The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Pride Committee:
Watertown Pride returns for its fifth year on Saturday, June 6, featuring a parade that kicks off at Moxley Park at 11 a.m. and culminates in a festival at Saltonstall Park from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees can enjoy live music, drag, a circus performance, food trucks, family-friendly activities, public health resources, and opportunities to connect with LGBTQIA+ neighbors and allies. As always, Watertown Pride is free and open to all.
Saltonstall Park is wheelchair accessible, and the City of Watertown Communications Department is funding American Sign Language interpreters on the main stage. Braille maps will be provided by Perkins School for the Blind.
Attendees are encouraged to gather at Moxley Playground at 10 a.m. on the morning of June 6 to make signs or decorate their outfits, bicycles, and strollers with colorful Pride regalia. Supplies will be available, and light refreshments will be provided by the Watertown Pride Advisory Committee. The parade will begin promptly at 11 a.m., led by local drag superstar Jean Sequins and accompanied by the Good Trouble Brass Band. This short procession will leave the Watertown High School parking lot and follow Main Street past City Hall to the Library. All ages are welcome to join or watch.
At Saltonstall Park’s newly improved main stage, the festival will kick off with opening remarks from City Council President Mark Sideris, keynote speaker Quyen Tran, and a drag performance by Jean Sequins. Live music from the Carrie Ferguson Band will continue the program on the main stage, followed by a circus performance by Watertown’s own Green Dragon Circus on Saltonstall Field. For the second year in a row, The Femmes will close out the day with upbeat tunes.
The lawn along Main Street will host booths for local LGBTQIA+-friendly organizations, youth-run groups, crafting opportunities, nonprofits, and vendors. Thaxter Street, between Saltonstall Park and City Hall, will be lined with food trucks, including longtime Pride supporter Ritcey East and local favorite Pete’s Pushcart. Inside the lower level of City Hall, the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) will offer free, confidential, and bilingual HIV and STI testing. Families and Pride-goers of all ages can enjoy games with the Watertown Recreation Department and a bounce house on Saltonstall Field.
If you need help with your Pride gear this year, Hatch Makerspace is hosting a “Taking Pride in Our Craft” night on Friday, May 22. Drop in between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to make a T-shirt or create a rainbow beaded keychain while supplies last.
This event is hosted by the Watertown Pride Advisory Committee and the Watertown Free Public Library, with support from the Watertown Community Foundation, the City of Watertown, the Watertown Cultural Council, World in Watertown, Watertown Human Rights Commission, The Boston Foundation Equality Fund, Rubi’s Piercing, Saravia Law, Gaze Optical, and Wu An Martial Arts LLC. For more information and to get involved, visit watertownpride.com.