About the Event:

This Pride Month, the New York City AIDS Memorial transforms into a vibrant sanctuary of radical joy, music, and performance for our PRIDE OPEN HOUSE. This immersive evening brings together stunning art, legendary drag icons, and a powerhouse lineup of local DJs to celebrate the progress we have made while recommitting to the fight ahead.

The visual anchor of the evening is a breathtaking site-wide transformation by Legends of Drag creators Devin Antheus & Harry James Hanson, who will blanket the park in a curated, immersive floral installation. Drawing inspiration from Gilbert Baker’s original, 8-color 1978 Pride flag, the installation honors the full spectrum of its original meanings: Sex, Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Magic, Serenity, and Spirit. As modern governing bodies attempt to diminish and erase the history of queer liberation, this installation proposes a defiant return to these core tenets.

To amplify this magic, the evening features live performances by three local Legends of Drag alongside an outdoor dance floor powered by rhythm, soul, and community. The sonic journey pays homage to the roots of house, funk, soul, and groove—genres born in the very club communities that served as the heartbeat of survival during the height of the AIDS crisis in New York. Spinning in joy and solidarity will be an exceptional lineup of local nightlife champions: Legendary drag performers Barbara Herr, Egyptt LaBeija, and Simone, Alyssa Brianna (Resident DJ of The Carry Nation), DJ Nikki Jax (of NYC AIDS Memorial staple the House of Jax), Joel Correa (Brooklyn-based AfroLatino queer community builder and artist), Astor Lux b2b Spencer De Paz (Two staples of the vibrant Astoria DJ scene), and Eli Escobar (NYC’s own legendary DJ and producer). Schedule of performers coming soon!