Pride in July? The Backstory of Pride and the July Celebration in Rochester

The story begins with a rebellion.

1969, The Stonewall Inn Uprising

A placard commemorating the Stonewall Inn uprising that took place in 1969 on Christopher Street

Many in the LGBTQIA+ community understand the history of why we stand up, march, and celebrate Pride in June. It is observed annually, and the stories are passed down to new generations of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other community members that understand that the struggle for equality and equity has come a long way, but is not over. Let us recount the story once more, right now.

It was an exorbitantly hot and humid summer day in NYC on Friday, June 27, 1969, with a high of 96 F. By Saturday morning, even after midnight, temperatures remained somewhere in the 80s. A warm, but cooler morning meant that temperatures were ripe for a night out dancing and connecting with others in Greenwich Village at one of the city’s lesser-known LGBTQIA+ establishments, the Stonewall Inn.

In 1969, homosexuality was criminalized in many states across the U.S.; it wasn’t until 1980 that New York State would move to decriminalize private, consensual same-sex relationships. While raids and harassment at gay bars occurred regularly throughout the city, the Stonewall Inn had benefited from the seedy operations of organized crime, which paid off corrupt officers who, in return, protected the identities of the Inn’s patrons. That was, until one warm Saturday morning in June.

At approximately 1:20 am on June 28, 1969, eight New York City police officers raided the Stonewall Inn with a warrant for “bootlegged alcohol, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct”. The officers began rounding up patrons in the usual fashion of those times, arresting those dressed in full drag and anyone without identification. What transpired next would inevitably change the course of modern history, as numerous fed-up onlookers began to gather outside the Inn, starting at roughly 150 people and swiftly growing to over 600. The energy from an already tense crowd erupted when a scuffle broke out between an officer and a lesbian who was struck over the head with a billy club for complaining that her handcuffs were too tight, as they were tossing this person into their wagon.

In an instant, the crowd began overturning the police wagon, throwing bottles and bricks, an act that forced the officers to barricade themselves in the Stonewall Inn. As the night ensued, everything in the Inn had been mostly destroyed. News spread as others gathered around Greenwich Village, and dumpsters were set ablaze across the surrounding area. The result was an uprising, thirteen individuals arrested, crowd members hospitalized, four police officers injured, and protests that lasted a total of six days, ending on July 3, 1969.

Today, the Stonewall Inn has become a historic landmark, and it remains a safe space and gathering venue for LGBTQIA+ community members. You can stop in to catch a drag performance, play pool, or visit the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center.

A Thirst Trap Thursday performance at Stonewall Inn

Christopher Street Liberation Day

The first Pride march took place on Sunday, June 28th, 1970, and was referred to as Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day. It was the result of a nationwide push that began the previous year to organize and commemorate the events that transpired at the Stonewall Inn. Several members from the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), Ellen Broidy, Linda Rhodes, and Foster Gunnison Jr., met with NYC activist Craig Rodwell to collaborate and orchestrate the details for the march. Their advocacy took them to the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO) in Philadelphia in November 1969. There, they proposed a resolution that led to the formation of the first march:

We propose that a demonstration be held annually on the last Saturday in June in New York City to commemorate the 1969 spontaneous demonstrations on Christopher Street and this demonstration be called CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATION DAY. No dress or age regulations shall be made for this demonstration. We also propose that we contact Homophile organisations throughout the country and suggest that they hold parallel demonstrations on that day. We propose a nationwide show of support.

Corresponding marches occurred in 1970 in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The success of these marches became a catalyst for other international cities, including London, West Berlin, Paris, and Stockholm, to participate. The Pride march has become an annually recognized event commemorating the Stonewall Inn events, and an act of empowerment for the LGBTQIA+ community around the world.

Rochester, New York, and Pride in July

A rainbow float parades down Park Avenue during Rochester’s 2023 Pride Parade

Rochester’s Pride march and celebration occur annually around the second or third weekend of July. For many residents and visitors to Roc Pride, there is a sense of bewilderment that seeks to answer the question, Why is Pride in July in Rochester, New York?

The origins of Rochester’s Pride began on Sunday, May 16, 1971, when local protesters led by the Rochester Gay Liberation Front organized a “gay-in” at Genesee Valley Park (GVP). The following year, in July 1972, the annual festivities were billed as an “annual gay community picnic,” and crowds continued to gather at GVP. Rochester’s first official parade was added on Wednesday, June 28, 1989, and was held on East Main Street that evening. The venue has shifted over the years from GVP to Ontario Beach Park, to Charles Carroll Park, now known as the Austin Steward Plaza. It has been held at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square and Cobb’s Hill from 2016 to 2023, before officially moving to Highland Park in 2024.

The initial “gay-in” protest started with an attendance of 300 people from Rochester, Buffalo, and other Upstate regions. In 2024, Rochester Pride saw around 25,000 attendees at Highland Park. Meaning, Pride has grown significantly in Rochester over the years, and a July celebration allows Roc locals to travel to other Pride festivals across the country, namely New York City, Toronto, and Chicago, and then continue the festivities here in Roc City. Over the years, Roc’s July Pride has attracted visitors from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Canada who seek to participate in the parade and congregate together as a community. Today, the tradition of hosting Rochester Pride in July has remained in part due to organizers hosting the parade and festival to not overlap with neighboring major cities like Toronto or NYC. For many in Rochester, New York, Pride is celebrated year-round, but the organized festivities carry on from June to July!

A photo of Progress Pride Flags at Rochester Pride

Rochester Pride parade kicks off on South Avenue on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 11:00 am. See you there!