One word gave Thomaston Select Board member Peter Lammert pause during consideration of a routine liquor license and amusements permit renewal May 11: “burlesque.”
The word appears among the list of amusements offered at the Hot Hill Tavern on Starr Street right behind the business block, along with karaoke, bands, dancing and comedy.
“I know it’s a little unorthodox for a small town like Thomaston, but it’s genuinely a beautiful art form,” said Carly Laughery, who owns the tavern with her husband, Nathan Miller.
The board approved the renewals for the tavern. Voters will decide at the June 9 town meeting whether to approve a new streamlined ordinance amendment for special amusements.
Laughery said the tavern holds burlesque shows once a month and they tend to sell out. People travel from around the state both to perform in and view the shows.
It’s not what people might think, she added.
Burlesque is a choreographed dance that does traditionally involve some removal of clothing. However, she said it meets the state’s legal standards. Asking what that means, one learns that neither nipples nor genitals are revealed.
In addition, these events are held in the evenings with strict age restrictions and everyone’s ID checked.
The shows have been going on for more than two years, and Miller said many in the audiences for the performances are women.
One act was a performer wearing an inflatable unicorn costume dancing to a remix of music from the Mario video games.
The May 16 event was “Anime” themed and included a cosplay contest. It’s one of many creative events held at the local tavern ranging from karaoke nights to the weekly Sunday Dungeons & Dragons gatherings.
In the meeting, Lammert questioned if this “could be allowing skin to be shown?”
Chair Chris Rector quipped that everyone had skin showing, but said provocative exhibitions were already prohibited. Police Chief Eric Quatrano said he would follow up with Hot Hill Tavern regarding questions that were raised in the meeting.
Residents will vote on updating the Special Amusement Ordinance in their June 9 town meeting. The former ordinance did specify restrictions on “lewd” shows or nudity. The new proposed ordinance does not go into specifics, but has regulations concerning noise, hours of operation, and health and safety requirements.
It also specifies: “The entertainment will not substantially alter the character of a residential neighborhood,” which most likely would not apply to the tavern as it is downtown.
“The new ordinance will replace the current one,” Town Manager Kara George said. “We looked at many other municipal ordinances in the redrafting of this and found that this streamlined version is more appropriate for 2026. The current ordinance was last reviewed in 1999. It would be up to the Select Board to approve or disapprove an application for a special amusement permit.”
However, officials have been working on the new ordinance for months, and it was only a coincidence that this business happened to be up for renewal just as the new ordinance was coming to the voters.
In the Select Board meeting, the board gave the issue only a moment of discussion before approving it unanimously. Fans of the events can enjoy them for another year.
“It’s a thing,” Laughery said. “It’s a good time.”
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.
