MANHATTAN — The LGBTQ community and allies are being celebrated this weekend with the 10th annual Little Apple Pride Festival.
A parade will kick things off at noon starting at Manhattan Town Center, continuing down Poyntz Avenue to City Park. Committee member Jonathan Mertz says people will arrive to the park to a plethora of activities under the Larry Norvell Band Shell.
The festival is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Riots in the Greenwich Village area of New York City, widely considered to be the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement. Back then it was illegal for bars to sell to gay, lesbian or transgender people.
The festival provides a supportive environment to celebrate those who are out as well as to those who are not.
Mertz says the community response to Little Apple Pride has been positive, noted by some successful charitable events leading up to this weekend.
For more information on Saturday’s activities, visit Little Apple Pride on Facebook.
