PHOTOS: Sean Burrows, Summer Johnston, and Nicole Martino, one of the floats, Jocelin, Roman, founder, and organizer of the event.
By Cole Ivy
On Deer Park Avenue, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies came together to celebrate a festival in Babylon Village on Sunday, June 4. Held for the fourth year in a row, the annual pride parade was started by a gentleman who goes by the name of Roman: “This was just a little vision I had in my living room four years ago, being a Babylonian, and all I wanted to do was pay respect to my LGBTQ+ community,” he said.
Four years ago, the Babylon Village Pride Parade was a modest event, but it grew over time. Now it is a popular village event and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
“Most parades are boring, but this one, they have the drag queens up there and everything,” said spectator Sean Burrus, who decided to come with his family for the event.
“I love seeing everyone get together and support one another,” Nicole Martino replied when asked what was her favorite part of the parade.
There were many activities going on in the area, including a pre -parade celebration at a local pub and small events being held by local merchants. During the opening ceremony scholarships were awarded to local Babylon students. Once the parade started, the street had become crowded with thousands of supporters, with lots of singing and dancing as colorful parade floats and decorated cars went by. Drag queens danced on the floats and people hung out of car windows waving the pride flag in celebration – including “Stella Virgin,” who’s been working the drag queen nightclub circuit for 10 years.
When asked about the Babylon Village Pride Parade and other Pride celebrations, Sarah Kate Ellis, the President and CEO of GLAAD, had this to say, “Pride is both a time of celebration for our community and a time for us to raise awareness about the legislative and cultural attacks against our community.”
