Westport Pride: Prouder Than Ever!
Sixth Annual Celebration Featured Broadway Performer, Community Entertainers, and Remarks from State and Local Officials
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport's annual Pride Day reached a milestone this weekend, drawing more participants than any previous year to Jesup Green for its sixth consecutive celebration of the LGBTQAI+ community. Ideal weather and a packed program of performances and speakers contributed to what many in attendance described as the event's most memorable edition.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined 1st Selectman Kevin Christie and other state and local elected officials on stage to affirm Westport's commitment to welcoming all residents. Their remarks struck themes of love, belonging, and the strength that comes from an inclusive community.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Among the day's highlights was a performance and personal reflection by Jamie Martin Mann, a Westport native who has gone on to a career on Broadway. Mann spoke about his formative years growing up in town, paying tribute to several local educators and arts mentors. Students from Staples Players (all wearing Players Pride tees) contributed a rousing number from the musical Les Misérables, while dancer Van Goldberg captivated onlookers with an energetic solo routine.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Cassandra Fiore gave a powerful speech about a friend who had recently passed, followed by a call to action for the community to provide safe spaces for our queer youth. And then, of course, there was a fantastic performance from the celebrated drag performer. Ending the program, there was an energetic performance from the band “The Splits”, preceded by some playful crowd banter.
Beyond the entertainment, Jesup Green hosted a wide array of community organizations — nonprofits, religious congregations, and civic groups among them — reflecting the depth of support the event has built across Westport over the years. There were therapy pups, including one called Oakley, who entranced attendees. Another highlight included the freshly made (and complimentary) rainbow challah bread offered by Temple Israel.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport Pride would like to express warm gratitude to all of the sponsors, vendors and food trucks who contributed to the celebration.
Next up for Westport Pride: The community is invited to continue the festivities at Westport Pride's next Happy Hour, July 2nd at Yuzu Restaurant on Main Street.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Sustainable Westport Launches UNplastic Westport
The organization takes another step in the effort to protect our environment in Westport with this new program.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
Johanna Martell of Sustainable Westport fills one of the organization's branded refillable water bottles at the new water bottle refilling stations at the Compo Beach basketball courts Users simply place their refillable bottle in the dispenser and press the button to fill. There are also two traditional drinking fountains.
Sustainable Westport’s goal is to increase the number of publically available water bottle filling stations for people to fill up their reusable water bottles to stay hydrated rather than buying plastic water bottles.
Led by Co-directors Gately Ross and Johanna Martell, Sustainable Westport is working closely with town leadership and the Department of Parks & Recreation to identify water bottle-filling locations based on viability, visibility and impact. They unveiled their first water bottle-filling station at Compo Basketball courts in conjunction with the Kickoff to Summer event on June 13th. A second station, which includes a pet fountain, at Winslow Dog Park has also now opened. The next locations on their list include Grace Salmon Park, Burying Hill Beach, Old Mill Beach and Town Farms Ball Complex – all high traffic recreational areas. These water bottle filling stations will eliminate the need for tens of thousands of single-use plastic water bottles a year.
Sustainable Westport is partnering with other civic organizations in town to fund and install these stations and is actively seeking corporate sponsors, grants and individual donors to help expand the refill network across town. Organizations or individuals interested in supporting this initiative or learning more about sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to reach out to Sustainable Westport.
Sustainable Westport is thrilled to build a network of refill stations that will benefit our entire community - residents and visitors of all ages, as well as future generations! To learn more visit Sustainable Westport and follow Sustainable Westport on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com.
Sustainable Westport’s mission is to lead the way as they inspire and equip the community to act now on sustainability. In addition to educating our community, Sustainable Westport leads by example by implementing real solutions that make our community healthier and address the urgent issue of climate change.
This year, in addition to their ongoing work to reduce waste, protect clean air and promote programs that make sustainable choices easier every day, Sustainable Westport has launched UnPlastic Westport — a bold new initiative focused on reducing single-use plastic and expanding public water bottle-filling stations throughout town. Sustainable Westport’s goal is to turn shared intention into measurable, community-wide change and help people break their single-use plastic habits.
In the U.S., single-use plastic water bottle consumption has grown from about 3 billion bottles in 1997 to 86 billion in 2021. Convenience comes at a cost to human and environmental health, from the microplastics directly ingested into our bodies, to plastic waste polluting oceans and waterways, clogging landfills, and leaching toxins into our air, soil and water. Not to mention the fossil fuels needed to produce the plastic bottles in the first place.
Planning ahead and bringing a reusable water bottle to drink from is a healthier, cost-effective way to stay hydrated and avoid single-use plastic water bottles, especially when engaging in sports or recreational activities in our amazing town. A strong network of refill stations is needed to fully instill a "refill culture" and see broader impact.
The water stream fills user’s bottles in seconds.
Cruisin' In Style
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge.
This adorable Pomeranian was cruising through town on Sunday, being driven by her chauffeur James Pileggi in her Mercedes SL500 convertible. Her name is Pepita and she is 6 years old is turning 7 years old this month.
James manages CT's only Polestar dealership located in New Canaan. Polestar is a luxury EV brand now owned by Volvo Cars. To see these vehicles visit: Polestar.com.
Flag Day Display At Town Hall
The row of American flags now lining the stonewall next to the sidewalk in front of Westport Town Hall wave proudly on June 14th, Flag Day.
Flag Day originated to commemorate the June 14, 1777, resolution by the Second Continental Congress that officially adopted the "Stars and Stripes" as the national flag of the United States. The holiday's journey to becoming a national observance involved several milestones:
The 1777 Resolution: On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed a Flag Resolution stating that the flag of the United States would consist of 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field.
Schoolhouse Origins (1885): Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin schoolteacher, is widely credited with the idea of a formal holiday. In 1885, he encouraged his students to observe June 14 as the "Flag's Birthday" and spent decades lecturing and writing to promote the cause.
First Presidential Proclamation (1916): President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation establishing June 14 as Flag Day, marking the first nationwide recognition of the event.
Official Congressional Act (1949): President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress officially establishing National Flag Day on August 3, 1949. While it is a national observance, Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, meaning businesses and government offices generally operate on normal schedules.
Another interesting fact: Flag Day and the U.S. Army's birthday share the exact same date of June 14th due to historical milestones separated by exactly two years. The connections that tie them together include;
The Army's Birthday: On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Army to defend the colonies against Great Britain, putting it under the command of General George Washington. The Flag's Adoption: Exactly two years later on June 14, 1777, Congress passed the Flag Resolution to adopt the "Stars and Stripes" as the official emblem of the United States.
