FogoAzul at SunnyPride 2024. File Photo by Angelica Vivas
June 5, 2025 By Czarinna Andres
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the fourth annual SunnyPride Rally, March, and Celebration in Sunnyside on Friday, June 13, in what has become a signature Pride Month event for Western Queens.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. under the Sunnyside Arch on 46th Street and Queens Boulevard, where a political program featuring local leaders and elected officials will kick off the festivities. Attendees will then march to Lowery Plaza at 40th Street and Queens Boulevard, where the celebration continues with music, performances, vendors, and LGBTQ+-affirming resources. This year’s plaza location change—from Bliss Plaza to Lowery Plaza—was made to accommodate ongoing elevator construction at the original venue.
Presented by the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, SunnyPride brings together LGBTQ+ residents and allies from Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City, Astoria, Maspeth, and Blissville, offering both visibility and celebration in a borough often viewed as the most diverse in the country.
This year’s SunnyPride will be hosted by local drag artist Misty Mountains Davenport, and the stage lineup features over a dozen performers, including Darylin LaFontaine, Angela Mansberry, Miss January, Sophia Medina, Nube Cloud, Briony Price, Alex Julia, Princess Bytch, East River Outlaws, and Cheer NY, a nonprofit LGBTQ+ cheerleading squad. The march will be led by Fogo Azul NYC, the renowned all-women Brazilian drumline.
A key feature returning this year is the Queer Makers Mart, which debuted in 2023 with more than 20 LGBTQ+-owned small businesses and artisans. Community-based organizations will offer information, support services, and free HIV testing.
Parade marchers in 2024. File Photo by Angelica Vivas
Rooted in Local Advocacy and Pride History
SunnyPride was co-founded in 2022 by former Queens Community Board 2 Chair Morry Galonoy and Sunnyside Shines Executive Director Dirk McCall de Palomá, as a grassroots response to the need for more localized LGBTQ+ events beyond Manhattan’s heavily centralized Pride activities.
Though the larger Queens Pride Parade—held annually in Jackson Heights since 1993—remains one of the city’s most prominent celebrations, SunnyPride has played a critical role in bringing Pride programming to the western section of the borough. The event’s focus on hyper-local activism and community connection mirrors the origins of the national Pride movement, which was born out of protest and visibility.
“We still have a lot of work to do to ensure equality, especially during these times,” said McCall de Palomá. “SunnyPride continues to grow because this community stands together.”
Galonoy added, “In these times, Pride must be both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a commitment to keep resisting together.”
Council Member Won at last year’s event. File Photo by Angelica Vivas
Strong Support from City and State Leaders
Several elected officials have endorsed the event and are expected to participate in the rally and march. State Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, who represents parts of Queens, praised SunnyPride for showcasing the borough’s tradition of inclusion.
“Our community has always stood for love and acceptance,” Gianaris said in a statement. “I’m proud to support SunnyPride and the message it sends.”
Council Member Julie Won emphasized the importance of continued solidarity amid national political challenges. “When LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, local events like SunnyPride show the world that New York City still stands up for equality,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez, Assembly Member Claire Valdez, and Democratic District Leader Émilia Decaudin also voiced support for the event. Decaudin described SunnyPride as “a beacon of love and solidarity” amid rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment across the country.
File Photo by Angelica Vivas
A Neighborhood Celebration with Business and Cultural Impact
SunnyPride is also a boost for local commerce. Dozens of small businesses, including LGBTQ+-owned shops and vendors, participate in or sponsor the event each year.
“Sunnyside is a community where small businesses and residents genuinely support one another,” said Mackenzie Farquer, owner of the popular gift and home store Lockwood. “We love SunnyPride. It’s about celebrating who we are and lifting each other up.”
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