Clinton Township Newsletter

1 6 a u g u s t 2 0 2 5 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M You might have noticed more rainbows than just in the sky, decorating our town recently! The Town of Clinton celebrated its first Clinton Pride Family Festival on Sunday, July 13, at the Clinton Community Center. C3Q chatted with one of the festival's organizers, Nicole Ayers. C3Q: Belated Happy Pride! How did this come about? NA: The festival has been a huge group effort with amazing people in Town of Clinton who wanted to promote love, acceptance, and community in our small town and northern part of the county. All of us had the idea that this is something we wanted to do, because the community is often underrepresented in terms of the size of the county. A lot happens in Frenchtown, New Hope, etc, but there are many people in this part of the county who identify as queer, and we wanted to give them a voice and a place to feel seen and accepted. There are a lot more LGBTQ people in the county than people realize; they can be very underrepresented and under recognized, and a lot of people might not want to draw attention to themselves in a red county and might be fearful. We wanted to let them know that they are not alone, and if they choose to be open about themselves and their sexuality, we are here to support them and protect them. We have great support from our Town Council and Mayor, and that really shows how dedicated Clinton is to welcoming everyone. This event was born out of a lot of really negative and sad feelings that we were having about the current climate and how queer people are being viewed or perceived in this country, and we needed to turn it into something good. It's not meant to be activism or a protest or be political, it's meant to help people feel safe and loved and accepted, and to promote communication, awareness, and education. Because this is the festival's first year, there was a minimal budget, so we held a fundraiser at Circa in High Bridge. It was a drag-bingo fundraiser, and it was super well-attended and received by the community; everyone had a great time, and the food, drinks, and entertainment were wonderful. C3Q: What did the Clinton Pride Family Festival include this year? NA: We had many wonderful vendors, food vendors, arts and crafts, and queer artists on display. We enjoyed fantastic music from musicians such as Mauve Tilde, Matt Hand, and Clinton Music Studio Band. There were also community resources for LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual) groups, such as VentureOutNJ, Flemington Q-Ts, Free Mom Hugs, PFLAG of Hunterdon, Pink Pony Club (alliance organization for teens), Hunterdon Healthcare LGBTQIA navigator, Clinton United Methodist Church, and Clinton Presbyterian Church. One of our main goals of hosting a Pride festival was to show that these resources exist and are at their disposal. The event highlighted queer artists as well with an art gallery display in the Clinton Community Center. C3Q: Those are fantastic resources, and this sounds like so much fun. I was on vacation and missed it this year; what is a good way to show allyship, all year- round? NA: One of the best ways to show allyship is to be a supporter of someone in a room they are not in, and speak up. As a queer person, I just want people to say that I have a right to exist as much as the next person, and to feel safe and be accepted in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and the world. Who we love and how we identify shouldn't be a deciding factor for the love and acceptance we receive as people, and, far too often, it is. All we ask of our allies is to stand with us; be a voice of acceptance in a community and country that right now is very divided, and promote love. My husband and I moved to Hunterdon County in 2009, and from the beginning, the town has welcomed us into the community with open arms, and I've met some of the most amazing and loving people living in Clinton. We've never known the town to be exclusive of others. We just want people to know that no matter w h o y o u a r e , w h o you love, h o w y o u i d e n t i f y , t h a t C l i n t o n is a place where you c a n f e e l welcome. It's a place w h e r e y o u c a n w a l k our streets, s h o p o u r shops, enjoy our parks, and just know that you will be accepted. We really hope that this festival continues and that it will help grow more acceptance, love, and unity in our community. C3Q: Thank you Nicole! If you want to be involved or help with next year's event, you can reach out to clintonnjpride@gmail.com. n Local residents Rachel Sprague and her husband Russell are raising their two young children in Annandale. She thinks that Clinton Township is a delightful place to live. Welcome to with Rachel Sprague * C linton ree Questions * "Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties." ~ Erich Fromm

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