Daniel James (Unsplash)
June 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
The Queens Pride virtual parade will take place online this Sunday, June 7.
The physical parade, which was expected to go ahead in Jackson Heights tomorrow, is being replaced by a live-streamed event starting at noon to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ community.
The online event will feature video performances from drag queen entertainers, various community groups, healthcare workers, and nonprofit organizations.
The lineup will include drag performers Angela Mansberry, Gina Tonic, Cissy Walken, Ducky Sheaboi, and Patsy InDecline.
Old footage from past parades will also be shown and various elected city officials will pitch in with video messages.
The celebration will close out with a virtual dance party hosted by a number of DJs.
Organizers were forced to cancel the regular parade in April after the mayor suspended all public events in June due to COVID-19. It marked the first time the parade has been canceled in 27 years.
However, organizers immediately began drafting plans to transition the parade online in order to keep the decade’s long tradition intact.
This year’s event will be co-hosted by Astoria-based drag queen Candy Samples and Marcus Woolen, a volunteer from Jackson Heights.
The event will be live-streamed from the Queens Pride’s YouTube, Instagram and Facebook pages.
