Local News

North Brookfield settles suit after attempting to block Pride event that featured drag show

The ACLU and the Rural Justice Network announced that the Town will pay damages, attorneys’ fees, and won't block the event in the future.

The Rural Justice Network hosted Small Town Pride in the North Brookfield Town Common last June. Their event included drag performances. Rural Justice Network

By Molly Farrar

March 18, 2024

1 minute to read

A Worcester County town will pay a settlement to Pride event organizers after Board of Selectmen members tried to illegally block a June Pride event due to its inclusion of drag show, the American Civil Liberties of Massachusetts announced Monday.

The suit was filed in December against North Brookfield, a town of less than 5,000 people. Last month, the town’s Parks and Recreation Committee approved the June 29 Small Town Pride event. As part of the settlement, the town’s Planning Board will approve a permit for the event as well.

The ACLU, along with the local organizer Rural Justice Network, announced that the Town will pay damages, attorneys’ fees, and “agrees not to interfere with Small Town Pride in the future.” The settlement amount was not specified.

The suit was filed after two of the town’s three Select Board members denied the permit due to their own views that a public drag show is wrong.

“I’m not voting for it. Okay, I’m just not. If you’re not going to have that stuff hidden from kids, I’m not voting for it,” Select Board Chair Jason Petraitis said at a meeting in November.

The Board of Selectmen was stripped of its power to approve events in local parks by North Brookfield due to their repeated attempts to block Small Town Pride, the ACLU said. Last year, the Board also tried to stop the RJN’s 2023 Pride celebration due to a drag show. It went ahead as planned then as well.

“In spite of challenges we have faced in the past two years, events like Small Town Pride always make it worth the effort,” RJN President Rob Orpilla said. “We’re happy to start making concrete moves for our 2024 event now that we’ve resolved the lawsuit. This is another victory for change in our area.”