Lansing Pride and Juneteenth to Attract Over 4,000 Attendees
Every year in June, big to small cities around the globe, are gearing up for their summer Pride celebrations like Lansing, Michigan, as well as another popular U.S. holiday – Juneteenth. Since it was made an official federal holiday in 2021, people are becoming more aware of the importance of what June 19 means to Black or African-Americans in the U.S.
Juneteenth is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, which was issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. It sparked a nationwide chain in which slavery was officially abolished throughout the country. Because this holiday falls in June, which is also Pride month, it is particularly important to Black LGBTQ people, who will undoubtedly celebrate both holidays.
Lansing, Michigan is one of the many cities in America that commemorates and or celebrates these two historical moments important to two marginalized communities. Lansing Pride, the community-based non-profit organization in its second year of supporting the area’s LGBTQIA+ community, will host the 2023 Lansing Pride Festival in Old Town Lansing on Saturday, June 17. Building on its over 3,000 attendees last year, this year will add more vendors and performances, and expectations are high for an even larger crowd to attend.
Like last year, the festival is free to all and will feature live music and performances, as well as food from local vendors. The festival will overlap with the 2023 Lansing Juneteenth Celebration, allowing attendees to recognize the history and connections of Black and LGTBQIA+ communities.
“We want everyone to come together and celebrate who we are as a community,” said Ben Dowd, President of Lansing Pride. “We work closely with the community and Lansing local businesses which results in a highly promoted and visible event,” Dowd went on to say. “This year’s event shares the weekend with the 517 Juneteenth Weekend, and we are proud to work with them to align these two celebrations.”
This year’s 517 Juneteenth Weekend will include four days of events, musical acts, and community outreach from June 15th – 18th. “The large intersection between the Pride community and the Black community will benefit the most from our sharing this weekend, and we are excited to be bringing together all humans under an umbrella of connection and celebration,” said Mikeyy Austin, Founder and Director at OURSpace, the group behind the 517 Juneteenth Weekend.
Lansing Pride is excited to welcome all of their new and returning vendors, sponsors, and supporters representing many parts of Lansing and the State of Michigan. “Vendors from last year are returning with a fervor that we are so excited to see, and spots are filling fast,” said Linda Sarnelli, Director at Lansing Pride.
The Lansing Pride organization is supported by volunteers from all over the state. Nearly 150 people helped bring 2022 to its success last year, and this year the organization has doubled its volunteer base.
Lansing Pride will definitely be an amazing celebration this year! And just in case you couldn’t attend last year, the Lansing Pride Board wants you to say only one thing: Remember to bring your umbrella!
Parties interested in joining this year can find more information at the Lansing Pride website: https://www.lansingpride.org. Those who would like to find out more about volunteering with Lansing Pride, visit us at https://www.lansingpride.org/volunteer.
To find out more about Lansing Juneteenth Celebration, visit www.lansingjuneteenthcelebration.org.
About Lansing Pride
As an organization, Lansing Pride aims to bring Lansing’s independent LGBTQIA+ spaces together and foster a sense of love and true belonging. Lansing Pride was formed in 2021 out of the desire to both create a cohesive Lansing Pride Festival and to build closer and more intentional relationships. With an initial goal of having the first Lansing Pride Festival in 2022, the community came together to make it an overwhelming success.
The 2023 Lansing Pride Board includes local leaders from across industries with diverse specializations and is building on last year’s successful inaugural festival, anticipating thousands of attendees this year and even more memories to last a lifetime.
About 517 Juneteenth Weekend
The 517 Juneteenth Weekend is a unique opportunity for the Mid-Michigan region to celebrate Black culture, expression, and experiences. Attracting thousands of participants to Lansing’s REO Town Corridor, the 517 Juneteenth Weekend recognizes the emancipation of African-American slaves in the United States of America.
Although Juneteenth has gained mainstream popularity in recent years, the celebration of culture, expression, and experience is nothing new in the 517. Ourspace (517) works as a bridge that connects Black arts and culture to the Lansing community at large, creates platforms to promote Black-led businesses and entrepreneurship, provides high-quality programming that is free and accessible, and much more.
