A Splendid Day For Pride in Queens

Mayor Bill de Blasio, flanked by City Councilmembers Jimmy Van Bramer and Daniel Dromm and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, was the parade grand marshal. | DONNA ACETO

Mayor Bill de Blasio the grand marshal, was flanked by City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, First Lady Chirlane McCray, Councilmember Daniel Dromm, and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. | DONNA ACETO

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PHOTO ESSAY BY DONNA ACETO & MICHAEL SHIREY | On what might have been the very nicest day so far this year, tens of thousands turned out on June 7 for the 23rd annual Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival.

The parade, which stepped off at noon, was led by Mayor Bill de Blasio and APICHA, the Asian-Pacific Islanders Coalition on HIV/ AIDS, the event’s grand marshals.

Beginning at 89th Street in Jackson Heights, the parade proceeded along 37th Avenue to 75th Street, where participants poured into a street festival that took up four city blocks.

One of the two stages for performance at the street festival. | MICHAEL SHIREY

With two performances stages and plenty of food and drink vendors –– along with tents manned by many community groups and businesses, including Gay City News –– the festival was a fantastic way to enjoy a beautiful early summer Sunday.