn Bar, the repainting of the Pride Crosswalk in front of the LGBTQ+ Center on Saturday from 8 to 9am, Pride Alley festivities all day Saturday at Camp Kingston, and too much more fun to list, including a pet parade and men’s nude yoga.
June 15
Beacon Family Pride Day
Beacon Pride will host Family Pride Day at The Yard from 1 to 6pm, with lots of music, food, swag, and neighborliness.
June 21-23
Hudson Pride
OutHudson’s 14th annual Pride theme is “The Age of Aquarius—Peace, Love, and Understanding.” Things will kick off with a performance from Betty at Hudson Hall on Friday (6/21) at 7pm; the parade will line up starting at 12pm on Saturday at 7th Street Park, then step off at 2pm led by the four grand marshals.
June 22
Red Hook Pride Parade
BeckHook Pride will take to the streets of the Village of Red Hook for a Pride Parade, starting at 10am, lining up at Linden Avenue Middle School (Route 199 and Linden Avenue). A celebration in the village’s municipal lot will follow, with music, performance, face painting, and light refreshments.
June 23
Pride on the Green
Safe Harbors of the Hudson is hosting its inaugural Pride on the Green in Newburgh from noon to 6pm, including a sidewalk parade down Liberty Street gathering at around 11:30am, a Drag Queen Story Hour at 12:30pm, main stage entertainment from 1:30 to 4pm, and dancing from 4 to 6pm.
June 29
Peekskill Pride
Family Pride in the Park features crafts and games, music, pet photos, Drag Queen Story Time and performances with hosts Cacophony Daniels and Evita Loca from 1 pm-5 pm in Pugsley Park.
This article appears in June 2024.
Unfortunately, Hudson Valley Magazine continues to overlook exciting events in the Village of Kinderhook, as well as events in other Columbia County communities. We hope that Hudson Valley Magazine will someday acknowledge that energy, life, and culture are bubbling up all over Columbia County and not just on Warren Street.
Kinderhook Village Pride Parade. Saturday, June 29, 2:30-5pm. Kinderhook Village Square. 2:20pm Drag Queen Story Hour at Kinderhook Memorial Library. 3pm-5pm. March, performance, and celebration.
Renee Shur
Village of Kinderhook Economic Development Coordinator