Grand Marshals and on-air talent announced for 50th Anniversary of NYC Pride
NYC Pride 2020 announced the Grand Marshals, performers, and hosts for a WABC, Channel 7, Pride broadcast special on Sunday, June 28, 2020, from 12-2 pm. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride March held in 1970.
Dan Levy, The Ali Forney Center, Yanzi Peng, and Victoria Cruz to lead as Grand Marshals
This year will be a very different type of celebration from the tradition of commemorating the LGBTQ movement with a Parade and Festival. In this unique year, NYC Pride will salute front-line workers alongside several leaders in the community being honored as the Grand Marshals.
Dan Levy, The Ali Forney Center, Yanzi Peng, and Victoria Cruz will be the Grand Marshals. The TV special will include performances by Janelle Monáe, Deborah Cox, Billy Porter, Luísa Sonza. Expect to see appearances by Wilson Cruz, Miss Richfield 1981, Margaret Cho and many others. WABC’s Ken Rosato and Lauren Glassberg will host along with guest co-host Carson Kressley. Local TV correspondents Sam Champion and Kemberly Richardson will also be a big part of the TV special.
“NYC Pride is a special place for so many. I couldn’t imagine a year without celebrating with the fabulous LBGTQ people in New York,” said Carson Kressley. “When I was asked to join this special broadcast event with my friends at WABC it was a no-brainer. Pride is something we carry with us all year long, and though we can’t be together in the way we are accustomed I’m grateful to be a part of it in this way.”
“We are thrilled to have Carson as our co-host,” said Debra OConnell, president and general manager of WABC-TV. “The NYC Pride March is such a wonderful day for our city, we look forward to interacting with our viewers in new and creative ways from virtual watch parties to showing us how you are celebrating Pride this year throughout the broadcast.”
“The NYC Pride March is such a pillar of our community and I am incredibly honored to be recognized alongside the other Grand Marshals on its 50th anniversary,” said Dan Levy. “While the physical circumstances are less than ideal, our community has always come together in the face of adversity, and this year’s broadcast is no exception. I am so inspired by the opportunity we’ve been given to celebrate together.”
NYC Pride is also responsible for producing events like Pride Island that welcomes celebrity performers for a weekend of music and dancing. Though in-person events like this were canceled, this year’s headliner, Janelle Monáe didn’t want to miss out on 2020. The broadcast special will feature a performance by the creative, afro-futuristic singer.
This special broadcast with WABC Channel 7 in New York comes in response to ongoing conversations with the community. It will be broadcast o from 12-2pm and will also be available live on abc7ny.com, the station’s free news and connected TV apps, as well as on the ABC News Live channel. NYC Pride is planning more virtual Pride events and will continue to make announcements about additional programming as details become available.
