You had me at hello…

Less than a Week to go

We are so excited about next week we can hardly keep still. We hope you are as excited for what is coming too! Below are a few reminders as we close in on Pride at The Dragon 5. Please also bookmark or remember to check the site here for information during the week. We will use this to post any updates or changes we have. 

Cabin Decor Contest

Remember to register for this first ever decorating contest. And we know you want to, so go ahead and do it. Only registrants will be judged. You can find information here. Just do it!

Group Photo

If you’ve been before, you’ll remember how great this is. For this year, the group photo will be Friday evening on the Dam. Don’t miss out on cementing your place in the history of this event! Please see event details for instructions for lining up for the photo.

Radio Information

Radios are key to communicating with others not only at Fontana Village but particularly on the drives. It is imperative that you have a compatible radio and appropriate chargers for the event. Please check information here about radios and what we recommend. It's not too late to get one!

Maps

Due to the lack of good cell reception in the mountains, it is strongly recommended that you download Google Maps of the area before leaving home. This will ensure that you can find your way around no matter whether you have reception or wi-fi working on your smart phone.  You can find information here about downloading local maps from Google Maps.

Other things to know before you Go

Please familiarize yourself with this information before leaving. This is a collated list of information from past participants of useful knowledge. It is shared with you to help make your journey and time at Pride at The Dragon the best it can be. You can download some of the best information here. Also you can watch the replay of our Ask Me Anything that has a lot of good information. It is always good to be prepared.

- The PATD Comms Team

We are waiting to exhale…

Today is the last day to register

This is your final reminder that registration is closing for this year’s Pride at The Dragon at 11:59 PM Eastern today – that’s April 8, 2024 if you’re not sure what today is. You will still be able to attend if you want with some modifications. If you register at the event, it will cost you $25 more and not include swag or Closing Ceremony Dinner on Saturday. 

Dollywood is Sold Out

No more working nine to five and finding islands in the stream. If you got your tickets, we’ve got you. If you still want to go, you can buy tickets at the gate the day of. It simply means you will get separated from the group for a bit. But Dolly will always love you no matter which way you go.

Reminder to get your décor going

If you have Amazon Prime you might be okay ordering all your decorations late, but if you’re a picky shopper and want to dazzle the judges, get shopping girl. The Cabin Décor Contest information is here online. 

Beyond excited

In just two weeks, Pride at The Dragon 5 officially starts. Your Gaymittee is so excited to bring this to you. We hope you have as much fun at the event as we’ve had organizing it. Make new friends, reconnect with old ones, find that significant other (it’s happened before) – whatever floats your boat! We cannot wait to see YOU!

- PATD Comms Team

This Ain’t No April Fools…

Registration Deadline is in 7 Days

Time is running out! Do not miss your chance to join us at Pride at The Dragon – registration closes on April 8th! 

Waiting until the last minute will cost you – tickets purchased at the event will be $25 more per ticket type! Plus, you will miss out on the swag bag and dinner tickets.

Secure your spot now and ensure you are part of this unforgettable celebration of pride and unity! Let's create lasting memories together – but act fast, because time is running out!

CABIN DECOR CONTEST

As we gear up for our fifth fabulous celebration, we're thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for you to showcase your creativity and spread the joy of Pride!

Join us in our friendly competition for the best decorated cabin patio and lodge window. Whether you are inspired by a favorite holiday, channeling your pride, or simply letting your imagination run wild, this is your chance to shine!

To learn more about how to participate and to enter the competition, visit the competition entry page here. Let's make this Pride at The Dragon the most colorful and vibrant yet!

Volunteers

Hey there, awesome volunteers! If you signed up to lend a hand at Pride at The Dragon 5, be sure to check your inbox for a recent email. Inside, you'll find all the details to sign up for your volunteer stints! Head over to the Volunteer Hub to sign up and stay tuned for more updates about your volunteering journey. Huge thanks in advance for your incredible contribution to making this the best PATD ever! Your enthusiasm and support mean the world to us!

 - PATD Comms Team

And now an update from Your Hosts…

Last day to Register

Please note and share with anyone you know who is still planning to register that we will be closing registration for Pride at The Dragon 5 on Monday, April 8, 2024. This allows us to finalize our plans and properly prepare Fontana and other venues for the number of attendees. If you do not purchase a ticket by April 8, you will not be able to participate in any official event hosted by Pride at The Dragon this year. 

Safety Video

Our mission at Pride at The Dragon is to have fun, but to do so safely. The Tail of the Dragon is more dangerous than the average road, but we can control a large part of that. Our friends at Out Motorsports produced a safety video for us all this year. Many thanks to Jake @ Out Motorsports for putting this together and providing some awesome tips for those who have never been to The Dragon and even for those of us who have been many times. Check it out here and be sure to thank Jake for this video when you see him! And check out the Know Before You Go for additional information that you might need to think about before you journey to Fontana.

