NYC Pride Parade 2025: Route, time, themes, and how to watch live for free

The entire month of June is dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and its many accomplishments and contributions to society. It is also important to take a moment to reflect on the struggles faced by this community and the work still left to be done against intolerance.

Since Pride can directly trace its origins back to New York City, it is only fitting that the Big Apple hold a big parade. This year’s march takes place today (Sunday, June 29, 2025) at 11 a.m. ET

Although some companies have scaled back their fanfare due to an anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) climate, one could argue that makes this year all the more important. Let’s take a look at the beginnings of pride, this year’s focus, and how to catch the parade both in person and on television.

A brief history of the NYC Pride March

While many call the festivities a parade, Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit behind Pride events in New York City, prefers the moniker march.

That’s because of the activist roots of the event. The march specifically honors the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. During the 1960s, same-sex public displays of affection such as kissing, holding hands, or even dancing were illegal, so bars owned by organized crime groups became places of refuge for the community where they could express themselves freely with out fear.

When police raided the Stonewall Inn on the morning of June 28, it angered bar patrons and those who witnessed the police harassment. A weeklong protest helped invigorate the modern gay rights movement.

The following year, a march from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park was held to commemorate the event. In 1999, President Bill Clinton made the first official presidential proclamation declaring June Pride Month. In 2016, President Barack Obama made the Stonewall Inn a national monument.

The anti-DEI movement and Pride’s response

President Donald Trump’s second administration has rolled back many DEI initiatives, causing a ripple effect.

As a result, many corporations have not been as enthusiastic in their allyship the year. A Gravity Research survey of more than 200 corporate executives found 39% are scaling back in 2025, with zero individuals reporting an increase. Sixty-one percent cited the Trump administration, conservative forces, and Republican policymakers as the reason for this shift.

“Rise up: Pride in Protest,” this year’s theme, appears to be a defiant reaction to the current political climate. If those in power won’t recognize the community, the people must step up.

“We must support one another, because when the most marginalized among us are granted their rights, all of us benefit,” Kazz Alexander, NYC Pride co-chair, said in a statement. “Pride is not merely a celebration of identity—it is a powerful statement of resistance, affirming that justice and equity will ultimately prevail for those who live and love on the margins.”

What is the route for the NYC Pride march?

The march will begin at 26th Street and 5th Avenue and conclude at 15th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan.

How much does it cost to attend the Pride march?

The event is free to attend.

How can I watch or stream the NYC Pride march?

If you can’t attend in person, join this year’s grand marshals Karine Jean-Pierre, Marti Gould Cummings, DJ Lina, Elisa Crespo and Trans formative Schools on television.

Those watching from their homes can tune into WABC-TV, aka ABC-7, or wherever you live-stream abc7NY at 12 p.m. ET.