Pictured: Square Dancing at Ft. George Brewery, Photo Credit: Hylwa Media
Christopher McCracken for Bluegrass Pride - 24 June 2026
“I’m sweating.”
“Yeah, square dancing is like a real activity.”
-Overheard at Camp Bluegrass Pride
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The theme of my day was Second Rodeo. I’d attended some one-day music workshops at home, and I always left full of excitement, but also knowing that I’d given as much as I could and was tapped out afterwards. Heading into a week-long music camp, then, made me worry that I might burn out on day one.
I am happy to report that I survived the second full day of camp. I went to the same place for breakfast; moved throughout town in the same way; knew where I was going and who would be there. The morning passed much as it had the day before in Grace and Keith’s banjo classes. I found my groove.
—
After lunch, four instructors sat on a panel discussing their experience of queerness, music, and intersections between the two. The panel was facilitated by Isaac, who did a remarkable job of preserving the sanctity of the space and acknowledging the weight of the questions asked and discussions sparked.
Hearing how these members of our community have shouldered their own burdens and found joy in spite of them was a gift, and I can’t thank them enough for their generosity and bravery. In fact, I teared up on my way to my next class thinking of the people who have lifted me up and welcomed me into this music. Those acts of kindness and words of encouragement have changed my life.
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Being queer is hard. Having a body is hard. Having a queer body is very hard. Camp Bluegrass Pride offered us a chance to embrace the joy of moving with others and inhabiting those queer bodies by holding a square dance at Fort George Brewery and Public House. In a fun twist of gay fate, I had been to exactly one square dance before, played and called by the inimitable Tradwife Stringband. My having attended just that one square dance before meant that I had more experience than much (though certainly not all) of the room, and made it easier to lean in and dance as hard as I could. In the spirit of inclusion, lessons were held before the main event, and each new piece was explained and reviewed before the dance started. I quickly became a sweaty, gross, absolutely delighted mess.
Many thanks go to Isaac for calling the dance, as well as teaching all of us his brand new figure. Now I can leave at the end of the week saying that not only did I attend the first-ever Camp Bluegrass Pride, but I also debuted a never-before-seen dance while doing so. How about that?