The Twin Cities Pride festival and parade are returning this weekend after the pandemic brought the celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community of Minnesota to its full cancellation in 2020 and strict limitations in 2021.
Across the state, the coming days have no shortage of Pride related events. They range from a two-spirit powwow at South High School in Minneapolis, a beer dabbler at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden on Friday, a Trans Joy Fest in Duluth and Pride Month trivia night at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul on Saturday. There’s also a Pride-themed amphibian presentation and mixer at the Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul on Tuesday.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Twin Cities Pride festival, with the iconic Pride march on Hennepin Avenue honoring Ashley Rukes, former director of the festival. Gathering in Loring Park in downtown Minneapolis since 1972, Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ community is celebrating 50 years of Pride gatherings.
It started as a small group of 50 people marching from Loring Park to Nicollet Mall in celebration of their identities. Now, Loring Park has now become the destination for one of the largest Pride festivals in the country, attracting roughly 400,000 attendees each year.
TWIN CITIES PRIDE FESTIVAL
- Who: All LGBTQ+ community members and allies are invited to join in the events inspired by Pride month.
- What: Twin Cities Pride festival and parade in downtown Minneapolis celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and its members. LGBTQ+ and BIPOC owned vendors will be stationed in Loring Park. Beer garden is free and open to attendees 21 and over. Other organizations throughout the metro area will host inclusive events for the weeks to come.
- When: Minneapolis festival goes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s parade will begin at 11 a.m.. Times and locations of other events in the metro can be found on Twin Cities Pride website’s events calendar.
- Where: The festival will be held in Loring Park, and Sunday’s parade will begin on Hennepin Avenue and Seventh street.
- How to get there: Transportation, directions, and parking maps are available on the Pride website, and Metro Transit is providing free rides to the festival.
