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QUIET CORNER PRIDE
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
may 2-4 2025
FRiday
8:00 - 11:00 PM
Kickoff dance party
Chubby dog, danielson
Pride weekend gets off to a fantastic start Friday night with a dance party and drag show at Chubby Dog Gaming Bar in downtown Danielson, CT. Put on your dancing shoes, bring a few dollars to tip the entertainers, and get ready for a night of fun!
SATURDAY
Park EVENT: 12:00 - 4:00 PM
rotary park, putnam
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES
COMMUNITY Art project
A special thanks to TEEG for sponsoring Quiet Corner Pride's community art project. Designed by Lisa Andrews, this year's art piece will feature a series of umbrellas. The umbrella represents the idea that the LGBTQ community is a diverse group of people who are united under one umbrella. The umbrella symbolizes protection, shelter, and unity.
EXPRESS YOURSELF!
As RuPaul Charles once said, "You're born naked and the rest is drag." Drag is the artform of wearing a costume and taking on a persona. At first blush this may seem very strange, but consider how often we let the clothes we wear and the ways we act become a mask for us. Drag seeks to make fun of all the things we take too seriously and remind us how alike we are under all the costumes we wear every single day.
Thanks to the Bradley Playhouse for donating their costumes and to Smoke & Mirror Beauty Loft for setting up a pop up makeup station, allowing anyone who wishes to dress up in drag for the afternoon. At 3PM there will be an amateur drag show for anyone who wishes to enter. If you would like to sign up ahead of time for the drag contest, click the link below.
BROWSE LOCAL VENDORS
Between events happening on the stage, take a break and stretch your legs by checking out a whole assortment of local vendors. There will be artisans and crafters selling their work. You can find demonstrations of pottery-scuplting and massage. Local businesses and organizations will also be showcasing their pride by setting up booths and giving away swag!
Pride history scavenger hunt
It is important to know the history of Pride, otherwise we will forget the bravery, solidarity, celebration, and legacy of those who fought for equality of all the ways we love. Be sure to pick up a scavenger hunt checklist from the volunteer booth and then spend the afternoon stopping by each vendor booth to find the answer to a pride trivia question. If you manage to find every answer, bring the form back to the booth for a prize.
GRAB A BITE TO EAT
The picnic-like atmosphere of this pride event is a perfect chance to bring your own lunch, yet save room for delicious offerings from local food trucks that will be parked right in the middle of the park ready with delicious food. What goes well with a picnic? Think hot dogs, sliders, pizza, and bbq!
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
A pride celebration is meant to be fun for the whole family. While all the events on the stage will be family friendly, there will also be lots of ways to keep anyone from grandma to toddlers engaged and having a blast. Be on the lookout for photo booths with costumes, face painters, and craft tables.
SCHEDULED TIMELINE
10:00 AM
volunteers arrive
If you are taking part in the festivities as a volunteer, please plan to arrive at 10:00 to sign in and find your role for the festival. Volunteers, plan to park across the street in the Price Chopper parking lot. Once you make it to the park, be sure to check in with Marcy at the volunteer booth.
10:30 - 11:00 AM
vENDORS arrive
It is amazing how quickly an empty park can become a maze of so many wonderful artists, organizations, food trucks, churches, and businesses. In order to make sure every booth is ready to go by the time the celebration kicks off at noon, please plan to arrive between 10:30 and 11AM.
The spots will be assigned on a first come first serve basis, so it pays to come on time. When you arrive, please park along Kennedy Drive and a volunteer will help you check in and assist with unloading all of your items. Then find parking and safely come back to begin setting up.
10:30 - 11:30 AM
Community yoga
Bring your yoga mat and center yourself for a whole day of celebrating love! Yogi Don from the Wholistic Collective will be teaching a yoga class in a quiet area of the park from 10:30 to 11:30. The class will be approachable any skill level and free of charge.
12:00 pM
Words of welcome:
rev. ross johnson
The pastor of Living Faith United Methodist Church and this year's chair of the Pride Planning Committee, Rev. Johnson will be the emcee for the afternoon. Ross believes that everyone deserves to be celebrated and given a space where they can belong, even if that is for a few hours in a park.
Blessing the space:
rev. yana cruz - pagan
Serving Cornerstone Baptist Church in Danielson, Rev. Yana is a recent transplant to the Quiet Corner. To mark the beginning of our festivities, she will lead everyone in a moment of collectively blessing the space we are creating together. While to many this is another ordinary day in the park, some may consider this event a sacred gathering where they are affirmed as they are.
