Cakes, hats and picnics!

 

Buxton's Pride Picnic

23rd July 2023

Pavilion Gardens, Buxton
1 - 4.30pm

We’re looking for hats

We’re looking for books

We’re looking for stray boas, a floaty scarf or two, a fan to flutter

We’re hoping for cakes…..

 

Buxton Pride Picnic will soon be upon us and we are sure our regular picnickers will already be exercising their hula-hips and practising their “lying around in the sun looking elegant” postures! 

We are part of the Buxton Festival Fringe so pick up a programme or drop in on their website and go and catch some of their delicious shows!

 

We’re looking for some extra contributions as well....

 

Practical stuff first:

Date: Sunday 23^rd July 2023

Times: 1pm – 4.30pm

Location: the lawns in front of the Swimming Pool, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, SK17 6BE

Parking: free on Burlington Road, pay and display in the Gardens (Burlington Rd entrance)

Buses: stops on St John’s Rd, West Road and Buxton Market Place are all within a few minutes’ walk

Train: we're about 10 minutes' walk from Buxton Train Station

 

one of our new banners from the lovely people
at High Peak Community Arts

Booking? Not needed! Tickets? Who cares! We welcome those who come with happy intentions and an inclusive attitude. Pack your own picnic, stagger along with that huge hamper and settle on the lawns of Pavilion Gardens for an afternoon of chatting and good cheer, lawn games and facepainting, maybe some singing…who knows. Our Picnic is always a very relaxed and friendly event with lots of families coming along and a wonderful range of ages (our youngest so far was just days old and the oldest in their 80s) and species (lots of pampered pooches and the Garden's enthusiastic ducks)

Thanks to all those folks who are helping by putting up posters, by making banners (High Peak Community Arts!) and a special thanks to Morrisons Stores for their donation towards games to entertain the throng!

 

Books

We have a book-swap table and invite people to bring their well-thumbed copies of Oranges are not the only fruit or the copy of Maurice that you never read or the edition of the Ladybird Book of Polari* that gathers dust in your closet. You don’t have to bring a book. You’re very welcome to have a rummage and take away something to read, anyway. We’re looking for books relating to LGBTQ+ people: fiction, non-fiction, self-help, trouble and tease might all work. I argue that the whole Mister Men and Little Miss Something series should be acceptable but am often out-voted….

 

Hats, Caps, Scarves and Flappers

There is also a dressing-up box for those who feel they need a bit of extra glamour to match the wonder of the other picnickers. We have a selection of hats, wigs and goodness only knows what but are always ready to welcome more – clean, please!

 

And then there are cakes

As before, we are inviting entries for the Buxton’s Big Gay Bake Off…Cake Off really

 

Yes, we’re looking for cakes but what they look like……we are expecting to judge as much on the wonder of their names as on their taste and appearance. We are hoping there might be some:

·      Gay Gateaux

·      or Bi-forest Gateaux

·      or Trans Flans

·      or Lesbian Tarts

·      or Camp Croissants

·      or Polari Muffins

·      or just a flutter of Fairy Cakes

·      Seductive Scones?

·      Risque rock-cakes

·      Who knows…..

 

Who knows….

 

Just to be clear:

a)   This isn’t a very serious competition

b)   Entries can be brought along when you come to the Picnic but they must all be registered by 2.30pm

c)   The only prize is everyone else’s delight and acclaim. There might be a rosette or two and the chance to taste someone else’s cake

d)  The Fabulous Judge’s Fabulous Decisions are Final

e)   Make sure your cake is edible – no cheating with glue and plaster please

f)   You are responsible for your own cake so please make sure you take any of it that is left away with you when you leave the Picnic

 

And our Fabulous Judge this year is no lesser a personage than 

Buxton’s own divine Delta Monarch

 

All for now, sweeties!

 

See you in a week!

 

* no, calm down, I know they didn't really do one but it's absence left such a gap in my childhood I've never stopped hoping it would just appear....