Twenty-five years ago, in 1996, President Bill Clinton sent an official letter on White House stationery to Milwaukee’s PrideFest. Opening with “Warm greetings to all participants of Milwaukee Pride,” Clinton went on to define his strategy for inclusion and equality for the LGBTQ community (then simply known as “gays and lesbians”). He cited his own dedication to ending discrimination and protecting civil rights for all Americans. He listed several successes his administration had achieved for the benefit of the LGBTQ community. Those included appointments of gays and lesbians to positions in his administration, increasing AIDS funding, and broader access to Federal public health resources for lesbians.
Clinton’s letter concludes “While there is still frustration and misunderstanding about issues affecting the lives of gays and lesbians, all of us must continue to working to heighten public awareness and inclusiveness. I firmly believe that by working together, we can make our national community a better place for all Americans.”
It was also in 1996 that PrideFest moved to Henry Maier Festival Park as the newest member of Milwaukee World Festivals, Inc (MWF). Founded in 1965, MWF is the non-profit entity created to produce Summerfest as well as the various other lakefront ethnic festivals and cultural events. PrideFest’s membership fulfilled the MWF mission to promote harmony in the community but it was opposed by certain MWF members.
PrideFest’s Expansion
PrideFest, however, persevered and with the move to Henry Maier Park not only elevated its standing and legitimacy of the event itself but also of the entirety of the city’s LGBTQ population. The move ended the near two decades of PrideFest’s nomadic trek from public park to public park as it continued to expand and outgrow previous sites. Today, a quarter of a century since that historic move, PrideFest remained the traditional opening event of Milwaukee’s lakefront festival season. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic.
With plans well underway for PrideFest 2020 (the organization of next year’s festival begins on the day following the last one), inklings of the impending pandemic began to appear in February. By March it was clear: a new virus was sweeping the country. In response, Governor Tony Evers declared a public health emergency on March 12 and two weeks later a “Safer at Home” order, advising citizens to not leave their homes unless necessary.
With the outlook dire, even before Ever’s order, Milwaukee Pride had already postponed PrideFest, scheduled to open on the first weekend of June. Then, in early May, with the pandemic raging, Milwaukee Pride leadership conceded to reality and cancelled the event. The other MWF festivals would soon follow suit.
Hoping for the Best
Milwaukee Pride did organize an online celebration and some muted in person activities. For that they received some harsh (and under the circumstances unfair) criticism. Amidst the uncertainties and fear of the pandemic, however, there was little else they could do.
In January 2021, even with hopes rising for an end to the pandemic with the introduction of the vaccine, prospects for a return to normalcy remained grim. The COVID-19 death toll for January had spiked to nearly 30% above that of December. In the realization that a traditional June PrideFest would be unlikely, Milwaukee Pride again cancelled the event. Other ethnic festivals also cancelled or postponed their dates. Those scheduled for later in the summer, when the population would, it was expected, largely be vaccinated, hoped for the best.
Milwaukee Pride would, however, organize a number of Pride celebrations to mark the month of June. These included the lighting of the Hoan Bridge in rainbow colors, the first Milwaukee County Transit System bus and the city’s HOP streetcar in rainbow array (replete with a launch ceremony with city and county leaders in attendance) as well as an art installation and other actions.
Despite the very public and historic nature of these Pride activities, detractors again attacked Milwaukee Pride for its premature cancellation of PrideFest. Unbeknownst to them, with the seeming recession of COVID-19 infection numbers, plans were underway to celebrate Pride in October, significantly both LGBTQ Coming Out and LGBTQ History Months. Of course, the event has been properly christened “PridetoberFest.”
‘Shine a Big Light’
Asked about the upcoming celebration, Milwaukee Pride, Inc President Wes Shaver said “This event is much more than just a party. After two Junes without PrideFest, we can now finally get the majority of our community gears moving and working again. I’m thrilled to bring this event to shine a big light on Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ people. It fully encapsulates the diversity, talent, resilience, hard work and the best of our community. It’s all under one sky this weekend at PridetoberFest—come be a part of our history.”
Having been a member of PrideFest’s (and later Milwaukee Pride, Inc’s) board of directors for a decade beginning in 2006, I can attest to the dedication and commitment of all those who make PrideFest happen. I recall the famous 2008 monsoon-like rain that flooded the PrideFest grounds. The show went on but the organization’s finances were washed out in the process. Still, in 2009, two board members loaned funds to PrideFest, Inc to allow it to open that year’s festival. From the board members themselves to the production crew and to the hundreds of support staff, they achieve something few cities can emulate. It must also be noted that they are all volunteers, to quote Clinton, “working together to make our community a better place.”
Recognized for its diversity and inclusion, our annual celebration of Pride truly is Milwaukee’s LGBTQ continuing and historic success story. This year, while it may be brisk at the lakefront, I’m sure the heat generated in the dance pavilion will make it a perfectly cozy PridetoberFest.
