Shoppers, neighbours and community leaders turned out in Kew Gardens as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. closed Pride Month with food, music and heartfelt honours , a lively, free celebration that put local activists and cultural performers centre stage, and reminded the borough why Pride still matters.

Essential Takeaways

  • Community-packed event: Borough Hall hosted performances, food and freebies, creating a festival feel that was easy to enjoy and family-friendly.
  • Local talent on display: Folk-pop trio Camp Bedford, cultural dancers and a cello performance gave the night a varied, memorable soundtrack.
  • Honours and history: Five LGBTQIA+ leaders received awards, including the Cecilia Gentili Community Champion award given to Tabytha Gonzalez.
  • Support in kind: Sponsors MetroHealth Plus and Ponce Bank helped underwrite the event, while Health and legal services offered practical resources.
  • Pride with purpose: The ceremony reinforced ongoing advocacy as Richards pledged to keep LGBTQ+ voices at the centre of borough decisions.

A celebratory curtain call with music, food and free services

The evening opened bright and upbeat, with the Brooklyn folk-pop trio Camp Bedford setting a warm, communal tone that had people smiling and lingering. There was a comforting, familiar smell of fast food in the air thanks to White Castle, and attendees could pick up free health and legal resources from MetroHealth Plus and Legal Services NYC. According to event materials, the mix of entertainment and services made the celebration feel both festive and useful for neighbours who came out to support.

Performances that mixed culture, pop and ceremony

The programme didn’t stick to one groove. After trivia and an energetic opener, audiences watched cultural dance routines by Adam Basco Mahieddine and Sundari the Indian Goddess , the latter danced draped in LGBTQIA+ and transgender flags, a vivid, visual nod to inclusion. Finn Carroll then delivered a rich cello rendition of “Lush Life,” giving the night a quieter, reflective moment before the evening’s finale. It was an intentional blend: high-energy, ceremonial and soulful.

Honouring activists: awards with a weight of history

Five community members were recognised for their service and leadership, acknowledging work from civil-rights advocacy to arts leadership. The evening’s highest accolade , the Cecilia Gentili Community Champion award , was presented to Tabytha Gonzalez, whose role in policy and advocacy at Destination Tomorrow earned particular praise. The choice of honourees underscored the event’s dual purpose: celebration and recognition of ongoing struggle and progress.

Pride trivia, grassroots nods and local sponsors

Organisers even slipped in a “Gay Sports Trivia” segment, with questions referencing figures like former Brooklyn Nets player Jason Collins and the Billie Jean King Tennis Center , small touches that kept the crowd engaged and reminded everyone how LGBTQIA+ stories intersect with pop culture and sport. Sponsorship from MetroHealth Plus and Ponce Bank helped keep entry free and provided a practical backbone; it’s a reminder that local institutions play a big role in making community events accessible.

Politics on the stage: promises, pride and practical plans

Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. used the event to connect celebration with commitment, recalling Pride’s roots in activism and promising to keep LGBTQIA+ voices represented in borough decisions. Earlier in the month the office raised both the Pride and Progress Pride flags at Borough Hall, signalling support for transgender people and communities of colour. That symbolic gesture dovetailed with Richards’s public remarks about defending dignity and protection for LGBTQIA+ residents.

Closing line It was an evening of music, honours and practical support , a small, spirited reminder that Pride in Queens is both joyful and resolutely political.

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