Chalkboard outside Exit 9
The East Village and the Lower East Side, both rich in LGBTQ and drag history, are essential neighborhoods to party in this Gay Pride weekend (and oh, what a week it’s been), and Williamsburg has recovered enough from Brooklyn’s own celebration earlier this month to be ready for round two. Read on for our lineup of Pride picks, including a Madonna dance party, a camp-themed rave, and not one but two rooftop pool parties at the Thompson LES Hotel.
FRIDAY
Priday Rooftop Party at Above Allen
A free rooftop party this afternoon with a glass roof in case of rain, and the Andy Warhol filmstrip pool in case of sunshine. DJ’s JD Samson and Amber Valentine will spin. RSVP here while there’s still time.
Above Allen at the Thompson LES Hotel, 190 Allen Street; 4 p.m.; no cover
Glow Paint Party at Sugarland
Williamsburg’s gay dive nightclub offers free glow paint for a black-lit EDM dance party with go-go dancers, 2-for-1 drafts and a drag performance by Elizabeth James.
Sugarland, 221 North 9th Street; 9pm; no cover
ElevenEleven at Open House
Nightlife maven Ladyfag is hosting an extra extravagant version of her weekly dance party at this Lower East Side club. Revel in the “innovative beats” of her chosen DJs.
Open House, 244 Houston Street; 11pm; no cover before midnight, $5 afterwards
The Pyramid Club’s Madonnathon
The East Village gay and drag institution where RuPaul first performed in the ’80s is a throwing one of its Madonnathon bashes, complete with three solid hours of the Queen of Pop and a laundry list of drink specials.
The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A; 8pm; no cover before 9pm, $8 afterwards
SATURDAY
Gumbo Pride Pool Party
The second Thompson Hotel rooftop pool party brings alcoholic popsicles, video projections at sunset, a dance party with the Bender Lounge, and free vodka cocktails between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Above Allen at the Thompson LES Hotel, 190 Allen Street; 2pm; $10
Wythe Hotel’s First Annual Gay Pride Party
Everyone’s favorite uber-trendy rooftop bar partners with Gayletter for its very first gay pride event, and on the prime evening of the weekend no less. Amber Martin, Tyler Ashley, and Merrie Cherry will perform live, and gin cocktails are free between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. A percentage of proceeds from the evening go to LGBQT nonprofit research institute Without Walls.
Wythe Hotel, 80 Wythe Avenue; 8pm; no cover
Camp Xanadude: Pride Loft Party
Celebrate pride like only Williamsburgers can: with wordplay! The theme of this loft-space rave is both camping in the woods and camping onstage in sequins. Beats by Sean B., Deputy, and Christy Love. Advanced tickets available here.
12-turn-13 Loft, 172 Classon Avenue; $10 before 11pm, $15 before midnight, $20 afterwards
Double-headed Disco at Nowhere Bar
Along with the vintage porn and disco classics of its Double-headed Disco dance party on Saturday, this divey gay-and-lesbian pool hall in the East Village has a full weekend line-up of Pride parties, including Scary Mary’s “white tiger go go boyz” performance on Friday and “high faggotry tea” on Sunday. Drink specials throughout the weekend.
Nowhere Bar, 322 East 14th Street; 10pm; No cover
SUNDAY
This n’ That Pride Afterparty
Williamsburg’s newest gay club will host an afterparty for the weekend as a whole on Sunday evening, with performances by drag queens Anastasia Oleander, Minnie Cupcakes and the fantastically-named Alotta McGriddles.
This n’ That, 108 North 6th Street; 8pm; no cover