The Bakery, a classic stop within the town of New Paltz, hosted a drag bingo with drag collective Slaughter Haus on Sept. 27. This event is part of a collaboration with the group, through which monthly drag shows will be held at the venue.
Beloved by both students and New Paltz residents it is no surprise how full of life The Bakery is when you visit. From kids huddled over books, studying in the upstairs seating area, to families enjoying time together on the outdoor patio, anybody can find comfort in its inviting atmosphere. With a wide range of house-made drinks ranging from coffees and teas to smoothies and frappes, The Bakery has something for everybody. They also have a large selection of food available, including classic desserts like cookies and cakes, as well as sandwiches and other specials.
The establishment has called 13A North Front St. its home for the past 42 years and recently came under new ownership in 2023, when Dawn Borrello bought the business. While it may seem like your typical stop for coffee and a snack on a busy day, The Bakery has one thing that sets it apart from the rest: its entertainment. Since its opening in 1981, The Bakery has been a key center of community in New Paltz. With multiple seating areas and space both inside and out, the structure of The Bakery provides the perfect environment to enjoy everything that New Paltz has to offer.
Within the past year, The Bakery has hosted countless events highlighting local musicians and artists, giving them opportunities to showcase their talent. On Sept. 21 and 22, they hosted a craft fair, with vendors selling clothing, jewelry, accessories and artwork. Throughout the month of March, they had a weekly series titled, “Celebrate Women in Jazz,” which included a live performance from a different female jazz performer every week of the month. On Thursdays over the summer, they hosted a weekly “Jazz Jam” featuring students from SUNY New Paltz.
Ophelia Lovizio, manager of The Bakery and student at SUNY New Paltz, explained how the desire for more shows like those of Slaughter Haus came to be. “This establishment has been running for over 40 years and it’s always been like integral to the community. I feel like COVID kind of let that slide a little bit,” she said. Inspired by the history of the establishment, Lovizio and Borrello wanted to bring that sense of community back to The Bakery and provide an entertainment space for customers of all ages to enjoy. When Slaughter Haus reached out to them about hosting a show, they knew they had found their match.
Founded earlier this year by Sage Monroe and Penelope Plague, Slaughter Haus is a new drag collective made up of a group of performers from all over the tri-state area. This past August, they had two shows at The Bakery, including a drag brunch, as well as a “Dragula” watch party in Philadelphia. While Plague and Monroe are Hudson Valley-based, the collective is looking to expand their shows across the tri-state area to meet the needs and desires of their members and reach a wider audience. The collective is made up of 17 performers who emphasize the idea that all members are equal.
Monroe says she was originally drawn to The Bakery due to their content during Pride Month. “I just thought that was so cool that they were so outwardly proud and happy and willing to wish people a happy pride, which during this time unfortunately you sometimes see businesses straying away from,” she said. “Seeing a venue like that be so open about supporting LGBTQ+ folks is just really inspiring to see.”
Options for spaces for drag performers in New Paltz are typically bars or other age-restricted spaces. This limits the audience of these shows and makes drag less accessible and more intimidating to interested parties. With the additional decline in venues in the DIY music scene around New Paltz, Slaughter Haus aims to change this.
“The mission of Slaughter Haus is creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ folks and allies. And when we’re looking at spaces, we’re talking about safe all around, safe to be yourself, safe to exist, accessible, diverse and welcoming to all, and that’s something we’re holding ourselves to,” said Monroe. “We’re giving people those opportunities and that everybody can feel welcome and safe when they’re at one of our events.”
Slaughter Haus’ drag bingo was their biggest hit yet, drawing in a large crowd with “every seat that was in the area” being filled, said Monroe. The event featured performances from Monroe, Plague, Robyn D Banxx and Farrah Valli.
On future events The Bakery has in store for this year, Lovizio said, “Every year we have our annual 100 Nights of Pumpkins, which is coming up on Halloween, which is like our biggest event of the year. We also have open-mics every Thursday and like once a month having bands play.”
If you missed this week’s event, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to catch Slaughter Haus at The Bakery in the coming weeks, with a family-friendly Halloween themed drag brunch on Oct. 12 from 1 — 3 p.m., pumpkin painting with a drag show Oct. 25 8 — 10 p.m. and a show at Scry Chapelle in New Paltz later in October. Visit @slaughterhausdrag on Instagram for more information on the collective and other shows they have going on in the area. For more from The Bakery, you can check them out at www.ilovethebakery.com or @ilovethebakery on Instagram.
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