The North Fork’s first pride parade was held in June.
The nonprofit LGBT Network, along with Greenport business owner Lori Panarello, organized the June 23 event “North Fork Pride,” which featured a colorful parade through Greenport Village followed by a street fair and tea dance.
Ms. Panarello had contacted Robert Vitelli and Brian Rosen of the LGBT Network earlier in the year.
“That was a very serendipitous moment because at that moment we really knew that we kind of found each other,” said Mr. Vitelli, who explained that the LGBT Network had wanted to bring Pride to the North Fork for some time but never had a local source to help. Ms. Panarello solved that problem.
“This kind of openness and change coming to our community is so important. It’s been a long time coming,” said Colleen Stellato, an LGBT Network volunteer.
Next year, the plan is to make it bigger. The LGBT Network wants to start planning earlier and do some more fundraising, they said.
The June event was warmly received, despite rain earlier in the day that threatened to cast a pall over the proceedings.
Ms. Panarello would not be deterred, as she declared before Pride kicked off: “It will not rain on our parade.”
ORIGINAL REPORTING BY MELISSA AZOFEIFA AND JULIA VASILE-COZZO