Pride parades on Long Island
June will forever be known as the month of Pride, focusing on a declaration of love, identity and community. The organizers of this year's Pride Month parades and festivals on Long Island hope that those themes will be embraced by bigger than ever crowds.
"Everyone is seeing that it’s important to come out in 2025," says Dave Kilmnick, president of LGBT Network and co-founder of Long Island Pride, which has been running for 35 years.
Here are five towns that are holding Pride parades and post-celebrations.
BABYLON
Parade starts on Main Street and Deer Park Avenue
Paradegoers decorate their cars and travel through Babylon village at the Pride Parade in June 2023. Credit: Rick Kopstein
What began as a small grassroots movement during the pandemic has turned into the sixth annual Babylon Pride Parade, which draws thousands of spectators each year. The event will be held June 1 in Babylon Village at 3 p.m. Starting on the corner of Deer Park Avenue and Main Street, going up to John Street, the parade will do one loop around Deer Park Avenue and then come to a close.
"It means more to LGBTQ people when they are celebrated in their hometown," says M. Roman, founder and president of the Babylon Village Pride Inc. "I don’t want us to live in fear. I want us to be stronger than ever and remain united."
The parade will feature sponsors Northwell and East Neck Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, drag performers Bella Noche, KoKo Del Rey and Porsche. Amityville's Dan Kiernan from NBC’s "The Voice" will kick things off by singing the national anthem. Mayor Mary Adams will also be present, along with other local politicians.
"Our theme this year is ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ " says Roman.
Peggy Elder, of Massapequa, enjoys the Babylon Village Pride Parade in 2021. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
The 21-and-older official after-party is scheduled to be held at Mary Carroll’s Bar & Beer Garden, located at 121 Deer Park Ave., from 4 to 9 p.m. featuring local talent and New York City drag performers.
"Now more than ever, we need to come together to support one another," says Roman. "LGBTQ people are not going to be erased. We are not going anywhere."
- WHEN 3 p.m. June 1
- MORE INFO prideofbabylon.org
EAST HAMPTON
Parade starts on Main Street, between the Presbyterian Church and Guild Hall
Sarah Azzara, of Rocky Point, waves streamers during the Hamptons Pride Parade held in East Hampton in June 2023. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
East Hampton's fourth annual Hamptons Pride Parade is set for June 7 at noon. Starting on Main Street between the Presbyterian Church and Guild Hall, the parade proceeds down to Newtown Lane over to Railroad Avenue and circles back to Herrick Park.
"The parade is very family-friendly," says Tom House, president of Hamptons Pride. "We make sure that everything is designed for people of any age. The parade consists of LGBTQ members and allies."
Andrea Grover, of Sag Harbor, blows bubbles while participating in the Hamptons Pride Parade. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Marching will be the First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton, the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation), Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, John Jermain Memorial Library of Sag Harbor and the Guild Hall Teen Arts Council with floats and decorated vehicles.
This year’s grand marshal will be John Cameron Mitchell, star and creator of the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."
After the parade, Mitchell will perform a concert of "Hedwig" songs in Herrick Park. Additionally, Mayor Jerry Larsen is set to address the crowd followed by a dance party with DJ Watts.
- WHEN Noon June 7
- MORE INFO 631-771-2044, hamptonspride.org
PATCHOGUE
Parade starts at Route 112 heading west on Main Street
Pathogue's inaugural Pride Parade in June 2023. Credit: James Carbone
The third annual Patchogue Pride parade happens June 8 at noon. Last year, the event drew close to 15,000 people.
"Support has definitely grown. People feel more and more comfortable to come out and celebrate Pride," says James Diele-Stein, co-founder and board chair of Long Island Equality Inc., which runs the parade.
Grand marshals Michelle Cavaleri and Chris Genovese, the mother-and-son co-owners of SouthShore Counseling Center in East Patchogue will be joined by other local businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools and allies as they travel down Main Street with floats and decorated cars.
Head to Patchogue Theatre after the parade for a comedy show. Credit: James Carbone
After the parade, head over to the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts for "Fierce and Fabulous: A Patchogue Pride Spectacular" hosted by comedian Jack Sullivan at 4 p.m. The show (tickets are $25) includes drag performers such as Tom Catt, Toni Homeperm and LaBelle.
- WHEN Noon June 8
- MORE INFO 631-605-8660, patchoguepride.com
HUNTINGTON
Parade starts at Clinton Avenue and Main Street
The New York LGBT Network will present the 35th annual Long Island Pride Parade & Festival in Huntington. Credit: Rick Kopstein
On June 8, find your way to Huntington for the 35th annual Long Island Pride Parade, which began as an act of defiance in 1991. The LGBT Network, which was founded by Kilmnick, Steve Heneghan, Leah Gustavson and Cara Wilson, was initially told that they couldn’t march but they went to court and won the right to do so.
This year the parade starts at Clinton Avenue and Main Street then travels down to Heckscher Park. It will carry more than 100 groups representing local nonprofit organizations, churches, synagogues, Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, local businesses, community schools as well as, classic cars from the Lambda Car Club.
"There will be marching bands in the parade as well as a special flash mob to Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra,’ " Kilmnick says.
The Bermudez family: Kim, Ryan, Amanda and Cameron, attend the New York LGBT Network's 34th annual Long Island Pride Parade & Festival in Huntington in 2024. Credit: Rick Kopstein
The celebration continues with a carnival in Heckscher Park featuring 100 vendors, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, inflatable rides for kids and live entertainment on the Chapin Rainbow Stage. Performers include Glen Cove-raised Shye Roberts ("The Voice" finalist), drag performers Kori King and Tina Burner from RuPaul’s "Drag Race," the Freestyle Forever band, Long Island Gay Men's Chorus, the cast of CM Performing Arts Center’s "Anything Goes" and more with host John Dias of CBS News New York and DJ Tommy Nappi from KTU.
- WHEN Noon June 8
- MORE INFO 631-665-2300, lipride.org
GREENPORT
Parade starts at Second and Broad streets
Decorated vehicles join the Northfork Pride Parade on Main Street in Greenport in June 2023. Credit: Morgan Campbell
The North Fork Pride Parade, presented by The LGBT Network, arrives June 22 at noon in Greenport. It starts at Second and Broad streets, travels down to Main Street and concludes at Front Street.
"This parade has a cooler, more low-key vibe," Kilmnick says.
Cars decorated with rainbow flags and balloons at the North Fork Pride Parade. Credit: Morgan Campbell
The parade will consist of grand marshals sisters Kathryn Quigley and Liz Casey, who cofounded Peconic Community School, various East End groups, places of worship, nonprofit organizations, schools, wineries and pet organizations. This year’s parade theme is "Defiant Joy."
A post-parade festival will be held in Mitchell Park, where there will be live entertainment, a vendor market, food booths and the carousel will be open for all to enjoy.
- WHEN Noon June 22
- MORE INFO 631-665-2300, northforkpride.org
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
More Things to Do
