the return of our idol , Brandi Carlile ( Sunday , June 30 , 6 p . m ., Tanglewood ). I love packing what feels like my entire living room : a basket spread for 100 people and strategically setting it up in a 10 x10 lawn square among thousands of other fabulous humans .
I ’ m also super-excited about the Pillow Pride Party ( Saturday , July 15 , 10 p . m ., Jacob ’ s Pillow 358 George Carter Rd ., Becket ; jacobspillow . org ). I love that after Pride Month , the celebration continues in July at a truly gorgeous venue .
Trace L . Augconfar ( she / her ) is an L . A . transplant who landed in the Berkshires in early 2019 and is the creator and developer of the Berk Hub App . Berk Hub was born from the pandemic and her mother ' s love for the Berkshires .
Hampshire Pride ( Saturday , May 5 , Northampton ; hampshirepridema . com ). While this event is adjacent to the Berkshires , it is one of my favorite Pride celebrations in the area . I can ’ t wait !
The Berkshire Pride 5K + 1 Mile Walk ( Saturday , June 2 , Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Pittsfield ; berkshirepride . org ). Exercise your right to run , walk , or be a supporter of LGBTQIA + community with Berkshire Pride while getting in your steps !
Drag Queen , Vuronika
Baked ( she / they ) of North Adams was awarded the " Best of the Berkshires " in 2023 . She began drag in 2022 as a means of expression and to help teach people how to cook . She currently teaches cooking classes with the ROOTS Teen Center and ACT Bennington .
North Adams Pride ( Friday , June 21 , 5 p . m ., MASS MoCA Courtyard A , 1040 Mass MoCA Way , North Adams ; facebook . com / northadamspride ) is a family-friendly event with music , Drag Story Hour , and art . For the third year in a row , I ’ ll be featured at the event .
I love participating in the Sew Runway Ready ( monthly at Berkshire Pride in Pittsfield ; mentioned above by JV Hampton-VanSant ). JV is an excellent instructor and teaches how to imagine , repair , and construct a garment . This is a great series if you ’ re wanting to learn some sewing skills .
The North Adams First Friday series ( first Friday of the month in downtown North Adams ; nachamber . org / firstfridays ) offers an array of activities that include creation stations , live performances , specialty food and beverages , and pop-ups .
Teak Welsh ( they / them ) is a Dallas transplant to the Berkshires , by way of NYC . They have spent their whole life in the theater and performing arts world and have been so excited by the extensive art community here in the Berkshires . They love to cook , read , and crochet in their spare time .
Sheffield Pride ( Saturday , June
22 , The Sheffield Park Pavilion 53-59 Frederic Ln ., Sheffield ; sheffieldpride . org ) is such a fun and welcoming event with so many different activities and entertainment for all ages . There is free food , face painting , drag story time , a pet parade , a raffle , a variety show , and a huge selection of booths and tables to explore !
Berkshire Busk ( Fridays and Saturdays on Railroad Street , Great Barrington ; berkshirebusk . com ) is a great ongoing opportunity to experience all different kinds of local artistry right in the heart of Great Barrington . Grab dinner or ice cream and sit outside with live entertainment !
Lich Gate Concerts ( Saturday , June 8 , 4 p . m ., Christ Trinity Church 180 Main St , Sheffield ; christtrinitychurch . org ). This is a wonderful live classical music series featuring some incredibly accomplished musicians playing a collection of different composers .
Bella Santarella ( she / her ) is your average shady lady with a couple “ secrets ” tucked away . She thinks she can sing , she thinks she can dance , but she can definitely act … a fool . Bella enjoys game nights when she wins , Sauvignon blanc chilled to exactly 33 degrees , and long walks to the bathroom in flats . If you see a suspiciously large woman driving a silver Tacoma around Berkshire County , follow that truck !
The Majesty of the Berkshires ( Friday , May 31 , 8 p . m ., Adams Theater , 27 Park St ., Adams ; adamstheater . org ). This event isn ’ t something to be missed as the best New England drag performers battle for the coveted crown !
Berkshire Busk Pride ( Saturday , June 29 , Railroad Street , Great Barrington ). Fire and wigs , what could possibly go wrong ?! Great Barrington will be the place to be if you want to see Opal Raven , Vuronika Baked , Poppy DaBubbly , and moi light up the summer night !
Berkshire Pride Week ( June 1 to June 9 ; berkshirepride . org ). Berkshire Pride will be bursting with rainbows to support the queer community culminating at the Berkshire Pride Festival on June 8 !
As the seasons change , let ' s carry the spirit of Pride wherever we roam , spreading kindness , acceptance , and a whole lot of glitter all year long in the Berkshires . After all , in a region as colorful as ours , every day is a reason to celebrate with gratitude — grateful for summer , grateful for Pride , and grateful for the beautiful tapestry of life that binds us all together . ■
A word about the author : Shawn Hollenbach ( he / they / Shawn ) has spent their life being an entertainer and a content creator : stand-up , improv , singing , songwriting , designing , editing , and hosting . He has been seen on Hulu , VH1 , and Logo . You can currently watch Shawn in The Mortified Guide on Amazon Prime . Shawn can be heard in multiple podcasts including Magiste and Berksqueers and has written a few silly comedy songs . Follow @ shawnhollenbach on your favorite social media platforms sharing the magic of Unicorns .
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