Pride Island: Weekend capped off with electrifying Christina Aguilera performance
SUNSET PARK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A successful and celebratory Pride weekend was capped off with an electrifying performance from Christina Aguilera.
Pride event organizers balanced a combination of serious advocacy with pure joy.
At Pride Island, friends and couples grooved to a live DJ, had colorful makeup applied, and bonded over the sense of community on a perfect summer evening on Brooklyn's Pier 4, ending this year's Pride Weekend in the city where the fight for LGBTQ equality started.
"It's just been a great experience - being in the city, it's my favorite city, and coming out to the pier is just really exciting," said Spencer Kraft from Long Island.
"This is our first time in New York, and we wanted to do all the gay things," said Zee Wood Alston from Washington D.C.
The highlight of the evening was Christina Aguilera, who built up a lot of anticipation as the party's headliner.
"That's my icon, top three, for sure," said Thaddeus Coates.
Earlier, on Fifth Avenue, the Pride March was packed with powerful displays of unity, with Billy Porter as the grand marshal, drew people from across the LGBTQ community and allies alike.
"I have gay friends, and my sister's gay, my best friend's gay, and I was raised watching 'To Wong Foo,' so I want her to know the people that she's surrounded by in the city," said Amanda Matusevich.
There was plenty of security in a year and a city that continues to see attacks on the community, and increasing anti-LGBTQ legislation in several states. However, Governor Hochul says New York is standing up to the hate.
"We're going to make New York a safe haven for trans youth from across the country," Governor Hochul said.
Hochul chose Sunday to sign several bills into law. The safe haven law, is aimed at protecting health information of trans youth and medical professionals who help them. It was a moment marked with cheers, on a day celebrating progress, hope, and love.
Celebrations will continue into the night for those still going strong, but no doubt there will be a few people taking the day off on Monday.
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