A New York arts festival used state taxpayer dollars to sponsor drag performers stripping down to thongs in front of toddlers and young children at a public downtown plaza, according to exclusive photos and videos obtained by the Daily Caller.
The Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO) received nearly $50,000 in state arts funding for its City of the Hills Festival. The festival featured an hour-long drag burlesque show called “Draglesque to Downtown” held September 19 in Muller Plaza — a public area in downtown Oneonta.
The incident raises questions about how state arts funding is allocated and whether taxpayer money should support performances featuring adult content in public spaces accessible to children. The use of public funds for such events has become a contentious issue across the country, with critics arguing that families cannot avoid performances in open public areas the way they might choose not to attend age-restricted venues.
The New York State Council on the Arts confirmed the grant to the Daily Caller.
“The New York State Council on the Arts supported the Community Arts Network of Oneonta with an FY 2026 Support for Organizations grant for $49,500.”
The state arts council, which distributes millions of dollars annually to cultural organizations across New York, operates under guidelines intended to support diverse artistic expression while serving communities throughout the state. Grant recipients are typically required to demonstrate community benefit and artistic merit in their programming, though the specific review process for individual performances within funded festivals remains unclear.
Videos reviewed by the Daily Caller show a performer identified as Teejae Dee on Facebook stripping to a thong-style costume and performing acrobatic floorwork just feet from toddlers seated in the audience.
Dee climbed across picnic tables, performed suggestive movements, and accepted cash from audience members during the performance. He promoted the event on his Facebook page before the festival.
Other performers included individuals identified on Facebook as Lilly Bola, Starling Silver, Natalie Taylor, and Joel Gonzalez.
The festival advertisements posted on CANO’s Facebook page and the City of the Hills Festival page did not indicate stripteases would be part of the performance. The promotional materials included no images suggesting performers would be scantily clad.
This lack of advance notice is particularly significant given the event’s public setting. Unlike ticketed venues where age restrictions can be enforced and attendees make informed choices about admission, Muller Plaza is an open downtown space where families might encounter performances without prior knowledge of their content. The absence of warnings in promotional materials meant parents bringing children to what appeared to be a general community festival had no indication they would encounter adult-oriented entertainment.
When the Daily Caller asked CANO about the performance and the presence of children, the organization responded with a statement emphasizing the festival’s economic impact.
“The festival schedule is well publicized so attendees are well informed about the performances and activities and we take all precautions to ensure the safety of participants.”
The Caller followed up asking whether CANO considered the “Draglesque to Downtown” performance appropriate for children to attend. CANO did not respond before publication.
Kayla Ver attended the festival and blasted the decision to hold the performance in front of children.
“When did teaching small children it is good and normal for strange men to take clothes off near them become acceptable?” Ver wrote to the Daily Caller. “When did parents and adults applauding vulgarity, revealing outfits, and taking one’s clothes off for money teaching kids it is a good thing to do become celebrated?”
Her concerns reflect broader debates about age-appropriate content in public spaces and the role of parental consent in children’s exposure to adult entertainment. Similar controversies have erupted at libraries, schools, and public events nationwide, with critics questioning whether certain performances belong in settings where children are present and families cannot reasonably avoid the content.
The City of Oneonta and the New York State Council on the Arts both sponsored the festival, according to a City of the Hills Facebook post.
The Daily Caller reached out to the City of Oneonta and Otsego County seeking information about their involvement and whether additional taxpayer dollars or government grant funds supported the event. Neither responded before publication.
The involvement of multiple government entities in funding and sponsoring the festival raises accountability questions about which officials reviewed the programming and whether any oversight mechanisms exist to evaluate content before public performances receive taxpayer support.
Corporate sponsors Cooperstown All-Star Village and Oneonta Ford also did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
CANO promoted the festival as attracting over 6,000 attendees this year and announced plans to bring the event back next year.
The organization’s commitment to continuing the festival suggests they do not view the controversy as warranting program changes, though it remains unclear whether future iterations will include similar performances or modified promotional disclosures about adult content.
