NYC to have Pride of a lifetime for Stonewall 50

There's no question: New York City Pride, combined with WorldPride for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, is going to be historic.

That's one reason why the Big Apple is gussying itself up with rainbows and getting the entertainment ready to welcome as many as 4 million Pridegoers from around the world who are expected to descend on the city and its five boroughs in June.

The anniversary of the Stonewall riots that ignited the modern gay liberation movement also marks the first time that World Pride will be hosted in the United States.

Lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge is set to headline WorldPride's closing at a free concert in Times Square June 30. (For more information on all the events, visit https://bit.ly/2XsGvmI.)

"All eyes will be on New York and that benefits everybody," said Cathy Renna, a 53-year-old lesbian native New Yorker who is the media consultant for Heritage of Pride Inc., which produces NYC Pride.

"It's going to be the largest Pride event ever in history. Period. End of story. Which is extraordinary in and of itself," said Renna. "It's really going to be an extraordinary and historic month."

Staten Island is also gearing up for the event.

"They are doing an amazing job to put on some absolutely spectacular events," Marcy Carr, 54, a pansexual woman who is the operations director at the Pride Center of Staten Island, said about NYC Pride organizers.

Staten Island will kick-off WorldPride events May 10, said Carr, who is also a board member and regional director for InterPride, which produces WorldPride.

Stacy Lentz, 48, is a lesbian and co-owner of the Stonewall Inn (https://thestonewallinnnyc.com). She previously told the Bay Area Reporter that the iconic bar is going to be "crazy" during June.

"The whole city is going to come together to celebrate this once-in-a-generation time period," said Lentz.

Events are not limited to Manhattan.

"You have a month and a half of amazing events going on throughout all the boroughs. No matter when you get here you will have plenty of stuff to see and do," Carr added.

Everyone is excited to have the world come and celebrate in New York.

"So, I think that it's going to be amazing," said Lentz.