The Northwoods Pride festival is set for June 29 at Nicolet College in Rhinelander. Organizers says it's a day of festivities for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community and allies.
Northwoods Pride committee member Don Schindhelm says Nicolet College Rainbow Hodags is sponsoring the event...
"...This is the third annual Northwoods Pride festival, the purpose is to raise awareness about LGBTQ people living in northern Wisconsin and to promote acceptance in society. This year actually commemorates the 50th anniversary of what they called the Stonewall riots..."
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York. Schindhelm says June has become known as Pride Month around the world.
The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. He says there will be activities and games, live acoustic music, a DJ, a community resource fair, a silent auction and a drag show.
Food and beverage vendors will be Trig’s Smokehouse along with the Rhinelander Brewing Company.
He says area churches friendly to LGBTQ persons are also attending to show acceptance...
"...Allies are very important to us and when people who go to these festivals see so many people there, many of them being allies, there's a feeling of acceptance in the air. It's kind of overwhelming. It's very encouraging to them that they are part of the community and people accept them...."
Sponsors of the third annual Northwoods Pride Festival include Rhinelander Honda, Associated Bank, and Northwoods Gardener. For more information go to NicoletCollege.edu/northwoodspride
