Parade through Babylon Village celebrates LGBTQ community

Hundreds lined the route and hundreds more took part Sunday in a jubilant and celebratory parade through Babylon Village to show support and solidarity with the LGBTQ community.

The Babylon Village Pride Parade included dazzling floats decked out in rainbow colors and marchers in a mood of tolerance and acceptance. The procession moved along Deer Park Avenue after getting its start about 3 p.m. on Main Street.

“It’s wonderful to see that we can have this kind of a celebration … that the village has opened its heart,” said Dani Barnhart, a 44-year-old resident of North Babylon, as she watched the parade participants stroll by.

Within the celebration, some attendees said, there was a special meaning to the events: being able to the celebrate the LGBTQ+ community near where they live.

Danaiya Byrams, 27, and her wife live close to the parade route. After celebrating in New York City, the pair were glad to take part in the festivities closer to home.

“It’s so nice that everyone could come out here, celebrate each other, be together … and not worry about the challenges that are out there,” she said.

Some parade watchers said discrimination in employment and other areas continues to be an issue facing the LGBTQ community. On Sunday though, there was nothing but exuberance and a large helping of inclusion.

Individuals, groups and families lined the roadway, many wearing or waving pride flags. Some danced to music-playing floats as the decorated vehicles made their way along the parade route.

Yaphank resident Frankie Rotolo, 31, who is gay, said the parade served as a timely reminder.

“We are just like everybody else,” Rotolo said, “and there’s a lot of us.”

Restaurants along the parade route were packed with customers, many of whom came for the parade and stayed for a late lunch.

At least one church on the parade route prominently displayed a pride flag. 

On the floats people danced, sang and tossed rainbow bracelets and other celebratory trinkets to parade watchers.

Bay Shore resident Alex Linguiti, 39, watched the parade with several loved ones. Linguiti, who is gay, said having this gathering in any community is important because it gives people space to be themselves.

“It feels good to be around friends and people who support our community,” Linguiti said.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.