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Elle Halo
Join us Friday at Opening Ceremonies for just $1!
Milwaukee Pride kicks off the 32nd Annual PrideFest Milwaukee with opening ceremonies at the Dance Pavilion on Friday, June 7 at 2:30 p.m.
To increase community access to PrideFest Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Pride Board of Directors is offering free admission with a $1 donation per person to the PrideFest Plus One Campaign. This year’s campaign supports the UWM LGBT Resource Center, in honor of the future generations of local LGBTQ leadership. This limited time offer will only be valid on Friday, June 7 and only between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
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Nat Werth
“In this landmark year for the LGBTQ community, we want everyone to join us for our Opening Ceremonies,” said Michail Takach, vice president of communications. “We hope to remove economic barriers to PrideFest in ways that are meaningful for the community and responsible for the festival.”
The festival donated over 1,000 tickets to Wisconsin gay-straight alliances this year to ensure LGBTQ students could participate in pride.
In addition, PrideFest is offering a Proud Pioneers discount for guests aged 65 and older ($5 before 5 p.m. daily) this year. For several years, the festival has offered an Armed Forces Pride special (free weekend admission to active or veteran military plus guest with proof of service.)
Presenting the 2019 Pride Awards
This year’s nominees include:
- Individual: Elle Halo, award-winning community health champion, activist, navigator, writer and performer, whose relentless fight for local transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people invokes the revolutionary spirit of Stonewall itself;
- Ally: Karen Dettmer of the City of Milwaukee, who advocated for the Rainbow Crosswalks Initiative and overcame bureaucractic red tape and roadblocks to ultimately implement the city’s first permanent, visible monument for LGBTQ people;
- Organization: Bi+ Pride Milwaukee, for restoring the long-silent “B” to the local LGBTQ community through online awareness campaigns, outreach events and social outings that support bisexual identity;
- Valor: Nat Werth of Sheboygan, whose high school silenced his valedictorian graduation speech for containing LGBTQ content;
- Legacy: Mark Mariucci, 25-year publisher of QUEST magazine and former owner of ZA’s Videobar in Green Bay, for his lifetime commitment to the Wisconsin LGBTQ community.
Please join us in celebrating these community heroes and launching an exciting weekend of friends, family and fun at PrideFest Milwaukee 2019!
About the Pride Awards
The Pride Award is presented by consent of the board of directors in recognition of individuals, organizations, and corporations for significant achievement towards the advance of the LGBTQ struggle for equality. It may be awarded to individuals for philanthropy, outstanding leadership and volunteerism; to organizations, for their contributions to the betterment of LGBTQ life; and to allies, for their long-term political, financial or social support of the LGBTQ community.
In 2017, the Pride Awards were expanded to include the Valor Award, recognizing LGBTQ youth leaders who have overcome great challenges to be their best, true and most authentic selves; and the Legacy Award, which honors a long-time LGBTQ leader whose priceless contributions to our community cannot be overstated.
The Pride Awards are produced by C3 Designs, the official jeweler of PrideFest Milwaukee. Executed in sterling silver and enamel, the medal depicts three symbolic elements: the pink triangle supported by hands and six pillars. Each pillar has an enamel center representing the LGBT rainbow colors.
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Karen Dettmer
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Amy Luettgen of Bi+ Pride Milwaukee
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Mark Mariucci