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WorldPride Kicks Off With Star-Studded Opening Ceremony in Brooklyn

"This is where Pride was born, and nobody does it better than we do."

On Wednesday, June 26, WorldPride kicked off at Brooklyn's Barclays Center with an evening full of celebrities, drag queens, history lessons, and lots and lots of rainbow confetti.

Cyndi Lauper opened the evening with her classic song "True Colors," singing as she emerged from a spinning globe on the stage. Lady Bunny, Flotilla DeBarge, and others warmed up the crowd as DJ Lina Bradford spun disco tunes to keep the crowd on their feet.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Cyndi Lauper onstage during Opening Ceremony 'WorldPride NYC 2019' at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

After a video on the history of Pride and the Stonewall riots, Whoopi Goldberg walked onstage as host for the night.

"This is where Pride was born," the EGOT winner told the massive crowd. "And nobody does it better than we do."

“We all know that Pride isn’t just about the party,” she continued. "The Stonewall uprising lead to five days of protest. We were in the streets protesting. We were protesting in people’s faces and you know what—we are still protesting, but the difference is today is that we are backed up by WorldPride. This has evolved into a global movement.”

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US actress Whoopi Goldberg performs onstage during the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 2019. - New York's highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

Over the course of the night, a variety of other famous faces graced the stage, including Billy Porter and Angelica Ross from Pose, Sara Ramirez, Chaka Khan, Todrick Hall, and Ciara, but it was the RuPaul's Drag Race queens who really brought the house down.

Alaska, Yvie Oddly, Shangela, Alyssa Edwards, and Bob the Drag Queen each performed a number in a medley that concluded with an epic performance set to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Cut to the Feeling"—complete with viral sensation Mark Kanemura making a surprise appearance to rip off his pile of rainbow wigs.

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

A drag Queen performs onstage during the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 2019. - New York's highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

The night ended, of course, with Billy Porter and rainbow confetti raining down on the crowd. Now that's how you kick off WorldPride.

“We are the greatest city in the world,” said Corey Johnson, openly gay Speaker of the New York City Council. “We gave you Barbra Streisand, J.Lo, and Whoopi Goldberg.” Scroll through below for more photos from the fabulous evening.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Angelica Ross speaks at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: DJ Lina performs at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Lady Bunny, Flotilla Debarge attend the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Dusty Ray Bottoms performs at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Alyssa Edwards performs at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Daya performs at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Cyndi Lauper performs at the WorldPride NYC 2019 Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Billy Porter performs onstage during Opening Ceremony 'WorldPride NYC 2019' at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Billy Porter and Cory Johnson attend Opening Ceremony 'WorldPride NYC 2019' at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Cyndi Lauper (C) with RuPaul's Drag Race cast and the 'True Colors' talents pose for a group photo backstage during Opening Ceremony 'WorldPride NYC 2019' at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Cyndi Lauper onstage during Opening Ceremony 'WorldPride NYC 2019' at Barclays Center on June 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Drag Queen Yvie Oddly performs onstage during the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 2019. - New York's highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

US performer Alaska Thunderfuck performs onstage during the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 2019. - New York's highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

US performer Alaska Thunderfuck is seen backstage during the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 2019. - New York's highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)

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