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Written by admin
Jul 14, 2010
The (July 1) issue of Wisconsin Gazette had some thoughtful articles on the Pride celebrations in Milwaukee in June. I have my own thoughts to add regarding the Pride Parade.
I believe the time has come to address the issue of the timing of the Pride Parade. After 2003, Milwaukee’s Pride Parade was eliminated by the PrideFest committee, which was experiencing serious financial difficulties. The Pride Parade was resurrected in 2005, organized and funded by the bars. (Much of the history of MIlwaukee’s pride celebrations can be found at the Milwaukee LGBT History Project Web site at http://www.mkelgbthist.org/organiz/act_pol/pride/pridefest-timeline.htm.)
I applaud the way the LGBT print media, the bars and some other businesses and organizations came together to restore the parade, one of the most politically visible aspects of Pride displays in the city. However, I take issue with the timing of the parade – that is, the same weekend as PrideFest.
There has been a noticeable and serious decline in PrideFest attendance on Sunday since the parade was restored by the bars. People don’t attend PrideFest early on Sunday, instead going to the various bars to watch the parade. Many of the bars organize their own street parties, with seating, special events, etc. That’s all great – but it is taking people away from PrideFest.
I was disappointed to have to miss the parade because I was working at PrideFest. And I was not alone – it takes hundreds to run and staff the festival.
The best thing the Parade Committee can do is move the event to another weekend. The weekend before PrideFest would be perfect to kick start a week of lead-up events. This would mean more people at the parade, and the bars would have much greater attendance, They could extend the celebration into the evening, because people wouldn’t consider going to PrideFest after the parade. And more people would go to PrideFest earlier in the day on Sunday.
Let’s support each other. The two events need to be on different weekends, so people can enjoy both to their full extent.
Don Schwamb
