New York Mayor Bill de Blasio marched in the snow Sunday with hundreds of participants in an alternative St. Patrick's Day parade -- one that welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups.
The parade in Queens is called St. Pat's for All. It's an alternative to the city's centuries-old St. Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan, which for years has excluded gay groups.
Last year, the mayor refused to march in the traditional Fifth Avenue parade because it wasn't fully inclusive. Guinness Beer also dropped its sponsorship of the parade last year.
In the past, gays were free to march in the world's biggest and oldest St. Patrick's Day Parade -- but not with banners saying they're lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Most marching units in the parade carry identifying banners. There are about 320 units in this year's parade, the parade committee said.
LGBT activists say the main parade organizers, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, have been under increasing pressure to allow diversity -- especially after New York state passed its Marriage Equality Act in 2011 allowing marriages for same-sex couples.
Organizers of the traditional parade said they would welcome just one gay contingent under its own banner this year.
De Blasio praised the crowd at the alternative parade for braving the cold and snow.
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"That is what pride is all about -- pride in the fact that in New York City, you can be whoever you are, he said.
The two grand marshals at the 15th annual St. Pat's for All parade were longtime human rights activist Kerry Kennedy and Tony Award-winning actor Brian O'Byrne.
Other elected officials participating in the parade included City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and city Comptroller Scott Stringer.
