East Central Minnesota Pride 2014

East Central Minnesota Pride – Pine City, MN

The Tenth Annual East Central Minnesota Pride will be held Sunday, June 1, 2014 at Voyageur Park in Pine City.  That’s less than a month away.  Come join in the fun at this decade celebration!

East Central Minnesota Pride 2014

East Central Minnesota Pride is the yearly celebration of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) residents of East Central Minnesota. It is just one of two prides held in a rural community in the U.S. The celebration is held during the first weekend of June at Voyageur Park in Pine City, Minn.

The history of East Central Minnesota Pride is as follows:

2005

• The first Pride was held commemorating the Men’s Circle‘s fifth anniversary.
• It was said to be the first pride in Minnesota not held in a metropolitan area, one of just two in the U.S.  (Since then, Willmar, Brainerd and other rural Minnesota communities have held prides).

2006

• Pride endured despite a protest “Pro-Family” picnic across town.
• National media outlets picked-up on this rare, rural pride event.

2009

• Pride theme was “We are Family.”

2010

• Mark Dayton, now Gov. Dayton, attended Pride.
• Pride theme was “A Rainbow Odyssey: an epic drama of inclusion and celebration”.

2011

• “Minnesota’s Small-Town Gay Pride”, East Central Minnesota Pride, was awarded the Community Pride Showcase at the Minnesota State Fair.

2012

• Pride theme was “A Rainbow Rendezvous”.

2013

• Same-sex marriage became legal in Minnesota.
• Former Minnesota Viking Esera Tuaolo took the Pride stage.
• Pride theme was “Equality Matters”.

2014

• Pride in East Central Minnesota celebrates 10 years.
• Pride theme:  “A Decade of Change.”

The post East Central Minnesota Pride 2014 appeared first on Seasons of Pride.