The 33rd annual Long Island Pride Parade and Festival, coordinated by the Hauppauge-based LGBT Network, hit Huntington this past weekend, bringing members of the community of all ages together in a welcoming and supportive setting.
“This is important and critical to bring visibility to our community and makes sure people know that we are here, we exist and we’re not going anywhere,” said Robert Vitelli, chief executive officer of the LGBT Network.
On Sunday, June 11, the streets of Huntington Village were draped in rainbow, pink and blue to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Couples and their allies marched together to show unity with the help of business sponsors and elected officials from across the Island.
Parade-goers included Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D), who marched alongside other members of the Suffolk legislature, as well as a few Huntington officials. News 12 anchor Erin Colton MC’d the event, welcoming an extra special guest, part-time Long Island resident and TV personality Ross Mathews, who served as the parade’s grand marshal with his husband, Elmont school district director of curriculum and instruction, Wellingthon Garcia-Mathews.
Mathews is known for his role as co-host on the daily syndicated talk show, “The Drew Barrymore Show,” as well as a judge and producer on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” He has also appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Chelsea Lately,” his own weekly talk show, “Hello Ross on E!,” “E!’s Live From the Red Carpet,” “Hollywood Today Live” and more.
“As a new Long Island resident, I’ve felt embraced and welcomed to Long Island, where my husband and I have chosen to build our life together,” Mathews said in a statement. “And now we get to celebrate pride with our neighbors, friends and family at a time when our community needs to stand together stronger than ever.”
The parade and festival began on Gerard Street and Main, marching up to Heckscher Park for the festivities. Dozens of vendors, resources for LGBTQIA+ people, food trucks and music filled the space, which included performances by local drag queens Ariel Sinclair and Androgyny. Kim Sozzi and Crystal Waters, known for their club hits in the 1990s and 2000s, sang for the crowd, as well as cover bands Vinal Revival, Radio Active and Jesse Wagner, a Donna Summer tribute.
