Princeton Pride Parade Is Saturday. Here’s The Route, Road Closures:

PRINCETON, NJ — The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ) will be hosting the 2023 Princeton Pride Parade and after-party on Saturday.

Thousands are expected to join the celebrations which are expected to begin at 11 a.m. Friends and families should show up at 400 Witherspoon Street at 10:30 a.m.

Organizations, businesses, groups and people who have registered to march should gather reach the spot at 10 a.m. to find their place in the parade.

The parade will roll through the historic Witherspoon Jackson neighborhood. There will be an afterparty at the Princeton YMCA at Paul Robeson Place.

This year there will be two grand marshals - Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka & Trans Activist Gavin Grimm.

“I am beyond thrilled and honored to act as Grand Marshal of the BRCSJ Princeton Pride Parade,” Muraoka said in a statement, “On Sesame Street we try to teach tolerance, acceptance, and love. I am inspired by the mission and vision of all the good folks at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, who are teaching the same values. Can't wait to march with them." Muraoka also serves as a BRCSJ Board Member.

Grimm is the 24-year-old transgender activist and victor in the landmark ACLU lawsuit, Gavin Grimm vs Gloucester County Public School Board. The fight, which started in 2015 & lasted for years, helped enshrine some legal protections for transgender students in the 4th circuit and is pivotal for students locally as well as across the nation.

The BRCSJ hosted the first-ever Princeton Pride Parade in 2019 with over 3,000 people in attendance. Then during the pandemic years —2020 and 2021 — the event was help virtually with over 25,000 viewers joining in.

Last year back, 4,000 people celebrated together.

“We invite all to join us as our LGBTQIA community and their friends, allies, and families to march, dance, roll, stroll, and sashay through the historic Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood to end up at the fabulous after-party at the Princeton Y,” said BRCSJ Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber.

“What better way to walk the walk (both literally & figuratively) of inclusivity and intersectionality than to bring together all of our beautifully diverse folx in Princeton and in the greater community!”

Also participating in the parade will be BRCSJ Board Member Glen Pannell, popular as Hot Mike Pence; Maplewood’s first gay Mayor Dean Dafis; Sen. Andrew Zwicker; Congressman Andy Kim; Princeton Mayor Mark Freda and others.

The parade route will include Witherspoon Street (between Valley and Paul Robeson) and Paul Robeson (between 206 and Witherspoon).

Here’s the road closure details from Princeton Police:

• Witherspoon St.: Between Valley Rd. and Paul Robeson Pl. Paul Robeson Pl.: Between Chambers St. and Witherspoon St. Residents of Michele Mews: Garage Access will be available during the parade. Motorists should use Chambers Street to Paul Robeson to access the parking garage. A police officer will be on location to assist motorists.
• Residents of the John Witherspoon Neighborhood: There will be limited to no access to Witherspoon St. while participants are in the roadway. Police Officers will be at intersections to aid motorists.

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