Music, LI Pride festivals among events seeking volunteers

Volunteers at the annual Great South Bay festival in Patchogue... — Volunteers at the annual Great South Bay festival in Patchogue will get to see and hear the bands. Credit: Johnny Milano

By David J. Criblezdavid.criblez@newsday.com DavidJCriblezMay 15, 2017

This summer, step up and become a volunteer while enjoying the spoils of music, food, celebrities and shopping. Here are some big upcoming events that welcome people looking to lend a hand:

PRIDE ON THE BEACH

Long Island Pride celebrates LGBT community awareness with this summer event featuring three days of activities in Long Beach. More than 300 volunteers are needed.

“This event is for people who like people,” says David Klimnick, CEO of the LGBT Network. “Volunteers are going to have a great time meeting a diverse group of folks of ages, races and sexual orientations. ‘Pride on the Beach’ will unify Long Island across all different boundaries and demographics.”

AGE REQUIREMENT 16 and up

AVAILABILITY 6-9 p.m. June 9, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. June 10, and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. June 11

JOBS Volunteers can help during activities such as a 5-kilometer run, a beach party, parades, a rooftop party, a market fair and the Rachel Platten concert on the beach. They’ll be helping people register, find the right venue and check in, and help with setup, parade flow and handing out rally towels.

PERKS Free T-shirt, food and Long Island Pride merchandise

Two members of the Wild Women of Planet Wongo attend... — Two members of the Wild Women of Planet Wongo attend the 2016 Eternal Con at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. Credit: Steven Sunshine

APPLY VIAprideonthebeach.org/volunteer

GOOD TO KNOW Volunteer info sessions are scheduled May 17 and June 3 in Long Beach, May 23 in Bay Shore and May 31 in Woodbury.

ETERNAL CON

Long Island’s own Comic-Con moves to Nassau Coliseum in its fifth year of providing a pop culture explosion of TV, film and comic book fandom. Volunteers are welcome — and the perks are good.

Rachel Platten performs at the 2016 Billboard Festival at the... — Rachel Platten performs at the 2016 Billboard Festival at the Nikon Theater at Jones Beach in Wantagh on Aug. 20, 2016. Credit: Bruce Gilbert

“Our volunteers are there before the show opens to after the show closes each day. Typically, they don’t want to leave,” says convention coordinator Spat Oktan. “They come in and get to be behind the scenes. Most don’t consider it work because it’s a fun atmosphere.”

AGE REQUIREMENT 18 and older

AVAILABILITY 10 a.m.-7 p.m. July 1 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. July 2

JOBS Volunteers work line control, guard doors and tables, get coffee for celebrity guests, check bracelets, help at the information booth, hand out free promotional items and assist with panels and contests.

PERKS Meet celebrity guests such as Maggie Geha (Ivy Pepper on “Gotham”) and Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead in “Deadpool”), get autographs and swag bags plus a free T-shirt.

Donna Karan and Kelly Ripa are hosting the Ovarian Cancer... — Donna Karan and Kelly Ripa are hosting the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund's (OCRF) 18th annual Super Saturday NY, sponsored by QVC. Credit: Newsday / Jessica Rotkiewicz

APPLY VIAeternalcon.com/be-a-volunteer

GOOD TO KNOW Volunteers must pass a quiz.

GREAT SOUTH BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL

This annual event, now in its 11th year, is a midsummer staple on the South Shore. More than 60 artists (Taking Back Sunday, Gov’t Mule, 311) will perform in Shorefront Park in Patchogue for this four-day festival where the services of 30 volunteers are used each day.

“We like people who are interested in the business,” says event founder and organizer Jim Faith. “We work with what their specialties and experience are.”

AGE REQUIREMENT 18 and older

AVAILABILITY 4:30-10 p.m. July 13, 4:30-11 p.m. July 14, 1-11 p.m. July 15 and 11:30 a.m.-9:45 p.m. July 16. See the volunteer application for other times.

JOBS Positions include doing hospitality for the bands, serving as an usher, working in ticket booths, pouring beer at the Long Island Cares beer tent and selling T-shirts in the merchandise tent.

PERKS Volunteers are fed, get to see live bands perform and receive a beer at the end of the day (for those 21 and over).

APPLY VIAgreatsouthbaymusicfestival.com/volunteers

SUPER SATURDAY

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) provides a daylong shopping event as a fundraiser at Nova’s Ark Project in Water Mill. The sale, which showcases luxury brands like Versace, Helmut Lang, Vilebrequin and Diane von Fürstenberg, uses up to 250 volunteers for the day.