Brainerd Lakes Pride

The best part about Pride is that it isn’t subjected to a single weekend or month per year. One of the communities celebrating Pride in September is Brainerd Lakes. The Brainerd Lakes Pride Organization focuses on three important keywords through their non-profit: acceptance, awareness, and advocacy. This year’s activities kick off on Friday, September 8, and run through Sunday, September 10.

Every year, the team strives to elevate community presence and strengthen the LGBTQ community through activities, involvement, and outreach. Each day, the pride extravaganza offers wondrous activities for all ages. Put on your disco shoes and hit the dance floor because participants will boogie during the free dance party on the first day of the festival. On Saturday, picnics and family activities occur from 10 am to 4 pm. On the final day of the festival, the highly anticipated drag brunch will delight and dazzle attendees during the midday meal.

Ariel Erickson is the president and co-founder of Brainerd Lakes Pride and works with Executive Director and co-founder Adam Sparrow to bring the three-day celebration to Brainerd Lakes. The Brainerd Lakes Pride Organization needs a few volunteers for this year’s Pride in the Park event. The flyer asks queer people living in rural Minnesota to share kid-friendly stories on September 16 during the Pride in the Park event. Reports may be sung, written, spoken word, or signed. 

In between pride festivities, take a day trip to Gull Lake and reflect on the day, or relax your mind during a hike on Paul Bunyan State Trail.