Beyond the weekly rotation of parties and themed nights across the city's ever changing bar and club scene, the New York gay calendar is also marked with numerous one off events and annual happenings.

For the party boys, while the big dance clubs are still packing the crowds on a weekly basis, the new trend is for monthly gigs and special events taking place in various venues across town. Victor Calderone's monthly dance party at Studio Mezmor is among the most popular and established gay/straight/all-inclusive house music event. Junior Vasquez has also opted for this type of schedule, ever since the closing of his last weekly club night "Earth". He now throws one-off themed parties in big clubs like Pacha or concert venues such as Hammerstein Ballroom or Webster Hall.

The highlights of party calendar in New York are definitely the Black Party and The Pier Dance: the former celebrating the spring equinox and the awakening of male sexuality after a winter of hibernation (or so the legend says…), and the latter being the culmination of the weeklong Gay Pride festivities. These two events are two prominent dates in the circuit party calendar, attracting revelers from around the country who congregate in New York for several days of partying and bonding. In fact, New York is at the origin of the gay circuit world which finds its source in the monthly marathon events held at the legendary East Village gay nightclub "The Saint" during the early 80's. These special nights at the Saint shaped the tradition within the gay community of weekend get-away in a particular city, centered on a themed party with various side-events.

The month of June is especially packed with numerous events geared towards the gay community. Gay Pride is a major festival in New York, commemorating the Stonewall riots. It spans 4 main events through the last week of the month: The Rally, Pridefest, the March, the Pier Dance. At the same time of the year, the world famous New York City Gay Men’s Chorus give their annual Summer concert, and the Lincoln Center sets up it outdoor stage to host the Midsummer Night Swing which features a pride themed night of artistic performances.

New York hosts a wide array of other more underground or alternative events through the year showcasing the vibrant lives and interests of the different queer communities inhabiting the city. Among them, Wigstock is the annual Drag festival created in 1985 by the legendary Lady Bunny takes place late August at Bryant Park, in the East Village. The same month, “Pride in the City” is a series of events and parties to build, affirm and celebrate the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in New York. The biggest event of the New York underground ballroom scene also takes place in August, with the annual Latex Ball co-sponsored by GMHC.