BY AJ TRAGER
DETROIT – Motor City Pride has been Michigan's largest pride festival for the last 25 years. This year, in anticipation of an affirmative ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of marriage equality, thousands of people will gather June 6-7 in Hart Plaza in celebration of love and identity, honoring the lives and experiences of the LGBT community and the strides in equality that have been made in the past decades.
With all the national attention on LGBT equality, this year's festival is an especially important opportunity to raise awareness about LGBT issues and provide a safe space for the LGBTA community to celebrate the successes they've had and to look forward to future solidarity.
The two day festival is expected to draw over 35,000 attendees who will spend the weekend enjoying a pride parade, family fun area, youth activities, senior activities, five stages of entertainment, delicious food from four food trucks and visit with over 100 national and regional non-profit, sponsor and sales booths. The family area, hosted by MCC Detroit, has been expanded and will provide a great, safe space for children to play.
This year the Pride and Pyramid stages will host headlining performances, the Festival Stage will host grassroots and spoken word performances and the Underground stage will showcase nightlife and sponsor a J-setting competition.
Admission is $5 per day with no charge for children 12 and under.
June 6
A wedding ceremony will begin promptly at 12 p.m. on the Pride Stage followed by back-to-back entertainment including Mouths of Babes, Lauren Fisher, Shangela and Darriene Lake before headliner Carmen Electra with Rich White Ladies takes the stage at 7 p.m.
The four other stages will provide entertainment throughout the day including a Miss Motor City Pride Pageant, a dance party, open mic and karaoke performances by the Coffee House Cabaret, Selina Style, Jason Michael, Evan Ficaj, Macho City and Dave Wheeler.
Beverage sales and entertainment end at 8 p.m. Participants are expected to exit Hart Plaza by 8:30 p.m.
June 7
The Pride Parade, sponsored by FCA US LLC and the FIAT Brand, will be bigger than ever and highlight many of the 323 couples that were legally married in the state on March 22, 2014 when the state's ban on same-sex marriage was temporarily lifted. The parade is scheduled to begin at noon outside the Chrysler House and will follow Griswold until it reaches the gates of the festival.
Out Loud Chorus will take to the Pride Stage beginning at 12:30 p.m. followed by a Drag Showcase with Miss Motor City Pride and performances by Killer Flamingos, Garek, Georgie Porgie and Betty Who at 6 p.m.
The Festival Stage will showcase an InterFaith Service beginning at noon followed by a performance by Jamie Wilson and two hours of spoken word performances. Local DJs will provide day-long entertainment on the Underground stage with Showcases from Stiletto's and Inferno on the Pyramid Stage beginning at noon.
Festivities end at 7 p.m.
Equality Michigan has worked closely with the Detroit Police Department to ensure that the safety and security of pride-goers is top priority for the weekend and additional security will be present in designated areas. Protest areas will be held in "free speech zones" so that they do not obstruct the entrance to Pride.
Motor City Pride is a product of Equality Michigan, the statewide organization committed to LGBT activism in the state legislature and raising awareness on LGBT issues. Sponsors for the 2015 MCP include FCA US and the FIAT Brand, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Delta Air Lines, MGM Grand Detroit, Fifth Third Bank, General Motors, UAW-Ford, Five-15, MCC Detroit, Comerica Bank, Whole Foods Market, Great Lakes Distributing, Menjo's, Necto, Zipcar, TD Auto Finance, Inferno, Uber, Pride Source Media Group, Metra Magazine, Flame Magazine and AMP Radio.
