NYC Pride March 2018: Everything you need to know

Everything you need to know about the city's biggest celebration of its LGBTQ community

NYC Pride is quickly approaching, and while there are a bevy of events happening to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (and plenty of historic sites to visit if you're in town for Pride), the biggest shebang is the Pride March, happening on Sunday, June 24.

This year, there's a major change: The route for the march has basically reversed itself, beginning in Chelsea and winding through the West Village before continuing to Midtown. The change is to prepare for next year's massive, monthlong WorldPride event, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots—New York City will host for the first time, and more than 3 million revelers are expected to turn up.

The Grand Marshals this year are tennis legend Billie Jean King, writer and agender advocate Tyler Ford, Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality executive director Kenita Placide, and the team at Lambda Legal, which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. And given the fact that the marches are only growing in size—with tens of thousands of participants, and upwards of 2 million spectators—it's all but guaranteed that this year's will also be a blowout.

So what do you need to know if you want to attend? We've got you covered.

What time is the Pride March?

The march begins at noon on Sunday, June 24; it will wrap up sometime in the evening.

What route will the march follow?

This year, the march is going to follow a new route through the West Village, then up Fifth Avenue into Gramercy. The organizers have provided a handy map that illustrates where it'll begin, end, and points of interest—like the grandstand and accessible seating—along the way.

Which streets will be closed for NYC Pride March?

As of right now, the NYPD hasn't announced the full list of street closures for the event, but given the new route—which travels along Seventh Avenue South in lower Manhattan, and then north on Fifth Avenue to the end point—it's safe to assume that many of the closures will affect Chelsea, the West Village, and the Union Square/Gramercy area. Prepare accordingly, and we'll update once the full list is released.

How to get to the NYC Pride March

The subway, as always, will be the best way to get to the march considering the street closures; if you want to watch at the step off point, taking the 2/3, the A/C/E, or the L to 14th Street will be your best bet. Check the MTA's Weekender app closer to the date for more details.

And alas, these Pride Train signs are not MTA-sanctioned, but provide a good reminder nonetheless:

A post shared by Pride Train (@pridetrain) on Jun 8, 2018 at 9:37am PDT

What if I'm too anxious to be in a crowd?

Good news! If you still want to watch without being amid the crowds, the march will be broadcast live, from noon to 3 p.m., on ABC7.

What about other NYC Pride marches or events?

Heritage of Pride has a full breakdown of all of this month's Pride events on its website.

• NYC Pride [Official]