Pride Month returns to Twin Cities with flying colors after pandemic restrictions
![(KSTP)](https://kstp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/OTS-PRIDE-TWIN-CITIES-PRIDE.jpg)
(KSTP)
After two years of modified events, Pride Month is back in full swing in the Twin Cities.
The 50th annual Twin Cities Pride festival will feature local BIPOC and LGBTQ+ vendors, according to its website.
The Loring Park festival will take place June 25-26.
OutFront Minnesota will sponsor a series of pop-up events throughout the month.
Highlights are a 21+ queer prom and an alcohol-free event.
Many other events seem just as unique as the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
For those who are LGBTQ+ and 50+, Rainbow Health is throwing an Elder Pride Brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 25.
The elders event is free to attend, and East Side Neighborhood Services can provide assisted transportation to and from select neighborhoods.
For animal lovers, the Puppies & Pumps event in Stillwater will feature adoptable puppies from For Furever Rescue alongside a drag show.
The Celtic Junction Arts Center in St. Paul is bringing Latino drag performers for a party that begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 17.
Partying continues on June 25 for a 12-hour-long Crawl With US bar crawl beginning at noon. A portion of proceeds will go to the Trevor Project, which provides crisis services to LGBTQ+ youth.
Although Pride is widely held as a celebration, the month of June is also a time to learn about LGBTQ+ history and current issues.
While queer individuals have existed across civilizations and time, the most notable American Pride moment was the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, which is a turning point beginning to be credited to Black transgender women like activist Marsha P. Johnson.
A timeline of LGBTQ+ history in America can be found here.
A recent flood of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, examples below, has put many community members and activists on edge.
Follow 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS throughout the month for coverage of Pride Month news.
Scroll to see Pride Month messages from around the Twin Cities.