by Erin Vallely, CANDLE Administrative Assistant
CANDLE was thrilled to join the Cortland LGBTQ Center at their annual Pride Festival on July 19th, 2025. The event was held at Courthouse Park and featured an information and vendor show, as well as entertainment throughout the day. The event, organized by Mike Doughty and Regina Cuddeback, is an opportunity to come together to support one another, celebrate resilience, and remind people queerness is a natural part of diversity. Attendance was estimated at 400 people, which is the best it has been in the event’s three-year history.
As a sponsor, CANDLE supported the event with a donation and tabled at the festival which took place from 10am-2pm. Other sponsors of the event included Go Jo Productions, Cortland Repertory Theatre, Grace and Holy Spirit Church, Cortland Chiropractic, Guthrie, Excellus BCBS, Indivisible Cortland County, Family Planning of South Central NY, Area 51, Leonard’s Cleaning & Hobby Supplies, Tompkins Cortland Real Estate, Gay Life Journey, All My Friends Books, Seven Valleys Health Coalition, PFLAG Ithaca/Cortland, Cabinet Thirty-One, and several individuals. In total about $6,000 was donated, which made the event possible.
The family friendly drag show featured Noah Phence, Queen Tessential, Saylix Morrison, and Scope Kaleido with tributes to PBS/NPR and banned books. People sang and danced along throughout the show. Attendees also learned about local services, shopped at vendor tables, and celebrated pride together. Food and treats were also available throughout the park. ATI and CANDLE staff and volunteers spoke with many individuals during the event, many of whom were excited to hear about CANDLE’s mission to reduce substance use within the disability community by making prevention services accessible. Thank you to everyone who joined us that day!
Cortland Pride Festival is a prime example of an accessible event that everyone can enjoy. The set up was physically accessible with tables lined up along walkways, mobility equipment was available to borrow free of charge, there were places to stop and rest in the shade, and substances such as alcohol and cannabis were not allowed in the park. Everyone was able to enjoy the day in a safe and comfortable environment. If you want to learn more about hosting accessible and inclusive events, please visit ATI’s blog for actionable steps you can take to ensure everyone in the community can enjoy your event.
To learn more or to get involved with the coalition, visit our website at candlecoalition.org.