Campus, Community Celebrate Pride Month

In June 1969, the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan led by queer and trans people against police harassment was a catalyst for the Gay Rights Movement in the United States.

Today Pride Month has grown and evolved to become a time for celebration, education, visibility and liberation for the spectrum of people who make up the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout June, the campus and the Madison community have a series of events to celebrate the self-affirmation, dignity, equality and visibility of the diverse group of people who make up the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender-nonconforming, queer-plus community.

Below you can find campus and community events and resources to take part in Pride Month this June and beyond.

Campus:

June 23: Pride Picnic on the Hill. Join the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center for a Pride Month community gathering on Bascom Hill, the site of the 1990 ROTC protests. BYOBlanket. Lunch provided with your RSVP. Everyone welcome. More details coming later.

Community:

June 2–4: PrideFest Milwaukee. One of the largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ festivals in the country, PrideFest Milwaukee returns to Henry Maier Festival Park this June 2 to 4 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s festival will feature music, comedy, children’s programming, a history exhibit, plus new stages and food vendor buildings, an expanded health and wellness area, and more.
June 4: Trek Pride Ride x Forward Madison FC. Trek and Forward Madison FC are encouraging fans and cyclists around the Madison Area to grab their bikes and ride together to celebrate love, diversity and the powerful history of the LGBTQ+ community with the nationwide Trek Pride Ride on June 4 at Breese Stevens Field.
June 4: Chip-In Fore the Community Golf Outing. The Outreach LGBTQ Community Center will host a golfing fundraiser at Door Creek Golf Course to benefit Willma’s Fund, which helps prevent LGBTQ homelessness in Madison.
June 5: Milwaukee Pride Parade. The Milwaukee Pride Parade returns on June 5^th after a two-year hiatus. The 2022 theme, “Pride is…”, invites every attendee to fill in the blank with what pride means to them. The parade was founded in 2004 with the mission to provide a family-fun oriented celebration of LGBT Pride for the citizens of South East Wisconsin and Milwaukee.
June 11: Forward Madison FC Pride Night. Celebrate inclusivity in the Madison community on Saturday, June 11 during Pride Night at Breese Stevens Field and join the Flock as the Flamingos take on Greenville Triumph SC.
June 15: Madison Queer Meditation Group. The Madison LGBTQ+Meditation Group aspires to be a welcoming and inclusive space for all meditation practitioners and aspiring meditators who self-identify as LGBTQ+. Members of the group represent students from various Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions that come together bimonthly to create a refuge of mutual respect and understanding.
June 17: Madison Mallards Pride Night. Join the LGBTQ+ community, friends, family and community to celebrate Pride Night on June 17 at the Duck Pond baseball stadium in Warner Park as the Madison Mallards face the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
June 23: OPEN Annual Dinner. The Out Professional Engagement Network (OPEN) will host its 12^th annual dinner at the Monona Terrace from 5 – 9 p.m. The 2022 theme, “Redefine Professional — Come as You Are” is focused on embracing individuality and empowering people from all career paths.
June 24: Live on Queen Street: Drag & Dance Block Part. Madison’s free, outdoor concert series, Live on King Street, is throwing a drag and dance block party on Friday, June 24. Hosted by Bianca Lynn Breeze, “Live on Queen Street” will feature Joey Jay of RuPaul’s Drag Race and other performers from the Madison community.
June 24-26: CapitalQ Theatre Festival. A fresh, new spin on the perennial favorite, “Queer Shorts,” this festival will take over both stages at the Bartell Theatre. It will be a weekend filled with original short plays, staged readings of brand new works and one-act plays submitted from across the country.
June 30-July 3: National Women’s Music Festival. The National Women’s Music Festival is a four-day musical and cultural extravaganza that incorporates all facets of women’s lives. It’s a jam-packed long weekend where choices for things to do range from workshops, concerts, comedy, theatre presentations, a marketplace, newly released films and videos, a live auction, spirituality series, writer’s series and more.
June 30: Punk Pride Night. Celebrate Punk Pride Night at Crucible Madison on Thursday, June 30 featuring bands Falling Flat, Peach Vomit, Radio for Pets, and more.
August 21: Magic Pride Festival. OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center is hosting their 4^th annual Magic Pride Festival on Sunday, Aug. 21, at Warner Park. The festival will include a stage show with local LGBTQ+ performers, large vendor area, games and activities for youth and families, food and beverages, and more.

Campus resources:

Community resources