BELMONT, N.Y. – The fourth annual Belmont Stakes Parade is a prelude to the much-anticipated 144th running of the Belmont Stakes, which will feature I’ll Have Another in his attempt to become the 12th thoroughbred in racing history to capture the Triple Crown at Belmont Park on Saturday, June 9.
One week earlier, the Belmont Stakes Parade will take place on Saturday, June 2 at 10 a.m. in the South Parking Lot at Belmont Park . The event will conclude at Alva T. Stanforth Sports Complex next to the Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont . Immediately following the parade, the key to Elmont will be presented to this year’s Grand Marshall, Norma DeBartolo.
The parade features marching bands, the Belmont starting gate, and Sam the Bugler. Other participants include: fire departments, the police department, schools, civic associations, veteran groups, churches, children’s sports groups, charitable organizations, local businesses, and other community groups.
A Family Field Day, produced by Gateway Youth Outreach, will begin after the parade and run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants can enjoy games, races, a bouncy house and face painting. Cook-out style hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided by Applebee’s. Historically, over 400 elementary school children have participated in this traditional favorite after-parade event.
Also on Saturday, Elmont residents can enjoy the Franklin Square-Elmont Rotary Club Fourth Annual Elmont Festival and Craft Fair, which will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Western Parking Field of the Elmont Public Library. Approximately 60 food, arts, and merchandise vendors will be participating.
On Sunday, June 3, the annual Belmont Stakes Blue Ribbon 5K Run for Prostate Cancer, presented by the Integrated Medical Foundation, will begin at 7:15 p.m. and will end on the Belmont Park Racetrack Finish Line where great thoroughbreds such as Secretariat, Affirmed, Ruffian and others made history. For information and registration, please visit www.imfcares.org or call (516) 349-7646.
The Blue Ribbon Run’s after-party will feature food from Applebee’s and eight local restaurants and bakeries, including: A&S Bagels; Cinelli’s; D’Anna’s Pizza; Dunkin’ Donuts; King Umberto Restaurant; La Baguette Bakery (Sponsored by Solages and Solages P.C.); Sapienza Bake Shop; and Stop 20 Diner.
The Belmont Stakes Parade and other events are sponsored by The New York Racing Association, Inc., the Elmont Chamber of Commerce, Integrated Medical Foundation, Franklin Square-Elmont Rotary Club, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, and Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages, the Jamaica Square Improvement League, Parkhurst Civic Association, Tudor Manor Civic Association, and the Elmont East End Civic Association.