One borough, one parade.
After 60 years, one of Staten Island’s largest and most influential civic organizations is allowing gay and lesbian groups to march in the borough’s official St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“The Richmond County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee wishes to announce that the Staten Island Pride Center has been invited to march, under their own banner, in the 2025 Saint Patrick’s Day Parade,” the committee in a written statement..
“This invitation has been extended by new leadership of the parade committee, installed on Oct. 30, 2024,”
The breakthrough was first reported by the Staten Island Advance.
“The parade committee is entrusted with ensuring the focus of the parade remains upon Saint Patrick, the history, traditions, culture and faith of the Irish people,” the statement said. “In this endeavor, the leadership of The Pride Center has assured the parade committee that they are ready to provide support to the parade in fulfilling this obligation.”
The LGBTQ+ Pride Center immediately accepted the invitation.
“We are truly honored to be invited to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” said Carol Bullock, the Pride Center’s executive director. “This event is a time-honored tradition that brings people together from all walks of life to celebrate Irish culture, and we are excited to be part of this vibrant community celebration.”
The parade will be held on Sunday, March 2.
Over the last several years, participation in the popular procession has dwindled as many groups and individuals boycotted the annual event over the controversial LGBTQ ban.
The decades-long exclusion of LGBTQ groups led to the formation earlier this year of a second and more inclusive island parade, which quickly won the support of local merchants and politicians, including Mayor Adams, who marched with the LGBTQ groups.
In 2014, Manhattan’s New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade ended its two-decade ban. Parades in Boston and Dublin, Ireland, have since done the same.
The Staten Island event was one of the last holdouts to exclude LGBTQ groups from marching under their own banners.
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