History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Events - Pride Celebrations

Milwaukee Pride Celebration Timeline

Jump to: 1980   1990   1995   2000   2005  

Year
(click on a year to see more detail on that year's PrideFest)
  Firsts, Stats   Button/
   Logo
  Guide
1973    Dates: June
   Activities: Parade followed by
   Firsts:
 
1974    Dates: June
   Activities: GPU Ball
   Attendance: 350
   Firsts:
 
1975    Dates: June
   Activities: Parade followed by
   Firsts:
 
1978    Dates: June
   Activities: Parade followed by
   Firsts:
 
1980    Dates: events June 21-29
   Activities: Parade followed by
     rally in MacArthur Square
     (Sat. June 28)
   Firsts: Film Festival;
     Visual Arts Show;
     Street Festival outside The Factory bar;
     Potluck picnic Mitchell Park


1981    Dates: June 27
   Activities: Parade followed by
     Rally in Juneau Park
     (Sat. June 27)
   Firsts:
 

1988    Dates: June
   Activities: Parade followed by
   Attendance: "several hundred people"
   Firsts:
 
1989    Dates:
   Activities: Parade, followed by
     Rally in Cathedral Square
   Attendance: about 1,000
   Firsts:Rally moved to Cathedral Square
   
1990    Dates: June 16-24
   Activities: Parade, followed by
     Rally in Cathedral Square
     (Sat. June 16)
   Firsts:


(actual size: 8.5"w x 11"h)
1991      Firsts: Rally in Juneau Park  

(actual size: 8.5"w x 11"h)
1992    Dates: Events May 31- June 21
   Activities: Parade, followed by Festival in Juneau Park
     (Sat. June 14)
   Attendance:
   Firsts:


(actual size: 8.5"w x 11"h)
1993      
1994    Dates: Events June 9-12
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June 12)
     2-day Festival in Veteran's Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: festival relocated to
     Veteran's Park (north of Art Museum);
     Harvey Milk Stage;
     Classic Car Show;
     Dance Tent;
     History Tent;
     Volleyball Invitational;
     new PrideFest Inc. incorporated
 

(actual size: 5.25"w x 8"h)
1995    Dates: Events June 10-11
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June 11)
     2-day Festival in Veteran's Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: Fireworks & laser light show;
     Fine Arts Festival;
     Lighted boat parade
 

(actual size: 6"w x 8.25"h)
1996    Dates: Events June
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     2-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 9,640
   Firsts: festival relocated to
     Henry W. Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds);
     dubbed "RainFest"

(actual size: 6.25"w x 10.5"h)
1997    Dates: Events June 6-8
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 12,278
   Firsts: ;


(actual size: 6.25"w x 10.5"h)
1998    Dates: Events August
   Activities: Parade (Sun. August)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 14,478
   Firsts: August Festival

1999    Dates: Events August
   Activities: Parade (Sun. August)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 13,455
   Firsts: ;

2000    Dates: Events June
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: ;


(actual size: 8"w x 10.25"h)
2001    Dates: Events June
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: ;


(actual size: 7.75"w x 10"h)
2002    Dates: Events June
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     3-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 18,604
   Firsts: ;


(actual size: 7.5"w x 10.25"h)
2003    Dates: Events June
   Activities: Parade (Sun. June)
     Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: Financial disaster; PrideFest close to declaring bankruptcy after the 2003 festival.


(actual size: )
2004    Dates: Events June
   Activities: no Parade
     2-day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: 15,807
   Firsts: Newly reconstituted PrideFest Board; Reduced to 2 days instead of 3; No Pride Parade for the first time in many years


(actual size: )
2005    Dates: Events June
   Activities: separate Parade
     2 day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts: Pride Parade organized by OutBound magazine;


(actual size: )
2006    Dates: Events June 9-11
   Activities: separate Parade
     3 day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: over 23,000
   Firsts: Return to 3-day festival; Parade again organized by OutBound magazine and the Milwaukee LGBT bars; Pride banners hung along Parade route.


(actual size: )
2007    Dates: Events June 8-10
   Activities: separate Parade
     3 day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance: over 28,000
   Firsts: PrideGuide printed by Quest magazine



(actual size: 8.5" wide x 11" high)
2008    Dates: Events June 6-8
   Activities: separate Parade
     3 day Festival at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
   Attendance:
   Firsts:


(actual size: 8.5" wide x 11" high)

Credits: design and arrangement by Don Schwamb,
with materials contributed by PrideFest and Ted Berg.
Last updated: June-2008.