The Town of Huntington will host its first-ever Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on Saturday, June 7, in celebration of Pride Month. The event, organized by the Town’s LGBTQ+ Task Force, aims to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and offer a platform for residents to share their voices.
“We’re encouraging families to come, members of the LGBTQ+ community and those who are not, those who are allies. Anyone in the community is welcome to come,” said Phillip Griffin, chair of the Task Force.
The flag raising signifies the town government's support for the LGBTQ+ community, Griffin said. As he told South Shore Press, “The main purpose of this flag raising is to demonstrate to the residents of Huntington that there is now this organization (the Task Force) that's part of the town that is there to listen to their concerns…. They have a voice now.”
The ceremony, which will include the National Anthem performed by actress and vocalist Josie Sullivan of Huntington High School, will begin at 1 p.m. on the steps of the Heckscher Museum at 2 Prime Ave.
Several speakers, including Griffin, will share their thoughts on Pride. Afterward, attendees are invited to visit the museum and experience its contribution to the theme.
Griffin noted that the flag ceremony has been scheduled to coincide with the opening of a special exhibit at the Heckscher Museum, which is free to the public and features the creativity of LGBTQ+ artists.
Titled “All of Me with All of You: LGBTQ+ Art Out of the Collection,” the exhibit explores identity, love, and creativity from past to present, according to a Town of Huntington press release.
“We've been working with a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences to do LGBTQ+ exhibits throughout the year, so this is the second of three planned exhibits, and it's all art that's in the Heckscher collection that was created by LGBTQ+ artists,” Griffin said.
The flag raising also coincides with Long Island Pride, a parade and festival held in the Town of Huntington for decades and sponsored by the LGBT Network. This year, the 35-year-old parade will begin at noon on Sunday, June 8, in the Village of Huntington at Clinton Avenue and Main Street.
The festival will feature vendors and exhibitors, including local businesses, at Heckscher Park, 11 Prime Ave., from noon to 5 p.m. Those who want to participate in the parade can sign up via the website.
“I believe this should be an annual event,” Griffin said. “We intend to have Long Island Pride hosted here every year so it’s only appropriate that we have the flag in the park when the LGBT Network parade goes down Main Street and ends at the park.”
The Task Force was proposed in 2024 by Councilwoman Theresa Mari and received unanimous support from the council, according to Griffin. Each of the eight members on the Task Force was appointed by the council.
Community members are encouraged to share concerns with town officials via email at lgbtqtaskforce@huntingtonNY.gov.