PALMER TWP., Pa. — Crowds gathered at the New Creation United Church for the Nazareth Area Pride event Saturday.
The event was held at New Creation United Church in Easton. It featured activities including kids’ face painting, drag story time and a drag doggie contest.
- The Nazareth Area Pride event was held at a church in Easton after a Nazareth park permit was denied
- The event featured drag performances and drag story time
- The initial park permit faced some opposition in Nazareth
Gabriel-Ferretti initially applied to hold the Pride event at an Upper Nazareth Township park. But it rejected her permit after passing new rules allowing only township-sponsored events.
Officials denied that rejection was because it was a Pride event. Some Nazareth residents voiced opposition to the event at that time, but no one came to protest at the celebration.
Pastor Jameson Baxter said the church was happy to lend its space to the Nazareth Area Pride event. He and his wife, Cecilia, are co-pastors of the church.
“We just strongly believe everyone is created in God’s image, everyone’s worthy of God’s love and so we should be open to all."New Creation United Church Pastor Jameson Baxter
“We just strongly believe everyone is created in God’s image, everyone’s worthy of God’s love and so we should be open to all,” Jameson Baxter said. “That’s why we’re open and affirming so we’re so happy that Pride can be here.”
Easton resident Nicole Stevens, a drag performer who read to children during drag story time, said Pride is about coming together and expressing your true self.
“This is just our chance to let all the kids know that it’s OK to be boy, girl, male, female, whatever you want to be,” Stevens said. “This is us just showing that we’re normal people.”
'Blown away and so humbled'
Drag performer Krymson Scholar said drag is an expression of art and shows shouldn't be restricted to those over 18 years old or criminalized as some states have been doing.
“We’re not monsters, we’re not. We’re just trying to have a good time and tell children it’s ok to be who you are."Drag performer Krymson Scholar
“We’re not monsters,” she said. “We’re not. We’re just trying to have a good time and tell children it’s OK to be who you are.”
Katy Sunstrom, who is from Wisconsin, said she was visiting family, who are church members, and her three children wanted to go to the brightly colored event.
"My youngest one is five," Sunstrom said. "She came up to me and asked, 'Are we going to the rainbow event, too?'
"And at the school they go to, it's about always including everyone and being caring to each other. So I think this event has been very family-friendly."
Event organizer April Gabriel-Ferretti, who is the founder of the group Nazareth Together, said she’s already getting donations to hold the event again next year.
“I’m just blown away and so humbled by just the amount of support and love that everybody has shown. It’s just been a great, great day.”
She organized the first annual Nazareth Together rally in September 2022 in support of a local "You Belong” campaign. The campaign encouraged businesses around the Nazareth area to post signs that said “You Belong. You Matter” in their windows.
Gabriel-Ferretti put together that weekend event in response to opposition to the signs from a group called Parents for Choice, which called the signs a political movement that sent the wrong message to children.
They noted the signs included “colors from the LGBTQ+ transgender flag.”
