Friday, July 11

After arriving on the Pillow’s vast 220-acre campus, join us for a Zumba® or The Quilombo Experience Morning Class in Sommers Studio. Then spend an hour visiting LGBTQ+ artist Katherine Helen Fisher’s exhibit Dancing the Algorithm which utilizes immersive, interactive installations to dissolve the boundary between physical and virtual space. Afterwards, experience Shadows and Stones, a site-specific performance by Eiko Otake that guides audiences through the brand new Doris Duke Theatre. End your first day on a high note with an outdoor performance by Calpulli Mexican Dance Company on the picturesque Henry J. Leir stage.

Saturday, July 12

With a full day ahead, take advantage of the Pillow’s multiple food and beverage options including the Pillow Pub, Pillow Café (reservations encouraged), and Pillow Coffee Bar. Grab a snack or coffee to-go and enjoy a leisurely walk through the grounds of the new Indigenous Garden designed by Misty Cook and Kathi Arnold, enrolled members of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican, and Fire Pit created by Nipmuc tribal member Andre Strongbearheart Gaines, Jr.

For your first performance of the day, experience Unwired Dance Theatre’s Where We Meet, an interactive and immersive dance theatre performance that uses audio technology to put you in control of revealing the hidden stories behind each character. Next, the internationally recognized disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light presents territory, a VR experience that surrounds the audience in movement, light, vibration, and sound. Continuing with the theme of technology, sit in on a PillowTalk with Aoi Nakamura and Esteban Lecoq as they reveal how AI and extended reality can enhance movement storytelling.

As the sun begins to set, enjoy your dinner along with another performance on the iconic Henry J. Leir outdoor stage featuring Sydnie L. Mosley Dances, a company that creates works designed to provoke a visceral response and spark dialogue around gender and racial justice. Afterwards, step into the historic Ted Shawn Theatre for the Pillow debut of Trinity Irish Dance Company as they present a genre-defying program with live music and a hybrid of Irish step and American tap.

The energy of the night ends in high gear as you spin and twirl your way into this year’s Pillow Pride Dance Party. Experience the new Doris Duke Theatre transformed into an immersive club experience with beats provided by self-proclaimed Afro-Electro-Disco-Space-Punks, DJ/Music duo The Illustrious Blacks, and projected visuals sourced from the Pillow’s rich, queer archival history.

Sunday, July 13

Revive yourself from your night of revelry with a hearty morning-after brunch, and discover little known stories (why do they call it Jacob’s Pillow?) on a Pillow Pride History Tour led by Director of Preservation, Norton Owen (reservations required for both). Owen celebrates his fiftieth year at the Pillow this summer and is the perfect person to spill the tea on all of the queer artists who have graced the grounds over the years. And don’t miss the free exhibition on Owen’s Pillow career in Blake’s Barn, entitled Connecting Through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen.

Many of these Pillow Pride performances and events have limited availability and will be offered on multiple dates and times. Book your tickets and reservations, and start planning your trip today!