2026 Disability Pride NYC Parade

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Together We Build!

Honoring the Historic Section 504 Sit-in as We Approach Its 50th Anniversary

Solidarity Changed History. Together We Build the Future.

Parade participants march and roll. One person, at the front of the photo, smiles and points towards the photographer, as they rolls along the Parade route.

Together We Build!

Honoring the Historic Section 504 Sit-in as We Approach Its 50th Anniversary

Solidarity changed history.

Together we build the future.

Nearly fifty years ago, beginning on April 5, 1977, disabled people and allies came together during the historic Section 504 Sit-in, demonstrating the power of solidarity and collective action to advance disability rights and access. The San Francisco sit-in continued for nearly a month, culminating in the signing of the Section 504 regulations on April 28, 1977.

In 2026, we honor that history as we approach its 50th anniversary in April 2027.

The theme of “Together We Build” celebrates what becomes possible when disabled people and the many communities of which we are a part come together with arts and culture, sports and recreation, education, community organizations, government, businesses, and other partners to build access, belonging, opportunity, justice, leadership, participation, and joy.

Building accessibility did not end with Section 504. We honor the people who fought for our rights by continuing to protect those rights, fight for them when they are threatened, and build on their work to create a more accessible and inclusive future.

Build the Parade with us. Your voice. Your pride. Our Parade—together.

Two women, one using a wheelchair, smile at the camera.

Sunday, October 18, 2026

11 AM Parade Start | Madison Square Park to Union Square Park

12 PM - 3 PM | Disability Pride Block Party at Union Square

Registration Information

Apply For A Table

Tabling Information

General Volunteer Sign-Up

Donate

Parade Schedule

10:00 AM — Line-up at Madison Square Park (arrive on time to find your section assignment location)

10:30 AM — Opening remarks and photos (repeated at 12:10 PM in Union Square Park)

11:00 AM — Parade starts

12:00–3:00 PM — Block Party in Union Square Park: Performances, community tables and activities

Help Us Celebrate

A man and a boy pose for the camera wearing sparkle-rimmed sunglasses

Spread the Word

Outreach Team Sign Up

An individual in a group behind an Autistic Adults banner holds a sign that reads "PROUD TO BE ME" in the colors of the trans flag.

Ways to Support

Support the Parade

A woman in a group holding a sign that reads "Disability is not a bad word."

Volunteers

Volunteer Team Sign Up

A woman using a wheelchair and a young girl on the Parade route.

Volunteer Artists & Athletes

Artists and Athletes Sign Up

Our Partners

Powered by community, the Parade is shaped by the people and organizations who bring their creativity, resources, advocacy, connections, and spirit to the day. We warmly invite Solidarity Partners, Community Partners, and Community Leads from across New York City to join us in building the 2026 Parade together.

Together, we can create a celebration where disability pride and power, protest and advocacy, solidarity, friendship, and joy come together across our city.

Founded & Presented By

Disability Pride NYC

Co-Sponsor

NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

Key City partner in launching the first Parade

Founding Partner

2026 Community Leads

Project Access for All Community Leads help connect communities and sectors across our city with the Parade—building relationships, inviting participation, sharing ideas, and bringing more voices to the celebration.

In support of Commissioner Nisha Agarwal’s leadership and the NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities’ (MOPD) commitment to direct community engagement, Disability Pride NYC is partnering with the rebirth of Project Access for All’s community consortium—whose New York City work began in partnership with MOPD—to build on its longstanding model of open-source direct community connection and participation and expand opportunities for year-round engagement, including outreach meetings, meet-ups and other community networks.

Community Lead areas include:

Businesses & Employers
Colleges & Universities
Creative Communities, Arts & Culture
Cultural & Community Organizations
Disability Community Outreach Meetings
Disability Organizations & Advocacy
District, Community Board & Borough Outreach
Education, Schools & Youth
Faith-Based Communities
Healthcare & Human Services
Labor & Unions
Libaries
Older Adults & Aging Communities
Parks & Recreation
Sports
Technology & Digital Access
Transportation & Mobility
Veterans & Military Communities

2026 Community Partners

Our Community Partners participate, collaborate, share the Parade with their networks, and help welcome their communities into the celebration.

Thank you to our 2026 Community Partners— list to come!

Build the Parade With Us

Want to join us? Become a Community Lead or Community Partner, come to an Outreach Meeting, join one of our community networks, or help connect your community to the Parade.

Come to an Outreach Meeting

Two women in white and navy “The Shield Institute” shirts, cheering and raising yellow pom-poms.

Become a City Agency Partner

A man and a woman outdoors. The woman holds a sign advocating that "Disability Rights, Are Women's Rights, Are Human Rights".

Partner in Solidarity as Another Parade

A woman holding a blue pom-pom, smiling, while standing in front of a sign that reads "The City University of New York Coalition for Students with Disabilities."

Become a Sponsor

Contest

Disability Pride & History
Best Float
Best Performance

Advocacy & Power
Best Costumes
Most Spirit

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