PrideFest returns to Milwaukee this weekend. Here's what you need to know.
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 2023 and other facts about PrideFest in Milwaukee and elsewhere.
When is Milwaukee PrideFest 2023?
June 1-3.
Where is Milwaukee PrideFest 2023 held?
It is held at Maier Festival Park, the Summerfest grounds at 200 N. Harbor Drive.
Who are the headlining acts playing at PrideFest in 2023?
For 2023, the headliners at the SkyyLine Main Stage are Cazwell (8:30-9:45 p.m.)and Betty Who (10:15-11:30 p.m.) on Friday night, and Bright Light Bright Light (9:30-10:35 p.m.) and Peaches (10:45-11:45 p.m.) on Saturday night. There are other performances throughout the day including other musicians, drag shows, and more.
Over the years, Pridefest has welcomed the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Leann Rimes, Indigo Girls and more to the stage.
When are the fireworks?
The fireworks show is from 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 3.
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. Kids 12 and younger are admitted for free with adult supervision.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the festival box office during event operations.
What are the hours for PrideFest 2023 in Milwaukee?
PrideFest 2023 will run from 4 p.m. to midnight on Thursday June 1, from 3 p.m. to midnight on Friday, June 2, and from noon to midnight on Saturday, June 3.
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.
Does Milwaukee PrideFest 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.
Is there a Pride parade in Milwaukee?
Yes. This year's parade begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 4. The parade begins at South Second Street and West Greenfield Avenue and travels north on Second Street to Seeboth Street. A block party is held between 1st and 2nd streets on National Avenue during the parade.
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.
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:Summer guide to free outdoor music events for 2023
More:When and where the Milwaukee area's summer festivals and fairs are happening in 2023
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 in 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 return to profitability.
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 in October 2022.
What other Pride events are happening in Wisconsin?
Ride With Pride - Join other motorcyclist for a communal ride on Saturday, June 3. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and kickstands are up at 12:30 p.m. The ride starts at the Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Brewers Pride Night - The Milwaukee Brewers host their annual Pride Night event on Wednesday, June 7. Brewers-themed pride shirts will be given out to fans.
Chippewa Valley Pride in the Park - Eau Claire - Put on by the Chippewa Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center, celebrate Pride Month with with vendors, food trucks, drag show, live music and more family-friendly activities. The event takes place June 10.
Open Door Pride - Door County - Vendors, entertainment and more are expected for the 7th annual Pride festival in Sturgeon Bay. The event takes place June 24.
For more events in Wisconsin, check out Travel Wisconsin.
Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.