The inaugural Pride in the Sky festival was a tremendous success in 2024, welcoming thousands of participants to the Walkway Over the Hudson for a celebration of the unity, diversity and freedom that make the Hudson Valley such a wonderful place to visit. Organized once again by Big Gay Hudson Valley, the second-annual event, set for May 17, 2025, promises to be even bigger!
There will be community festivals with vendors, LGBTQ+ pride groups, and LGBTQ-owned and allied businesses and community groups on both sides of the Walkway. The festival is free to attend. Click here to register.
Here is what to expect:
• Performances, including live music, burlesque and drag, will be highlighted throughout the evening at four different locations along the Walkway's 1.26-mile span. Food and beverages will be available on both sides of the Walkway.
• Just before sunset, two groups of flag marshals will step off from each side of the Walkway and parade two of the world’s largest Pride flags to the center of the bridge. A 16-foot-wide, 500-foot-long portion of Gilbert Baker’s original eight-color Pride flag will step off from the Dutchess County side, and a 16-foot-wide, 125-foot-long community-supported and newly created trans pride flag (the world’s largest) will step off from the Ulster County side.
• Pet owners are invited to bring their furry, four-legged loved ones out for the special Proud Pet Paw-Rade at 4:30 p.m. Colorful costumes for pets and their owners are encouraged.
• The Mid-Hudson Bridge will be illuminated in rainbow colors for Pride In The Sky starting at dusk.
• The Hudson River Sloop "Clearwater," the historic 106-foot Hudson River Sloop replica recognized as America’s Environmental Flagship, will be docked for the weekend at Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie. The ship, renamed "Queerwater" in honor of the occasion, will offer free tours throughout the day on May 17, as well as a special Drag Story Hour event aboard the ship with Katarina Mirage starting at 1 p.m. There will also be special ticketed Pride Sails aboard the "Queerwater" at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Shuttle buses will be available on both sides of the Hudson River from 4–10 p.m. to allow guests easy access to the Walkway from additional parking lots, including the Poughkeepsie Metro-North train station. A handicap accessible bus will also be available on the Poughkeepsie side.
A refurbished railroad bridge built in 1889, the Walkway rises 212 feet above the majestic Hudson River. It's the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world and offers a bird’s eye view of the river and its surrounding highlands.
Attached photos of Pride in the Sky 2024 by Tanner Townsend courtesy of Big Gay Hudson Valley