Out Motorsports

Pride at The Dragon is not a track, but if you want to be on a track, you should go to an event by our friends at Out Motorsports! Registration is now open for their 2024 events, kicking off with the highly anticipated Rainbow Road Trackcross East event at Summit Point Motorsports Park on April 6th and 7th, 2024. Check out the details here for this event and other upcoming Out Motorsports events.  

Ask us anything, again!

We had a really good attendance at the first "Ask Me Anything" session a couple weeks ago, but we recognize that some people may not have been able to come. We will be holding a second session March 20th, 2024, for those who were not able to attend the first. As before, we will cover topics you need to know before coming to Pride at The Dragon 5, and we'll be prepared to answer any questions you may have about the event. We highly recommend that you check out our Know Before You Go guide before the meeting just in case we've already addressed your question there. 

As before, you’ll be able to join us on Google Meet here. We will also send out another email the day of the session with the link. Feel free to come hangout with us, learn more about what Pride at The Dragon 5 will be link, and bring any questions you may have.

 - PATD Comms Team

Ask us anything about PaTD 5!

Pride at The Dragon 5 - AMA #1

March 3rd @ 7:00pm EST.

We’re about two months away from the start of Pride at The Dragon 5, so as is tradition, we will be holding an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session where you can ask us questions about what Pride at The Dragon is like. This will be held online via video call so that we can accommodate everyone. Depending on the number of people that join and the questions that are asked, we may host extra AMA sessions if needed. Save the date! 

How do I prepare?

Please come prepared with any questions you may have about the event! We would recommend reading our Know Before You Go page first as that answers many common questions, but if we just didn’t go into enough detail about something, or if you need clarification on anything, this will be a great time to ask. We would also recommend checking our the latest version of the Pride at The Dragon 5 Itinerary as we have made some very slight changes since it was released.  If you want to come spend a Sunday evening with us and hangout and listen, that’s cool too!

How do I join?

We will release details on joining the AMA session as we get closer to March 3rd. Please keep an eye out on your socials and on your email as these are the methods we’ll use to release this info.

 - PATD Comms Team

Let’s have a kiki!

Ooooh hunny, it’s been a minute since we’ve talked. We promise we haven’t disappeared.

Introducing the Pride at The Dragon blog! We’ve been looking for new, creative, fun ways to keep in touch. It’s not that we don’t like sending emails, we do! But blogging will allow us to send more concise emails and keep important information in a consistent place. Trust us, as we get closer to April 22nd, there will be a lot of important information to give out, so keep an eye on your email and on these blog posts! Going forward, we’ll release blog posts at least one to two times a month. You can always find them here, but we’ll share them in an email for your convenience!

Itinerary Announcements!

Often in life, change is necessary! To this end we’ve had to make some small changes to the itinerary.

• The Evening Parade on the Tail was sold out, but we made some changes to the format to accommodate more people. If you haven’t registered yet, you can sign up when you register. If you’ve already registered, just go to the registration page, add this event to your cart, and check out! 

• Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to swap our Dollywood trip with Retail Therapy. The itinerary has been updated, but if you’ve already registered, please plan accordingly. If you no longer want to attend one or the other because of the swap, reach out to us for assistance.

Is this your first time?

After each event, we always send out a survey asking people for their opinions on how we can improve. We received feedback last year that although good times were had, some new attendees did not feel prepared. We’ve always made guides on what to expect, but this year we are expanding on that with our "Know Before You Go" guide. Click the link below to read more. This is tailored specifically for new attendees, but we’d recommend everyone read it just to brush up.

Know Before You Go!

Help us out!

If you’ve already registered, you may have noticed that we are asking if you would like to volunteer. We are going to compile a list of people who elect to volunteer, and then reach out to you before the event starts so that we can get you up to speed. If you’re selected as a volunteer, we’ll ask you to work for a few hours one day of the event to assist us as needed. This may be at check in, or we may need assistance with a specific event. We do not expect to ask you to volunteer more than once. However, we are also offering a volunteer ticket package. If you are willing to work at least one event or shift a day for each day that you are at the event, we will give you a discount code for 50% off the cost of your registration. We are limiting this to ten (10) people total. This is by application only, so please see the link below for further details. 

Volunteer with us!

As always, we can’t wait to see you in April. And honestly, we can’t wait to see the cars. Some of you truly put down some hilariously interesting cars when we asked what you’re bringing. If the Maserati BiTurbo does not show, I shall be truly and thoroughly disappointed.

- PATD Comms Team