We can almost taste the rainbow!
Kings County will shine with rainbow lights during the final week of June, as the city hosts WorldPride, a month-long celebration of the queer community.
The international event has come to the United States for the first time, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots — an event in Manhattan that kicked off the modern gay civil rights movement. In addition to parades, rallies, and parties, and conferences celebrating the historic half-century milestone, buildings across the city will glow red, orange, yellow, blue, green, and purple as part of Project Rainbow, which literally shines a light on the city’s role supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities.
“New York City is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a statement on Tuesday, June 17. “Lighting our skyline will remind LGBTQ people around the world that New York City will always be a beacon of hope and a place to call home.”
Several business in Brooklyn have already lit up in rainbow lights, including the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership in MetroTech and the Hilton hotels. The Barclays Center will glow with technicolor hues from June 24–26 and June 29–30. Beginning on June 26, the Coney Island’s Parachute Jump will light up with rainbows through the end of the month, as will the dome of the Weylin, a luxury events space in Williamsburg.
Brooklyn will also host WorldPride’s opening ceremony on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The colorful celebration, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, will feature performances by Cindy Lauper, Ciara, and Todrick Hall, among many other artists. The highlight of WorldPride will be the Manhattan Pride parade on June 29, but there are many other queer events happening in Brooklyn — just check this paper’s list here.
