About the Manhattan Nightlife Yearbook

A Time Capsule of Queer New York — 2025–2026 Edition

The Manhattan Nightlife Yearbook is the first-ever annual visual archive dedicated to New York City’s queer nightlife community — the performers, DJs, dancers, hosts, creatives, icons, newcomers, misfits, legends, influencers, and lovers who keep the city alive after dark.

For decades, nightlife has shaped queer history. Bars and clubs have doubled as sanctuaries, classrooms, battlegrounds, runways, and stages. The Yearbook exists to document that legacy in real time — not years later, not after the moment has passed, but as it’s happening.

This project is produced by HKNY Entertainment, whose mission is to honor and uplift queer artists while preserving the cultural heartbeat of Manhattan.

What the Yearbook Celebrates

The Faces of NYC Nightlife

Each portrait is shot in a sleek, editorial style that captures each subject’s personality, artistry, and energy. From drag queens to DJs to nightlife workers, the Yearbook features the people who make New York unforgettable.

The Community

This isn’t just a publication; it’s a gathering place. A reflection of found family, chosen family, friendships formed under neon lights, and the connections that only happen at 3:00 AM on a crowded dance floor.

The Culture

The Yearbook honors the art of the night — from iconic looks and legendary productions to underground parties, neighborhood bars, and the performers who give their entire soul to a six-minute number.

Why a Yearbook?

Because this community deserves documentation.
Because the world should know that queer nightlife is art.
Because the people who shape this city deserve to see themselves in print.
Because our stories matter — and they belong in an archive.

Each annual edition becomes a historical artifact, a snapshot of a specific year in Manhattan nightlife, forever capturing the evolution of queer culture.

How It Works

Each participant books a portrait package (Basic, Premium or Patron).
HKNY then schedules editorial shoot days, styles the spreads, and assembles the Yearbook in both digital and hardcover formats.

After purchase you'll receive a link to register your details and nominate yourself for categories yearbook style ('Most likely to...' 'Least likely to...').  Nominations last through February 28, 2026.

All participants are invited to the official Yearbook Signing Party on June 1, where performers, nightlife royalty, industry workers, and supporters come together to celebrate the release.

Who It's For

The Yearbook is designed for:
✨ Drag artists
✨ DJs, dancers, producers
✨ Nightlife workers & bar staff
✨ Queer creatives
✨ Fans, supporters, and allies
✨ Anyone who feels at home under stage lights

If Manhattan nightlife is part of your identity, your memories, or your magic — the Yearbook is for you.

Join Us

Whether you appear in its pages or simply own a copy, the Yearbook is your invitation into a cultural moment that deserves to be preserved.

Become part of NYC’s nightlife history.
Because the night remembers.