PridetoberFest

press release: Milwaukee Pride Inc. - the parent organization of PrideFest, Wisconsin’s largest LGBTQ+ event - announced today that it is officially hosting an event, “PridetoberFest,” at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park on Friday, October 8^, and Saturday, October 9, 2021. Friday’s hours are 3 p.m. to midnight and Saturday’s hours are noon to midnight. PrideFest, originally scheduled for its traditional early June dates, had to be canceled for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We just couldn’t wait until 2022 to see our LGBTQ+ family and allies again.” said Luke Olson, PrideFest Producer and Milwaukee Pride Vice President. “October is LGBTQ+ history month along with National Coming Out Day.  What better moment to gather and reflect on the long journey that got us to this point - and of course, to celebrate!”

PridetoberFest will be a scaled back version of the June festival; utilizing a smaller footprint on the Henry W. Maier Festival Park compared to the last PrideFest in 2019. This two-day event will activate multiple stages that engage a diverse lineup of entertainment with a particular focus on local acts, performers, and shows. In addition, the festival will welcome popular local food trucks for guests to enjoy.

“For the last two festival planning seasons, our planning processes were guided by science, direction from local government, the health department, and of course the needs of our community,” said Wes Shaver, Milwaukee Pride President. “Now these same sources have offered new guidelines and pathways to come out of the pandemic and it’s time to listen and act accordingly. We are excited to bridge the gap between recent summers and what we expect will be a fully open and back to normal 2022. It’s time to bring businesses and communities back to life!” he added. 

Milwaukee Pride is working swiftly; tickets, entertainment lineups, and additional event details will be available in late July or early August. For the most up to date information, follow Milwaukee Pride on Facebook and visit our website at pridefest.com.