MAYOR'S GREETING:
barney seney
Putnam's finest, Mayor Barney Seney is excited to welcome everyone to the Pride celebration. He lights up when he sees his town coming alive in new ways and this is certainly one for the books. We are thankful for his support and his taking part in this year's festivities!
pride performerS:
patty bourree
& Darren tashine
After dazzling the crowds with her creativity, uniqueness, nerve, and talent at last year's inaugural pride, Patty Bourree is back and blonder than ever! She is accompanied this year by Darren Tashine, another talented pride performer who is widely known around New England. Get ready to dance with them and laugh at them.
12:30 pM
History of pride:
rev. kevin downer
As LGBTQ history is disappearing from our nation's archives, Rev. Downer, who serves the First Congregational Church of Woodstock, wants to make sure we know the fundamentals of how we got to where we are today.
He will share with us the origins of pride, highlight early leaders in the fight for equal rights, and share how we can continue to proudly strive forward in the celebration of all things love.
PUTNAM HIGH SCHOOL
A CAPPELLA CHOIR
Nothing says pride more than a public high school choir. A school choir is so often the place where LGBTQ youth first learn how to find the power of their voices. Last year Putnam's very own high school choir serenaded the first pride festival with their musical talents. We are excited they are back for another showcase of their musical talents!
1:00 pM
featured speaker:
joseph grabarz
A former state politician, who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1989 to 1993, Mr. Grabarz was the first openly gay state representative in Connecticut. After leaving public office, he worked for the Human Rights Campaign and the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union.
local musicians
The Quiet Corner is home to an assortment of local musicians who help ensure this place is not too quiet for too long. This year, as our theme is every voice matters, we are lifting up local singers, musicians, and bands. Give them a listen!
2:00 pM
A prayer for the day:
Rev. jane newall
Reverend Jane Newall is the minister serving the Federated Church of Christ in Brooklyn, CT. The church community calls themselves "grace at the crossroads" for their church building sits at the crossroads of CT routes 6 and 169. As a servant of her church and the wider community, Rev. Jane is a beacon of light, joy, love, and grace at the crossroads of our Quiet Corner. She will share a few words and a prayer.
featured speaker:
Rev. SEAN DELMORE
Pastor Sean Delmore is a Provisional Elder in the New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, having pastored parishes around northern Vermont, most currently serving in the South Burlington area. He is passionate about making sure every voice is heard and every person has a place at the table. Sean will be speaking on why Pride is important now more than ever.
musical performance:
catnip junkies
Returning again for Quiet Corner Pride: Catnip Junkies! Their larger than life sound had all of Rotary Park dancing in one long conga line last year. This year they will once again fill downtown Putnam with the lively essence of New Orleans.
3:00 pM
pride performerS:
patty bourree
& Darren tashine
Hold onto your wigs, Patty and Darren are back for more songs, more comedy, and more wonderful entertainment.
pride costume contest
You do not have to be Patty Bourree or Darren Tashine in order to strut the mainstage in your finest wig and costume. This year we are holding an amaetur drag contest and are looking for any and all who are willing to dress up and vogue the house down.
A huge thanks to the Bradley Playhouse for donating costumes from former shows as well as offer a changing room for you to dress up. Smoke & Mirror Beauty Loft will also be helping you get into drag by setting up makeup stations for you to try on a new face and a new persona.
3:30 pm
pride performerS:
patty bourree
& Darren tashine
After judging the amateur contest, Patty and Darren will show everyone how the professionals do it as they continue to entertain the crowd until the close of the festival.
4:00 PM
Closing words:
rev. Ross Johnson
Bringing Quiet Corner Pride to a close, the emcee will give everyone a few parting words of grace and blessing.
4:00 - 8:00 PM
Pride happy hour
Bear hands brewing co, putnam
While the official event ends at 4:00PM, Putnam's very own Bear Hands Brewing Company, located at 75 Main Street has offered to host the Quiet Corner Pride happy hour downstairs in their special event space. Stop by before and after dinner.
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Pride after party
Bear hands brewing co, putnam
Bringing a wonderful day of celebration to an end, the party continues late into the night downstairs at Bear Hands with a time of friends, dancing, drinking, and karaoke.
SUNDAY
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
10:30 doors open
11:00 bingo begins!
pride bingo
stomping ground, putnam
Finish the pride weekend with delicious food and some pride bingo at the Stomping Ground! In addition to fun, drinks, and food there will be a drag performer making sure you have a terrific time.
Whew! What a packed and wonderful weekend this will be! We hope to see you there for any and all of it!
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