Photos: New York City is 'defiantly different' as thousands celebrate Pride

Thousands of New Yorkers turned out today to celebrate the city's Pride parade.

The annual Pride parade, which first took place in 1970, has grown to become one of the largest in the United States, with hundreds of groups marching and more than 100 floats.

This year's event was Grand Marshalled by LGBT activists from Lambda Legal and OutRight International, as well as out tennis player Billie Jean King and agender advocate Tyler Ford.

[caption id="attachment_283427" align="alignnone" width="650"]

Billie Jean King serves as grand marshal of the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

The theme for this year's march was ‘Defiantly Different,’ which organisers say "speaks to the breadth of the LGBTQ+ community as a unified people and our tenacious individuality".

In previous years the march started on 5th Avenue and ended on Christopher Street, in the heart of the city's gay district - but in a break with tradition the parade took a new route.

[caption id="attachment_283428" align="alignnone" width="650"]

Parkland, Florida, school shooting survivor Emma Gonzales(C) attends the 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty)[/caption]

The new route begins on 7th Avenue, passing the city's AIDS memorial, before progressing through Christopher Street and past the historic Stonewall Inn, before heading up 5th Avenue and ending in midtown.

Check out some photos from the parade below:

[caption id="attachment_283417" align="alignnone" width="650"]

New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283416" align="alignnone" width="650"]

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray attend the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty)[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_283418" align="alignnone" width="650"]

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo attends the 2018 New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283419" align="alignnone" width="650"]

New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283422" align="alignnone" width="650"]

A reveller attends the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283421" align="alignnone" width="650"]

A reveller rides a motorcycle in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City.(Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283420" align="alignnone" width="650"]

A reveller rides a motorcycle in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283424" align="alignnone" width="650"]

Revellers take part in the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283425" align="alignnone" width="650"]

A reveller attends the annual Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Kena Betancur/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283426" align="alignnone" width="650"]

New York City Pride March on June 24, 2018 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283431" align="alignnone" width="650"]

People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283430" align="alignnone" width="650"]

People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY /AFP/Getty Images)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_283429" align="alignnone" width="650"]

People take part in the annual 2018 New York City Pride Parade on June 24, 2018 as they make their way down 7th Avenue in New York. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty)[/caption]