PrideFest in Milwaukee has a long history celebrating the LGBTQ+ community
PrideFest is returning to Milwaukee's summer festival schedule.
The festival, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, has been held in Milwaukee for more than 30 years and has grown significantly from its early days in the late 1980s.
Here's what to know about the event in 2022 and other facts about PrideFest in Milwaukee and elsewhere.
When is PrideFest 2022 in Milwaukee?
June 2-4.
Where is PrideFest held?
It is held at Maier Festival Park, the Summerfest grounds at 200 N. Harbor Drive.
When was the first PrideFest in Milwaukee held?
Pridefest started in 1988 with several hundred people attending, according to mkelgbthist.org.
That festival was held in September at Mitchell Park. The Milwaukee Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee was also founded that year.
What is some of the other history of PrideFest?
In 1989, after Milwaukee's mayor and county executive issued proclamations recognizing Pride celebrations in the city, religious-based conservative groups called for a recall, according to mkelgbthist.org. A rally that year drew hundreds at Cathedral Square Park. Rallies continued in the early 1990s and, as the crowds grew, they moved to Juneau Park and then Veterans Park.
After the first PrideFest, the event shifted to June, aligning it with Pride Month. PrideFest Inc. took over in 1994 after the Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Pride Committee dissolved. The entertainment offerings continued to expand and, in 1995, a fireworks show was added for the first time.
The festival moved to Maier Festival Park in 1996.
More: When and where the Milwaukee area's summer festivals and fairs are happening in 2022
PrideFest faced financial troubles in the early 2000s
PrideFest experienced some financial hardships following the 2003 event. According to a Journal Sentinel article, the festival closed 2003 owing $150,000 to vendors and other investors. The board was ultimately dissolved and Cream City Foundation took over. The festival made changes in 2004 that helped it recover, including cutting back from three to two days (it later returned to a three-day schedule) and dropping the festival’s parade. (A separate organization later took over running the parade.) That helped PrideFest end with a profit.
PrideFest experienced tremendous success before COVID-19
The festival broke attendance records throughout the 2010s, peaking in 2019 at 45,787 over the three-day event. But the June festival has been shut down for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, organizers held a scaled back version of the festival last year in October.
Is PrideFest Milwaukee the biggest celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in Wisconsin?
Yes, it is Wisconsin's largest LGBTQ+ festival. It's also one of the largest, and longest-running, LGBTQ+ festivals in the country.
Is there a Pride parade in Milwaukee?
Yes. This year's parade begins at 2 p.m. June 5. The event is led by Milwaukee Pride Parade Inc., a nonprofit founded in 2004, unaffiliated with the festival. But the parade coincides with the festival.
The parade begins at South Second Street and West Greenfield Avenue and travels north on Second Street to West Oregon Street.
Who are the headlining acts playing at PrideFest in 2022?
Over the years, Pridefest has welcomed the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Leann Rimes, Indigo Girls, Betty Who and more to the stage. This year, The Original Weather Girl Martha Wash (9:45 p.m.) and Frenchie Davis (10:45 p.m.) both headline the Skyyline Main Stage June 4. There's also a drag show earlier in the evening on that stage.
On June 3, a Lady Gaga tribute takes the stage before a comedy skit closes the night.
When are the fireworks?
The fireworks show is from 9:15 to 9:45 p.m. Saturday, June 4.
What are ticket prices for PrideFest in Milwaukee?
You can buy a three-day pass for $50 or single-day admission tickets. Thursday tickets cost $15, while admission for Saturday and Sunday is $25.
What are the hours for PrideFest 2022 in Milwaukee?
4 p.m. to midnight June 2, 3 p.m. to midnight June 3, noon to midnight June 4.
Does PrideFest Milwaukee take place during Pride Month?
Yes. June is Pride Month, which came about following the Stonewall Riots in New York City. The riots sparked the modern-day LGBTQ rights movement in 1969.
Are there Pride festivals in Chicago and Madison? When are those?
Chicago's Pride celebration has a month of festivities in June, ending with the Chicago Pride Parade June 26. Chicago Pride Fest is June 18-19. The festivities continue with the Chicago Pride Parade June 26. There is also Pride in the Park in Chicago's Grant Park June 25-26.
The Magic Pride Festival in Madison takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at Warner Park. The event is organized by OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center and features a stage show, vendors and activities.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee PrideFest LGBTQ celebration on Summerfest grounds June 2-4
