June is Pride Month, but Washtenaw County celebrates pride all summer with amazing events, local parades and an endless stream of rainbow flags. Washtenaw County, and Ann Arbor in particular has a rich queer history that includes anti-discrimination acts, the first openly gay person to take political office in the United States, and the longest-running Michigan pride night.
Celebrating pride isn’t just a party. It’s an acknowledgment of love, of coming out, of having to fight to be who you are. I’m a proud member of this community, and we must continue to make safe places for queer people, and in particular queer and transgender youth.
There are a myriad of small pride events throughout the summer that include Drag Brunches, Queeraoke, Yoga for Pride and Queers with Beers. This is a great way to connect with other members of the queer community and show your support for local queer-run businesses.
Local Pride events
Ypsi Pride is even bigger this year. While usually on a Friday, this event has been pushed to Saturday so pride can be celebrated for a longer period of time. This takes place in Ypsilanti on July 18.
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Chelsea and Milan has Pride events earlier in June.
The largest pride event in Washtenaw County, is of course, Ann Arbor Pride, which takes place on August 1 on Main Street in Ann Arbor. It’s a weekend festival that goes all the way back to 1995. It has many local vendors, performances, and endless activities. You can use the map to prioritize how you want to celebrate.
Also, there are PRIDE Fridays at Necto Pride. According to their site. Each Friday is themed and usually includes a special event or guest artist.
Have a safe PRIDE! You’re perfect as you are, and deserve to be celebrated.
