For this year's march, which was themed around the three-word "We Are Proud" slogan, revelers gathered around to see plenty of organizations, companies and politicians push forward an agenda surrounding free love and equality. iHeartRadio joined 103.5 KTU's float for the festivity, which only spawned a deeper understanding for the celebration and the work that goes behind it.
In short, it's easy to forget about the orchestration of a parade during afternoon traffic. It involves a whole lot of preparation from law enforcement, event staff and even more help from the actual street-goers. Mere blocks away from the 10-acre Bryant Park, a string of floats, including the colorful 103.5 KTU piece, stood tall and decorated between the avenues of the gridlocked city waiting for their moment of departure. With friendly personalities like 103.5 KTU's Wendy Wild and Bartel (as well as special live performers and dancers) in attendance, it became clear that the energy surrounding a float has everything to do with the participants on it as it does with the folks celebrating in the street.
Minutes before the two o'clock hour, 103.5 KTU's float slowly joined the street to a remix of Katy Perry's "Fireworks," courtesy of DJ Rachael Valentino. From there on, it was smiles, cheers, dancing as the Pride March brought us down Manhattan. At one point, singer/producer Adam Joseph took the mic to perform a fitting cover of Aretha Franklin's "A Deeper Love" as well as his viral hit, "Linda Evangelista," which will make any Valentina fan smirk. Jade Starling, the lead singer from 90s band Pretty Poison, also stood on the KTU float, serving entertainment with her hit, "Catch Me (I'm Falling)," for the second year in a row.
But, as much of a party as it might have sounded like, riding on top of a float during the Pride March was much more than the costumes, music and skin. It was about the historic importance in driving by somewhere as monumental as The Stonewall Inn and rejoicing in the progress that the LGBTQ community has made. Pair that significance with a moment of self acceptance and the people that mean the most to you and you have the exact ingredients of what it feels like to ride a float in NYC's Pride March.