Jersey Pride Festival expected to draw 30,000
parade, music, food and vendors coupled with weekend events
Over 30,000 are expected to attend Sunday’s Jersey Gay Pride Festival in Asbury Park.
And with a host of local events before the 24th annual festival, Pride events are expected to keep visitors entertained throughout the weekend.
“We refer to it as Pride Weekend because festival visitors begin to come to city on Friday,” said Tom Gilmour, the city’s Director of Economic Development. “Many of AP businesses host separate events prior to the parade & festival.”
The Pride celebration starts at noon Sunday with a parade traversing through the downtown area up Cookman to Grand and along Sunset avenues. The parade ends at the festival grounds in front of Convention Hall at both Bradley and Atlantic parks.
First held here in 1992, and every year since, the Jersey Pride festival is the state’s largest LGBTI event, according to organizers – -the all-volunteer nonprofit Jersey Pride, based in Highland Park.
“In my fifteen years with the city, I have watched the GLBT Pride Parade and Festival grow and evolve into one of the top festivals in the state,” Gilmour said. “GLBT Pride Parade and Festival represents what Asbury Park is all about: an amazing diverse community enjoying good times.”
Features, this year, include Frenchie Davis, Ariel Sinclair, Matt Martin, Catey Shaw, Will Sheridan WiLL, Run Jenny, Josh Zuckerman, Nicollette, Billy Winn, Jeremiah Clark, The Black Mariah, 10 Hairy Legs, the Papermill Playhouse Broadway Show Choir, and the newly crowned Miss Gay NJ.
The New Jersey Circus Center will feature strolling stilt walkers, jugglers, and a balloon artists throughout the day at the festival grounds. Their Aerial Fabrics performances will kick-off at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. with free 20-minute demo classes at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.
Aside from Sunday’s line up of musicians, acts, food and varied vendors, visitors can expect an event packed weekend, Gilmour said.
Among them is the La Strada Ensemble Theatre Pride events kick off 7 p.m. Thursday with its one act festival at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, 66 Main Street in Ocean Grove. Other one act performances will be held 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. A reading series will be held 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday at Prohibition, 531 Cookman Avenue.
This year’s Jersey Pride Festival event sponsors include Bank of America, Prudential Financial, ID Lube, The Den, The Hotel Tides, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, and Absolut Vodka. Media sponsors include Out in Jersey, Go Magazine, Local Gay Business, and Curve Magazine.
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