The Beat

State Funding Allows wild project To Acquire 195 East 3rd Street Theater, Preserving a Vital Cultural Space for Independent, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC Artists

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced an additional $600,000 in State funding to enable wild project — a nonprofit producer, performance venue, and community space — to purchase the building at 195 East 3rd Street in Manhattan’s East Village that has housed the organization's 89-seat theater since its founding in 2007. This investment will help secure long-term stability for a vital independent arts organization, preserving affordable cultural space for emerging, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and local artists.

After nearly a decade as Rebar, the iconic LGBTQ+ venue returns with new ownership, upgraded amenities, and a renewed commitment to community-focused nightlife.

New York, NY (September 5, 2025) - g Lounge, a longtime staple of New York City’s LGBTQ+ nightlife since 1996, has officially reopened at 225 West 19th Street under ““new”” ownership. The venue, which officially closed in 2016, then, then reopened in 2017 as Rebar, has been restored by a new partnership formed by Michael McGrail, the only remaining partner in the original venture after the others were “bought out” by his husband (and partner of 36 years), Michael John Kay, and nightlife professional Juan Boria – known, respectively, as Michael, Michael John and Juan.

Drag Experiences invites guests to a $49 guided journey through Hell’s Kitchen’s iconic LGBTQ+ nightlife.

New York, NY - There’s no party like a drag party—especially in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, where glitter, glamour, and New York City’s fiercest queens take center stage. NY Fabulous Drag Night Out, a nightlife bar crawl from Drag Experiences, invites guests on an unforgettable evening of high-energy performances, local nightlife, and insider stories from one of NYC’s most iconic LGBTQ+ neighborhoods.

On view October 10, 2025 – March 8, 2026

New York, NY (August 6, 2025)—Opening October 10 at The New York Historical, The Gay Harlem Renaissance examines the Black LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and performers central to the Harlem Renaissance and everyday Black gay life in the early 20th century. Marking the centennial of The New Negro—the landmark 1925 anthology edited by Alain Locke—the exhibition traces the queer creativity, friendship circles, and mentorships that flourished in Harlem’s salons, social clubs, and thriving nightlife and that helped power the Harlem Renaissance.

 Based on Tennessee Williams’ MEMOIRS 

Adapted and Directed by Steven Simone-Friedland, Conceived and Performed by Emmy® Award Winner Rick Simone-Friedland

New York, N.Y. (July 16, 2025) – Theater for the New City, Crystal Field (Artistic Director) presents Kind Stranger…a memory play based on Tennessee Williams’ MEMOIRS, adapted for the stage and directed by Steven Simone-Friedland. Conceived and performed by Emmy® Award-winner Rick Simone-Friedland, five performances will be staged from August 24-September 3, 2025, as part of the Dream Up Festival 2025 at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

Gansevoort, NY (June  16, 2025) — Dancing Grain Farm Brewery is proud to announce its first vibrant and family-friendly Pride Festival on Saturday, June 21 from 12 to 4 PM, inviting guests to celebrate love, inclusivity, and local craft in the heart of the farm fields.

Flag raising and full schedule of events for Pride Month

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is celebrating Pride month in a variety of ways – from flag raisings to events across the state. This follows the OPRHP mission statement – to provide safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New York State residents and visitors. OPRHP is committed to welcoming visitors to take part in the valuable natural, historic and cultural resources offered.

The Production Also Releases New Trailer For The June Engagement At New York City Center 

New York, N.Y. (May 21, 2025) – Today, the West End smash hit My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) announced that they will be partnering with TDF, the not-for-profit performing arts organization, for the production’s June 12 performance at New York City Center. This performance is the first of My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?)’s limited engagement from June 12 until June 15. …

Exhibition presented in partnership with ImageOut, May 17–October 26 at George Eastman Museum

Rochester, N.Y., May 15, 2025—The George Eastman Museum, along with ImageOut, presents Seeing & Being Seen: LGBTQ+ Visions of Rochester, which celebrates the diverse, intersectional identities, and experiences within the Greater Rochester, New York LGBTQ+ community, and spotlights the shared and unique Queer and Trans existence, from celebration to struggle. The exhibition is on display in the museum's community gallery, the Gallery Obscura, starting May 17.