On Saturday, May 30, the Brandywine Pride volunteer committee will host the first Brandywine Pride Picnic at Anson B. Nixon Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The free, family-friendly community event is open to everyone, including LGBTQ community members, families, friends, neighbors, and allies. The picnic is designed to be a relaxed, welcoming place where people can meet and celebrate the LGBTQ community in southern Chester County and northern Delaware.
For many of the volunteers helping bring the picnic to life, the idea began with a simple hope: to create a visible, joyful place for LGBTQ people and families to find one another close to home.
“When I started thinking about this event, I kept thinking about my wife and son,” said Nicole Hilson, one of the Brandywine Pride volunteers. “I wanted him to have a place where he could see and meet other families like ours. I wanted him to know that our family is part of a larger community.”
That spirit shaped the decision to begin with a picnic rather than a parade or larger festival. A picnic gives people room to arrive as they are, bring their families, sit on a blanket, play a game, talk with a neighbor, and make new connections.
“For our first Brandywine Pride gathering, a picnic felt like the right place to begin,” said Daniel Embree, a Brandywine Pride volunteer and Executive Director of Kennett Collaborative. “When I moved here, I was struck by how many LGBTQ people and families I met across southern Chester County and northern Delaware. There is a large and friendly community here, but we do not always have obvious places to gather. This picnic gives us a simple, joyful way to find one another.”
The afternoon will include lawn games such as corn hole, frisbee, and large board games for all ages; face painting; zine making; relief printing on T-shirts; and tables with representatives from local LGBTQ organizations. Guests are encouraged to bring an old T-shirt if they would like to add a printed design during the picnic.
Live music will be provided by Frost & Fire, an all-female acoustic duo putting a fresh spin on favorite hits. Lead singer and guitarist Amanda Mae Hall brings expressive vocals and guitar, while classically trained musician Laura Leuter adds bass guitar and percussion. Together, they create rich harmonies and full-band energy that go well beyond the average acoustic duo.
Local favorite El Ranchero will also be onsite with its signature pink truck serving tacos and other favorites. Families are welcome to purchase food from the truck or bring their own picnic. Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket for the live music.
Brandywine Pride is an informal, volunteer-led community group working to create welcoming spaces for LGBTQ people, families, friends, and allies in southern Chester County and northern Delaware. Volunteers include local residents, LGBTQ community members and allies, and people connected to area nonprofits, small businesses, churches, and civic organizations.
The Brandywine Pride volunteer committee extends gratitude to Kennett Collaborative, Chester County Community Foundation, the Theodore D. & Elizabeth A. Hadley Fund, and the CCCF Neil Joines Fund for helping make the picnic possible.
