Mayor Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten paid a visit to the LGBTQ resort town of Provincetown, Massachusetts on Friday, a day the town was crawling with tourists celebrating the 4th of July holiday. The South Bend, Indiana mayor was greeted by signs everywhere reading “PeteTown,” a play on the town’s familiar abbreviation, “Ptown”.
Buttigieg capitalized on the play on words in signs distributed for an overflowing public rally at the historic Town Hall. He also held a private fundraiser in the town’s west end.
Buttigieg stopped by the Adam Peck Gallery to see a portrait done by local Provincetown artist Jo Hay, who often paints larger-than-life political figures.
He and Chasten then went up the street for lunch at Liz’s Cafe, where diners politely watched them finish their meal before breaking into a standing ovation as the couple left the restaurant.
Mayor Pete and Chasten also took a stroll through town which Buttigieg later said “quickly turned into a parade” as onlookers greeted and photographed the couple and joined the procession down the main thoroughfare, Commercial Street.
Before addressing hundreds at town hall, Pete and Chasten greeted the overflow crowd on the front lawn outside.
Attending the public rally at Town Hall were a number of kids from Camp Lightbulb, a sleepaway summer camp for LGBTQ teens. Buttigieg was introduced by his husband Chasten and took questions, including some from camp attendees, after giving a speech on a variety of topics including winning the election, taking back our democracy, turning out the vote, freedom, security, the climate crisis, religion, elections, and the hijacking of the term “values” by the Republican Party.
Buttigieg seemed genuinely touched by the town, telling the crowd inside, “What a reception. It really does feel like ‘PeteTown’. Chasten and I are having such a great time. We are so grateful for the incredibly warm welcome that we’ve gotten from all of you walking up the street today. It felt like our own little parade. People coming to say hi to share their own stories, to let us know how we fit in to their story. People from really close, people from across the country. It reminded me of what it is to be in a place that celebrates inclusion, that celebrates belonging. And we have an opportunity to make America a place that celebrates inclusion, that celebrates belonging, and we better do it before it’s too late.”
Watch Buttigieg’s full Town Hall speech.
Here are some additional photos from Mayor Pete’s trip to Provincetown.
