Cherry Grove will hold its 14th annual Pride Parade, around downtown Cherry Grove, on June 16. The colorful celebration began in 1999, spearheaded by Paul Jablonski and the late Amelia Migliaccio. Organizers this year are, once more, Dock Master Jablonski and Violet Letter Publisher Denise Harbin and, new to the committee, Grove Hotel and Ice Palace Assistant Manager Wendy Lewis, the Island Breeze and Ice Palace’s John Doyle, and Cherry’s Tim Byars AKA Miss Fire Island 2010 Sabel Scities.

Participants will assemble at 11:30 a.m. in front of the Cherry Grove Community House and Fire House and the parade kicks off at 12 noon, marching twice around downtown. Prizes will be awarded for best float, best group, best individual, gayest!, most colorful, most green i.e. environmentally concerned, most resourceful i.e. best use of unusual materials, and best pet.
Pridefest 2012 will also include a street fair and food festival, consisting of a contest for best chili, where local chefs compete in a Chili Cookoff, with entries due at the Ice Palace Bar at 1:30 p.m. and chili tasting and voting at 2 p.m., and a Tastings Menu at each restaurant, beginning at 11 a.m.

Happy Pride!