Last year, POCC (People Of Color In Crisis) canceled most of the events a day before their planned date. Marred by financial trouble and personal drama, POCC pretty much imploded, causing the end of New York’s gay black pride festivities as we knew it. This left a void in the scene that various promoters and community leaders have sought to fill.

This year, it appears that Fred Pierce has taken the helm of New York’s Black Pride – although this particular name will not be used for it has been trademarked by another organization. Black Pride this year will therefore be known as “Jubilation”, and is scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 31. According to its website, Jubilation will be “A cultural festival that commemorates the achievements of the gay and lesbian community of color in New York and surrounding areas”.

What about Riis Beach? The highlight of New York’s black pride has been the traditional gathering at Riis Beach, drawing huge crowds on the shore of Far Rockaway for a day of frolicking under the sun. In 2008, the year when POCC went belly up, the event was not even scheduled to take place, yet hundreds still took the trek to Riis beach on the weekend of black pride in honor of this longstanding tradition.

This year again, no officially sanctioned event is scheduled to take place at Riis beach on the weekend of July 31. Yet, based on last year’s experience, it is fair to assume that many will still go to Riis beach on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Black Pride.

The Jubilation festival has endorsed the annual Fire Island Black Out weekend as their “official” outdoor beach event – although it takes place on the weekend of August 7, which is actually 1 week after Jubilation weekend.

This is all quite confusing, but the take out is that:

• New York’s Black Pride is called Jubilation and takes place from Friday July 31 to SUnday August 2
• There is no official event at Riis beach, but it is possible that many will still go there on Sunday afternoon as it has been the tradition
• The official beach event endorsed by Jubilation is Fire Island Blackout on the weekend of August 7