Town Of Rye 3rd Annual Pride Celebration 'Bigger And More Vibrant'

RYE, NY — The Town of Rye is once again pulling out all the stops for a one-of-a-kind seaside celebration of respect and inclusiveness, and you're invited.

The Town of Rye and the pRYEde Community Group will be hosting their third annual Pride Month Celebration at Rye Town Park (95 Dearborn Ave.) on Saturday, and the organizers say that this year's event will be bigger and more vibrant than ever.

"As we publicly declared in our presentation of the Town’s Rainbow Crossing permanent art installation at Crawford Park last week, we want residents and visitors alike to know that all are welcome in the Town of Rye, and this administration has promised to uplift and ensure the safety of the LGBTQ+ community, year round, in the place where they live, work and play," Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman said.

The Pride Month celebration will feature the annual Progress Pride flag raising, followed by a family-friendly parade that begins at Rye Town Beach, and marches down the Playland boardwalk to the Westchester Children's Museum. The parade will be led by Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman and two of Anne Cubberly’s giant puppets.

As parade participants loop back, they will be able to see the unveiling of pRYEde’s 2023 youth-led mural. The 16’ x 4’ painting is an original piece designed and painted by LGBTQ+ students and allies from across New York and Connecticut, and was created under the guidance of pRYEde and local artist Donna Wundeler. The mural was designed to celebrate LGBTQ+ identities and share a positive message of inclusion meant to inspire the community.

After the parade, visitors are invited to stay and experience the Pride Fair, with live performances by the upbeat Greenwich band, MOJO, along with acoustic music from Christina Picciano, of Ossining’s "All My Friends" band and artist in residence at The LOFT. There will also be a performance from the musical "Jackson Crash," and a reading by Desmond Is Amazing, from their book, Be Amazing: A History of Pride. Desmond Is Amazing is an activist, model and influencer.

The Pride Fair will have representatives from several local organizations offering crafts alongside community resource groups. Organizations include: pRYEde Community Group, Rye Youth Council, RyeACT, Rye YMCA, Friends of Rye Town Park, Rye Poetry Path, Rye Arts Center, Joint Libraries Tables (Rye Free Reading Room, Harrison Public Library, Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library), Westchester Children’s Museum, The LOFT, PrideWorks, WJSC Center Lane, GLSEN Lower Hudson Valley, ArtsWestchester, M. Kim O’Connor and Associates and Florence Taylor, a face painter.

Pride Month Celebration Schedule:
9 a.m. Informal Gathering
9:30 a.m. Short speeches by local dignitaries, Progressive Pride flag raising
9:45 a.m. Parade begins: Rye Town Beach pathway, along Boardwalk, to the WCM, turnaround. Music by MOJO.
10:15 a.m. pRYEde 2023 Mural Unveiling (Rye Town Beach)
10:30 a.m. Pride Fair
10:35 a.m. Performance by Christina Picciano
10:55 a.m. Book Reading, Desmond is Amazing
11:15 a.m. "Jackson Crash" Performance
11:35 a.m. Storytime hosted by Harrison Public Library, Rye Free Reading Room, Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library

The pRYEde Community Group, Inc. (“pRYEde”), a local 501c3 nonprofit that advocates for equity and inclusion, celebrates the diversity of the community; engages in educational programming; and strengthens a sense of belonging for all, especially for those who hold minoritized identities. pRYEde began with a focus on supporting Rye’s LGBTQ+ community members, and has broadened its focus to include the multitude of minority identity groups as defined by race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, ability status, and beyond. Through partnerships with established Rye organizations and stakeholders, the pRYEde Community Group develops and promotes diverse, inclusive and equitable programming and events in Rye.