World AIDS Day Observance Set For West Village: Reading Of Names

WEST VILLAGE, NY — An observance and afternoon of programming will take place Thursday at the New York City AIDS Memorial in the West Village for World AIDS Days.

There will be a community gathering, a choire performance, a queer soup night fundraiser, and a candlelight vigil at the memorial at 76 Greenwich Ave. (near West 12th Street).

“It is an honor to be a special and sacred place for New Yorkers to gather to remember, reflect, and renew – particularly on World AIDS Day. We are proud to join our incredible partners in holding space during readings and a candlelit vigil and are thankful to the musicians who will lift our spirits and the incredible chefs who will nourish us.

Here's the schedule for the day.

The observance will begin at 1 p.m. with a press conference, in partnership with Housing Works, a NYC-based nonprofit that fights AIDS and homelessness.

At 2 p.m., there will be a four-hour long presentation in which multiple speakers simultaneously read the names of New Yorkers who have lost their lives to AIDS. This has typically been done at City Hall, but will take place this year at the memorial.

Everybody in attendance is invited to take part in the reading of the names.

At 5 p.m., the NYC AIDS Memorial has partnered with Queer Soup Night, a volunteer-run organization founded to strengthen local queer communities. There will be food provided by leading LGBTQ+ New York-based chefs, including Telly Justice of HAGS, Tony Ortiz of Chile con Miel, and Woldy Reyes of Woldy Kusina.

The free soup will be passed out from 5 to 7 p.m.

The day will end with the 31st annual Out of the Darkness candlelight vigil and march, which leaves the New York City AIDS Memorial at 6:30 p.m. and heads to St. John's Lutheran Church at 81 Christopher St. for another gathering and series of speakers.

The choral group Tapestry will conclude the vigil with a 25-minute performance.

You can learn more about the day of events on the New York City AIDS Memorial's website.