Justin DeVellis

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Apr 30, 2026, 9:27 PM

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Updated

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Contrary to what you may have read on social media, town leaders say the Wilton Pride Festival was never in danger of being canceled.

The event has been held at the Wilton Town Green for the past few years.

Organizers recently condemned the town for denying their temporary permit for this year's festival.

"Fairness is what pride deserves, and fairness is what Wilton deserves," Wilton Pride board member Jeffrey Busch says. "I think there may have been some communication issues."

First selectman Toni Boucher says the confusion stemmed from the organization's request to close a stretch of the main road in the downtown center during the festival.

"For the record, the event was always going to take place," First Selectman Toni Boucher says. "The only question that remained was whether we were going to close the road or not."

Town leaders say the group's original permit application said there would be an estimated attendance of just 100 people.

The town says it usually doesn't use its resources to close a road for an event that small.

Wilton Pride subsequently submitted another application that said there would be 1,000 estimated people at the festival, causing town leaders to take another look at the request.

"Once they changed the application afterwards to 1,000," Boucher says, "Then we had to take another look at it."

The temporary permit has since been approved under the condition that Wilton Pride pay for two police officers needed to work the festival.

Boucher told News 12 she would personally foot the bill as a donation this year if the organization is unable to come up with the funds.

"What a kind and generous offer from Toni Boucher to fund it if we need it," Busch says. "I'm sure we're going to get through that."

The festival is scheduled for May 31st.

"Wilton is a town where everyone belongs," Boucher says. "We're an inclusive, welcoming community, and this is just one example of the many wonderful events that take place here."