Pride in NYC & Provincetown, MA
Hi Friends,
In this edition of The Travel Dispatch, Solferino is taking the time to celebrate Pride Month. As a gay-owned business, it feels only right to put the spotlight on the LGBTQIA+ community. For decades, long before queerness entered the mainstream, members of the queer community congregated in spaces they knew were safe and open for them to explore their identities and find connection. These communities laid the foundations for the Gay Liberation Movement, provided comfort and support during the AIDS epidemic, and significantly influenced arts and culture. Today, hamlets like Provincetown, Palm Springs, and Fire Island stand as living memories of the LGBTQ community’s past and as places to create its future.
In this week’s Travel Dispatch, I’m highlighting New York City and Provincetown as top gay destinations in the United States. Of course, there are many more both in the US and around the world, but these two have had the most profound impact on my queer life.
I can't cover every gay destonation – that's what the Solferino Itinerary & Guidebook is for – I'm thrilled to share some of my personal highlights, including favorite sights, culinary delights, and shopping gems. Be sure to subscribe to The Travel Dispatch for our bi-weekly newsletter, keeping you up to date on all our latest adventures!
New York, NY
June is perhaps New York City’s most vibrant month, as the city transforms to celebrate Pride. This year holds profound significance, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the 40th anniversary of Heritage of Pride. Below are key dates for Pride Month in New York:
Brooklyn Pride: A summer-long celebration from June 1st to August 31st, Brooklyn Pride paints the borough in vibrant hues of inclusivity and joy. The highlight is the Brooklyn Pride parade and festival on Saturday, June 8th, where the streets come alive with music, dance, and solidarity.
NYC Pride: The pinnacle of Pride Month, NYC Pride culminates in the renowned NYC Pride March on Sunday, June 30th, 2024, kicking off at 11:00 AM. This iconic march, commemorating the Stonewall riots, winds its way through Manhattan, uniting millions in a powerful display of love, activism, and resilience.
Pieces
When I moved to New York, Pieces was one of the first Gay bars I felt comfortable going to. That being said, the crowd tends to bend towards new transplants and recent grads bringing a youthful energy. I’ve never had a bad night here, especially on Thursdays, for the Jasmine Live drag show starting at 8pm. Since opening its doors in 1993, Pieces has become a beloved institution to drag queens, performers, and patrons and continues to be a staple of the city's queer nightlife scene.
Ginger’s Bar
Ginger's is a cherished landmark in Brooklyn's LGBTQ+ community, originally founded as a gathering space for lesbian women, Ginger's quickly evolved into a beloved home away from home for many. As one of New York City’s last remaining lesbian bars, its resilience is has been a testament to the importance of queer spaces. Today, Ginger's thrives as a vibrant hub of LGBTQ+ life, offering a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a diverse range of events.
Metropolitan
Right off the Lorimer L stop in Williamsburg, Metropolitan Bar has been a neighborhood staple for a good night. Perhaps the dive-iest of the gay bars in Williamsburg, it is also the warmest and most inclusive from my experience. Often attracting locals, it offers a community space for the queer community of North Brooklyn. Famously (perhaps infamously), I have loved their Tuesday night Queeroke, going almost religiously every week my first year in Brooklyn.
Provincetown, MA
Provincetown, situated at the very tip of Cape Cod was founded as a sleepy Portuguese fishing town. Quintessential New England beach town with narrow streets, artisan boutiques, and lobster rolls - this town is frequented by families and queers alike. My family and I vacationed on the cape quite a bit when I was a child, but it wasn’t until recently that I found a new love and adoration for Provincetown.
For the past two years, a friend group of mine has made the trek from New York to Provincetown during the week of Fourth of July. Thanks to our gracious host David, we’ve been able to enjoy gay Provincetown. Resplendent beaches and a lively night life, Provincetown offers everything you would expect from a large queer city - on the beach. Gay bars, gay gyms, and gay shows. Its no wonder that the town has been a mecca for the queer community for years now. Spend the day on Boy Beach, grab a bite at the Canteen and make your way over to the Boatslip for Tea - all you need is to get your group together and go!
Boy Beach
A spit of sand at the very end of Cape Cod, Boy Beach is an oasis for queer bodies in Provincetown. Accessible only during low tide through a walk in a marsh or the Provincetown causeway, Boy Beach is a beautiful and tucked away strip of beach adjacent to Herring Cove National Sea Shore. The allure of Boy Beach is its out-of-the-way nature, providing a more private and intimate beach experience (if you get what I mean). Pack your water shoes, a towel, and a lot of water, theres no going back when you’re at Boy Beach.
Tea at the Boatslip
Tea Dance, or more commonly referred to as Tea, were events organized by the Gay Community in the 50s and 60s as a way to socialize. It was illegal to serve alcohol to a gay individual in New York until the 1960s, so the community organized ‘Tea’ parties as a way to subvert the legalized prejudice. Now, Tea just means a party - but Tea at the Boatslip is part of Provincetown Society, its where to meet new and old friends on the expansive deck of The Boatslip Resort & Beach Club. Starting at 4PM, daily, the deck transforms into an out door beach party for three hours - until its time to get dinner at the Canteen.
This month’s Travel Dispatch is dedicated to my chosen family, that makes being gay so special.
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