FAQ – New Paltz Pagan Pride

What is Pagan pride? It’s that warm and fuzzy feeling that Pagans get when they think about their religion. Sometimes it gets expressed in public ways, such as during the New Paltz Pagan Pride Day.
Okay, then what’s Paganism? You want the long answer or the short? In truth, there are lots of different answers to that question, which is why a short version should suffice here, to wit: Paganism is a term which lumps together a lot of smaller religions that tend to be Earth-centric, polytheistic (worshiping many gods), and/or quite old and sometimes considered extinct.
And a Pagan Pride Day? That’s when some Pagans choose to publicly acknowledge their religion by participating in public rituals, conducting classes, and talking with reporters and neighbors to raise awareness that although we have different beliefs than many, we’re a part of the community and care as much about it as anyone else. Here’s a little more information on Pagan Pride days.
When and where is the New Paltz Pagan Pride Day? Tentatively, it’s scheduled to take place at Hasbrouck Park on September 17, 2017.
Will there be vendors? That’s the plan! There is a village peddling license any vendor will need to obtain; here’s the application packet. That’s the only sure thing quite yet. Vendors will be asked to donate a portion of their sales dollars toward funding this event, but no number has been decided upon yet. Hasbrouck Park is open air, and vendors will have to provide their own tent if they don’t want to risk the weather.
How about non-vendor tables? With the same codicils laid out above (it’s an open-air park), we will certainly be eager to have local Pagan groups and perhaps representatives of select Pagan-friendly organizations on hand to talk with others. Exactly how many tables might be available has not yet been determined.
What else will be going on? That’s still in flux, but in a perfect world there will be at least one ritual (open to the public), classes, and maybe even a parade.
There’s going to be a parade? That would be nice. It’s a New Paltz tradition to have parades: people march down Main Street celebrating Halloween, Palm Sunday, gay pride, and the regatta, among others. Trick is, parades cost a fair bit of money because the nice police officers must be paid. The ideal route, which runs from the middle school to Hasbrouck Park, would probably cost $1,300 to accomplish. That’s completely doable, but the specifics haven’t been worked out yet.
How can I get to New Paltz? Public transportation isn’t the strong suit for this area. The only trains come in on the wrong side of the Hudson, but there’s a bus link that can get a body over to New Paltz. By car, it’s exit 18 on the New York State Thruway. We’ll work on having signs up that day.
If driving is the best option, how’s the parking? There is a fair amount of parking in the village of New Paltz, but bring some quarters along for the meters. This is a community that’s best experienced on foot; expect to leave your car in the same place while you’re in town.
What’s the admission price? All that’s asked is a non-perishable food donation, which will be given to a local food bank. The agency hasn’t been selected yet.