Rockland 2023 Summer Solstice Party sees sunny dancing, rainy Pride Parade
A surprise flash dance on Friday, June 16, at 6 p.m. started with women garbed in house coats. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Racing up Main Street during the Sculpture Race. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Pride Parade draws out the spirit in some. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
JBone rolls the ball of his Ball and Chain sculpture on to Main Street Friday evening. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
A little craft time. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Not too many takers for the cornhole. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Dancing can be contagious. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Shutting down the turning lane that leads from Park Street to Main Street. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Sunny evening...(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Rainy afternoon. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Tossing the football around. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
These officers helped set up this sign. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
A young girl handed officers small Pride buttons. The officer on the left is wearing a white one on the tip of his collar, above his badge. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
A surprise flash dance on Friday, June 16, at 6 p.m. started with women garbed in house coats. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Racing up Main Street during the Sculpture Race. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Pride Parade draws out the spirit in some. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
JBone rolls the ball of his Ball and Chain sculpture on to Main Street Friday evening. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
A little craft time. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Not too many takers for the cornhole. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Dancing can be contagious. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Shutting down the turning lane that leads from Park Street to Main Street. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Sunny evening...(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Rainy afternoon. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
Tossing the football around. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
These officers helped set up this sign. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
A young girl handed officers small Pride buttons. The officer on the left is wearing a white one on the tip of his collar, above his badge. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
(Photo by Sarah Thompson)
ROCKLAND — Organizers and attendees of Rockland’s Summer Solstice street party held on long enough for the Pride Parade to carry their colors on Saturday. While afternoon rain kept most people indoors, many still ventured out for the street closures that were in effect Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
Under the direction of Paul Benjamin (adorned head-to-toe in a rain slicker on Saturday), and Rockland Main Street’s David Gogel, the Main Street festivities began at 4 p.m. Friday under 70 degree warmth and ended Saturday afternoon with 55-degree temperatures, puddles and soaked clothing.
Dry or wet, the mood remained relaxed through both days. Friday’s big draw turned out to be the surprise flash dance that filled the Main and Tillson street intersection at 6 p.m., when women dressed as older senior citizens inched their way into the roadway and were met with amplified music from a sound system. Live musicians were also strategically located in the Friday sun, yet all of the Saturday acts cancelled due to the risk of rain-damaged equipment. Regardless of the entertainment, people milled in the street, or filled the restaurants, and even in the early afternoon on Saturday the only appearance of urgency was during the sculpture race/parade when lead contestants sprinted toward the finish line.
Some activities took place indoors, evidenced by the young children carrying crafts into the street. But the programs planned for the street could not be sustained until the scheduled 7 p.m. end time. Therefore Benjamin and Gogel opted to close the street party and reopen the street to vehicles after the Pride Parade passed by, which it did as one fairly quick moving mass of solidarity. The annual whoopie pie eating contest was cancelled, and the street reopened at 4 p.m. Ten minutes later, the skies broke and a much heavier downpour cascaded on the area.
