This Saturday, the Jersey City Pride Festival will be celebrating its 22nd year at the Pedestrian Plaza on Newark Avenue from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The theme this year is “Stronger Together,” standing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and of course, LGBTQ+ Pride. Here’s how Jersey City will be celebrating pride this weekend.
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Pride Doesn’t Stop in June
Leading up to the festivities, Jersey City Pride has been hosting events all month long. Things kicked off with a pride flag raising at City Hall on August 1, followed by another flag raising at the Greenville Police Station the following day. Earlier in the month, Art House held a screening of Christopher Englese’s “Strength Through Visibility: 20 Years of Pride in Jersey City,” a documentary on Jersey City Pride’s fight for recognition from the city. The film earned the Best Homegrown Documentary Award 2023 at the Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park.
Pride celebrations ramped up throughout the rest of the month, including drag shows, comedy shows, open mic nights, and parties. Other events included community discussions on mental health, gender-affirming name changes, and lived experiences in Jersey City’s LGBTQ+ community. Upcoming later this week, there will be an 80s-themed pre-party on Thursday, the 6th annual Jersey City Fringe Fest on Friday, and a pride-themed comedy show also on Friday. All event details can be found here.
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The Festival
This year, the festival will have four main stages: the concert stage at Newark and Jersey Avenue, the Stonewall Alley stage near Grace O’Malley’s, Dancing Tony’s stage at the Grove Street PATH Plaza, and the Six26 stage across from The Ashford. Featured artists at the concert stage will include Shuga Cain, Mila Jam, Cyré, Dionicio, Jack Tracy, Sundari the Indian Goddess, Anissa Gathers, and Boy Radio. There will also be lounges by Gringo’s and Left Bank Burger Bar.
The event will have a kids and family section on Barrow Street with a video game truck and outdoor games like Giant Jenga and Connect Four. The festival itself is free to attend. Details on all of Saturday’s events can be found here.
Jersey City Pride Festival 2023 Details
Pride Equality March, 1 p.m.
The festival will start off with a march from City Hall, heading up Newark Avenue. This year, festival goers and organizers will be marching to show that the community is stronger together, in line with the festival’s theme. Assembly begins at noon, and walking begins at 1 p.m. Registration is required to march.
Dancing Tony’s On the Side of Pride Stage, 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
14 local artists will take the stage at the Grove Street PATH Plaza, including JuJu Gay, Mary Shelley, and Plastiq Passion. The full lineup can be found here.
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Jersey City Pride Meet and Greet, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Meet organizers, activists, and allies from JC Takeover and Fade to Black at the Keyhole Bar on Bay Street.
The Pop Off Rooftop Party, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Enjoy rooftop drinks at Porta with a show by showgirls Vicky Vee and Christine Dior.
Dragstravaganza, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Lillian Bustle will be emceeing at the 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. drag shows by Drag Queens, Kings, and Things at the Stonewall Stage by the Grove Street PATH. DJ Skittlez will start tunes at 2 p.m.
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The Six26 JC Pride After Party, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Six26 will be hosting drag shows, dancers, and tracks spun by DJs Mike Cruz and Nesto immediately after the festival. This event is 21+.
Pride After Dark, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Hours after the rooftop party, Porta will be back with a pop-up bar, music by DJ Tall Speedy, and performances by Stella Luna, Kimmy Sumony, Alisha Day, Adi Owenn, and Showgirl Slaylani. Performances will start at 11:30 p.m.
Additional information on Jersey City Pride can be found here.
Are you planning on attending the event? Let us know in the comments!
About the Author/s
Alex Kenney is a third-year Journalism and Media Studies student at Rutgers University - New Brunswick. Having lived in Bergen, Essex, and briefly Hudson County, she calls anything north of Newark home. She is a big fan of NJ Transit and knows most major highways in her area like the back of her hand, even though she doesn’t drive.
