Long Island's Pride Festival Comes To Long Beach Next Weekend

Next weekend, Long Beach will be hosting the 27th annual Long Island Pride Weekend -- the first time the event is moving from its former home in Huntington. Called "Pride on the Beach" this year, the event features a parade, a festival, a 5K run, a concert and much more, spanning a full three days.

The event will run from June 9 to 11, and feature events for children, teens and adults. The Long Beach Recreation center will be holding a Gay-Straight Alliance Mixer for kids at area high schools to get together and add to the quilt that will be part of the parade. Select restaurants will be celebrating the weekend with a Taste of Long Beach, offering special discounts on meals at some of the city's most popular eateries.

The 5K and Family Fun Run will take to the streets on the morning of June 10, followed by the Pride Beach Party and Boat Parade in the afternoon and evening. There will be a market fair all day on June 11, and the Pride Parade will step off at noon that day, followed immediately by a concert on the beach.

Part of the cost of the event is being covered by a $300,000 grant from the Empire State Development Corporation, which seeks to promote business and tourism in New York. According to Newsday, Long Beach is getting about $150,000 to cover expenses, and the LGBT Network, which runs the event, is using about $60,000 for marketing. The rest of the grant is going to pay for performers.

The event could generate a lot of money for the city, as everyone who wants to attend events on the beach will have to purchase a beach pass.

For more information on Long Island Pride events and what's coming up, visit the event's website.

Photo: Long Island Pride Facebook