Celebrating love and inclusion at the Duluth-Superior Pride Festival

Celebrating love and inclusion at the Duluth-Superior Pride Festival

Local news, sports, weather presented by the WDIO News Team

Throughout Labor Day weekend, Duluth-Superior Pride brought the party back into the Twin Ports. The event is celebrating its 38th year and connects multiple weekend events throughout the Twin Ports.

“Yes, June is pride month, Stonewall, all around the nation. Most communities celebrate during June. But us having it here on Labor Day weekend, Labor Day is beautiful in Duluth. It’s really nice for surrounding communities. People from all over the nation can come celebrate in the twin ports in Duluth and superior and experience this beautiful weather and have a second opportunity to kind of celebrate pride all over again,” said Becky Scherf, chairperson for Duluth-Superior Pride.

The event aims at bringing people together and creating a welcoming community for people of all kinds. Duluth Pride Festival hosted over 120 vendors and organizations, along with offering free music and entertainment for guests. A few notable names include local drag artists ThatQueerIsa and DixieDiamond.

ThatQueerIsa at Duluth-Superior Pride

“It’s also really important just for the youth in the community to see just how supportive and embracing Duluth and Superior are and that they’re coming up in the queer community that they see that their community is here to support them. You can look around and see how many people are here. We usually get about 5,000 people through Bayfront every year and it’s just great for them to see feel seen and heard and be able to celebrate with their communities,” said Scherf.

One of the vendors at Duluth-Superior pride has been attending the event since nearly the creation of their business. Two mothers, Shannon and Jenni, from St. Paul created ‘Standout Proud!’ eight years ago and continue to travel across the state attending different pride festivals each year.

“It’s always a really fun event. Great energy, great people, wonderful to be right by the lake all day other than the wind,” said Shannon Johnson, co-owner of ‘Standout Proud!

Their business and all the people who came to support at the festival waved their rainbow flags with pride.

“For me, as a queer woman, it’s just fun to be with people who you can be yourself around and have honest conversations and be in community with people without worrying about being judged,” said Johnson.

And no matter the person, Bayfront Festival Park was surrounded with love and joy during Duluth-Superior Pride weekend.

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More events are scheduled for Sunday, including:
9:30AM – Pride Worship Service; Leif Erickson Park, Superior
12:00PM – Pride Parade; Tower Avenue, Superior
2:00PM – Foo Foo Choo Choo & Preboarding Party; The Depot, Duluth
9PM – Annual Drag Show; The Main Club, Superior

For more information, go to DSPride (duluthsuperiorpride.com)