Volunteer Opportunities Now Available for Motor City Pride 2018

Beverage servers, gate monitors and set-up/tear-down crew members are just a few of the volunteer opportunities now being sought for Motor City Pride 2018, running June 9 through 10 at the downtown Detroit Hart Plaza.
Pride organizers opened up volunteer registration to the public this week as they enter the final weeks of preparation. Help is needed on both days of the festival, Saturday and Sunday, as well as the days bookending the festivities on Friday and Monday.
Dave Wait, event chair, said close to 260 volunteers have been utilized throughout the weekend in years past. According to the 2018 volunteer registration form, organizers this year are ideally looking to fill more than 350 shifts.
Volunteers are needed as early as 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday to help set up the festival, Wait said.
“They make sure the tables are in the proper spaces, banners are up and just making sure trash bins, bags and all the little odds and ends are taken care of so the grounds look good and ready to enter,” he said.
Moving into the afternoon, volunteers are also used to help serve beverages, monitor the welcome gates, work the information desk, man the volunteer check-in desk, assist entertainment on stage and supervise the family area. Additionally, volunteers will be needed on Sunday to direct the parade and the parade marshals.
“We haven’t gotten to the point where we’ve had too much volunteer help,” Wait said. “We are always looking for more people to help on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.”
Volunteers help is most appreciated at the welcome gate and beverages center, Wait said, which each need close to 90 shifts filled total between Saturday and Sunday. As of this published story, both positions still have dozens of openings.
There are some added perks to volunteering at festival, Wait noted.
“Those that sign up get free admission to the festival, a T-shirt, as well as vouchers for food and parking,” he said. “We recognize them and thank them for helping at the festival.”
Volunteer opportunities are open to all interested regardless of experience. Organizers encourage individuals to only select times and areas that they are absolutely available to assist, as slots are limited.

To register as a volunteer go to motorcitypride.org.

For a brief look at the available volunteer opportunities, look below:

Friday, June 8:

• Friday Set-Up (6 – 9 p.m.)

Saturday, June 9:

• Saturday Supervisor (8:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.)
• Saturday Set-Up (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• Stage Hand (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. & 4 – 8 p.m.)
• Family Area (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
• Festival Information Booth (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. & 4 – 8 p.m.)
• Beverage Staff (11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. & 4 – 8 p.m.)
• Welcome Gates (12:30 – 4:30 p.m. & 4 – 8 p.m.)
• Volunteer Check-in (4 – 8 p.m.)
• Saturday Close (6 – 9 p.m.)

Sunday, June 10:

• Festival Director (8:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.)
• Sunday Set-Up (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
• Volunteer Check-in (9 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
• Parade Assistance (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• Welcome Gates (11 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
• Stage Hand (11 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
• Family Area (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
• Festival Information Booth (11 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
• Beverage Staff (11 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.)
• Sunday Close (6 – 9 p.m.)

Monday, June 11:

• Festival Director (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.)