This article was published on September 10th, 2019
World Pride 2019 in New York city this summer was beyond epic. It was the first time the United States hosted a World Pride event, and boy—did they deliver. On the historic anniversary of LGBT rights, New York City played host to countless events all over the city. The Pride Festival 2019 Main Event, however, blew the rest out of the water. Pride Festival Main Event broke records and donated a grip ton of money to queer charities and causes.
Jake Resnicow, famous for throwing NYC’s and some of the world’s best parties, produced Pride Festival Main Event at New York City’s Javits Center. The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, or Javits Center, is in the heart of New York’s gayborhood of Hell’s Kitchen and is one of the largest venues of its kind in New York. Pride Festival Main Event broke attendance records long held by club Privilege in Ibiza. Just over 13,500 people passed through the doors at Pride Festival Main Event, making it the largest nightclub event in history.
Of course, it did help that Out Magazine’s “Most Influential Person of the Year” award-winner Resnicow assembled a star-studded event with numerous celebrities, famous allies, and queer icons. Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Kygo, Brandy, Billy Porter, Conchita Wurst, the broadway cast of STOMP and Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity. Chris Grant, Beyonce’s choreographer, and 50 of his dancing troop cast members revived their Coachella performance with the super star at Pride Festival Main Event.
Delivering on their promise, the Pride Festival Main Event has donated $500,000 to LGBT charities as a result of this hugely successful event. GLAAD, The Trevor Project, Stonewall Gives Back Initiative (Stonewall’s official charity), and LifeBeat (an organization promoting sexual health and safety.) The Howard Hughes Corporation and Cultivated donated a huge portion of their gross proceeds from drink sales.
“I aimed to deliver an event that would make New York proud. I also felt it part of my responsibility to give back to our communities by raising money for the equality movement.” Jake Resnicow said in an interview with Raynbow Affair.
It’s safe to say after crushing records and serving New York City a gorgeous platter of a Main Event, that Jake Resnicow reached historic success. For all that attended, Pride Festival Main Event was as much about community, spirit, openness, and love for and of LGBT people as it was a party and celebration of equality, freedom, and the right to live openly gay, queer, and non-binary.
