June 29 | 11am–5pm | Free General Admission
Kick off Pride Weekend at the Seaport Museum with a full day of engaging community activities and Museum celebrations in honor of LGBTQIA+ Pride.
Take advantage of free General Admission to the Museum throughout the day, which will allow you to explore the exhibitions in the introduction galleries at 12 Fulton Street and two historic ships moored at Pier 16. The tall ship Wavertree will boast colorful Pride decorations and offer fun lawn games on the main deck. There will also be a tarot card reader in the crew’s quarters from 1–3pm.
Advanced registration for free General Admission to the Museum is suggested for activities on Wavertree but walk-ups will be accommodated as possible and drop-ins are welcome. Join us for a memorable and inclusive celebration of Pride at the Seaport Museum!
Please note that access to Wavertree involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs.
Please Note This is a Past Program, Event, or Activity
You are viewing an archived page for a program, event, or activity that has already taken place. In most cases these pages are no longer actively maintained and because of that may contain inaccurate or out-of-date information. These pages are left publicly viewable to preserve institutional memory and to allow the public to learn more about the types of programs, activities, and content created and made available by the South Street Seaport Museum throughout its history.
Youth Pride 2024
June 29 | 12–6pm | Pier 16, Pier 17 | Free
NYC’s annual event dedicated to celebrating and empowering LGBTQIA+ youth, Youth Pride, will be held throughout Piers 16 and 17 on June 29, from 12–6pm. Attendees can enjoy a variety of free activities, including non-alcoholic beverages, free food and snacks, carnival activations, musical performances, DJs, special guest appearances, and opportunities to make connections.
Rainbows on the Hudson Pride Parade
June 29 | Pier 16 | $15–$50
Enrich your Pride celebration at the Seaport Museum by joining the LGBTQ+ sailing club Knickerbocker Sailing Association’s (KSA) annual floating Pride parade.
Two of the Museum’s National Register-listed historic vessels will join over 30 boats for the sail, which means you can join part of the parade on the 1885 schooner Pioneer or the 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker. The fleet of 30+ vessels will feature a colorful array of sails and flags, some even designed by Gilbert Baker, the creator of the first pride flag who was also a member of KSA.
Click below to get your ticket to join the procession on either vessel. Advance registration is required. Capacity is limited; claim your space before each sail is full!
Prefer to enjoy the parade from shore? No problem! Between 3pm and 3:30pm, the procession of ships is expected to sail past the Seaport Museum’s Pier 16, where anyone can enjoy the site and cheer them on.
Pioneer Pride Sail
1pm | Pier 16 | $20–$50
The 1885 Schooner Pioneer will don her LGBTQ+ Pride flag and join Rainbows on the Hudson boat parade for two hours in New York Harbor.
The experienced crew will guide the vessel past New York’s iconic Lower Manhattan skyline and into New York Harbor to join the parade at the Statue of Liberty. Guests are invited to BYOB––whether it’s Bring-Your-Own-Brunch, -Beverage, or -Bottle of wine is up to you! Pioneer sails make for a unique al fresco experience so feel free to bring along your favorite meal or snack.
Pioneer will join a portion of the procession and will return to Pier 16 by 3pm, in time to provide participants a beautiful view of the full parade making its way past the Seaport Museum at Pier 16 between 3–3:30pm.
W.O. Decker Pride Ride
1:15pm | Pier 16 | $15–$30
Board the last surviving New York-built wooden tugboat W.O. Decker, for a 75-minute ride with Rainbows on the Hudson.
This 2021 “Tugboat of the Year” will raise her rainbow flag and cruise along with the parade while exploring the iconic New York Harbor and take in stunning views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Battery, and Governors Island.
W.O. Decker rides are particularly popular with tweens, teens, and boat enthusiasts. The tugboat will join a portion of the procession and will return to Pier 16 by 2:30pm, in time to provide participants a beautiful view of the full parade making its way past the Seaport Museum at Pier 16 between 3–3:30pm.
Know Before You Go
Tour routes are subject to change due to unpredictable boat traffic in the harbor and weather, though captains will do their best to include the sites listed. Read the full FAQ for more details on sailing with the Seaport Museum. Make sure to understand the schedule for your trip.
Pioneer Pride Sail
Check In Begins: 12pm
Check In Ends: 12:45pm
Board: 12:45pm
Depart: 1pm
Return: 3pm
W.O. Decker Pride Ride
Check In Begins: 12:15pm
Check In Ends: 1pm
Board: 1:05pm
Depart: 1:15pm
Return: 2:30pm
Pride Programming at the Seaport Museum
Zak Risinger, Director of Engagement and Public Programs at the South Street Seaport Museum, spearheads the Museum’s public programming with the goal of expanding offerings to more inclusively represent the voices and stories of all New Yorkers. One significant initiative under his leadership is the Queer History series, designed to share underrepresented queer narratives from both the past and the present, year-round. In this blog post, Risinger delves into how he develops programs for the Queer History series and explores queer culture from the early to mid-20th century.
Read the blog post “Ripples of Change” to learn more about this queer focused series and get a glimpse into 20th century queer history in the maritime world.
Ready for more?
Head over to our Programs and Events page to see what else is happening at the Museum. Sign up for an upcoming talk, learn more about visiting Wavertree, or explore our virtual offerings.