Sunday, August 24, 2025 10:00 AM

Joan and Rick Francolini are the parents of a bisexual daughter, Rene, who’s about to marry a transgender man. They’re also committed social justice advocates who recently organized the first-ever Lower Cape Pride celebration on Cape Cod.  Dubbed, “Unity in Community,” the three-day event, a multi-generational celebration of LGBTQ+ pride, drew hundreds of people to the towns of Orleans and Brewster, Massachusetts in June 2025.  Joan and Rick tapped many elements of their local community to support the event, bringing together neighbors, LGBTQ+ volunteers, local businesspeople, political and civic leaders, artists, musicians, and others to make Lower Cape Pride a crowd-pleasing event — far exceeding what either had initially anticipated.

Join us on Sunday, August 24th at 10:00 AM to hear about their journey – and save the date for next year’s parade which is already scheduled in Orleans for Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Joan and Rick Francolini fell in love with the Cape on their first visit twenty years ago They have lived in Orleans since 2016.

Joan was a marketing executive for Nabisco and then Kraft Foods. Since her “semi” retirement – she has worked for numerous, local non-profits and has volunteered on many town committees. Rick is passionate about the community-building potential of agriculture.

Learn more at 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2025 at the Chapel in the Pines in Eastham.  Doors open at 9:30. Also on Zoom via this Zoom program link.