Pride is an emotion you might feel when you are connected with yourself. And that’s the goal of the Chippewa Valley’s Pride celebration: to connect with yourself, and love the person you are.
Pride commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which served as a monumental catalyst in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. The event celebrates diverse identities, and it aims to bring awareness to progress that still needs to be made for the equity and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals in our country and around the world.
The theme for this year’s Pride is “Renew,” according to Charles Payseur of the Chippewa Valley LGBTQIA+ Community Center. It reflects “not only our hope that we can start to grow and thrive after the challenges of the last few years, but the celebrate the hard work and passion of so many who have nurtured our organization and given us the rich environment where we can reach for the sky,” according to the Chippewa Valley LGBTQIA+ Community Center, which organizes Pride.
This year’s Pride celebration (the biggest Pride event yet!) is slated for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 11 in Phoenix Park, presented by Mayo Clinic Health System. Check out the full events rundown below for Pride, as well as Pride events throughout the month of June.
See something missing? Email us at info@cveiwi.com.
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PRIDE EVENTS
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June 3, 2022
5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Pablo Center at the Confluence (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire)
We’re “Glowing with Pride” at our first-annual Pride Month celebration this June, featuring a full evening of festivities! All ages are welcome during our family-friendly programming including face painting, a vendor market, drag story time, an art-making station with ARTmobile, a family-friendly drag show, music, and more. The night will also feature an after-hours drag show and a glow dance party.
This event is co-hosted by the Pablo Center and UW-Eau Claire Gender & Sexuality Resource Center, Glowing with Pride strives to provide a safe and fun environment for the Chippewa Valley to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community.
● 5:30 p.m.: Prep with Pride begins in the Experience Center
● 6 p.m.: Vendors open & Drag Story Time
● 7p.m. Family-friendly Drag Show
● 8 p.m. DJ westkorea and Vendor Activities
● 9:30 p.m. After Hours Drag Show
● 11 p.m. Glow Dance Party
Learn more and buy your tickets at http://ow.ly/kCxw50J4BYz.
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Chippewa Valley Pride
Saturday, June 11
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phoenix Park, Eau Claire
Celebrate your identity at this year’s Pride celebration! There will be vendors and tables from local organizations including Transforming the Valley, Bolton Refuge House, and the Black and Brown Womyn Power Coalition, Inc. There will be food trucks and a DJ, and more.
The second CVLGBTQ+ Zine will also be released at this year’s Pride, which will comprise local art, poetry, and prose.
● 8:30–9:30 a.m.: Stretch it out with some yoga, courtesy of The Yoga Room.
○ No registration is required for this free event. Check it out in Phoenix Park.
● 11–11:20 a.m.: Kids Zumba/Dance Party
○ Get active, and burn some energy with this dance party just for kids!
● 11:25–11:55 a.m.: Kids’ Story Time
○ Jason Soules of Transforming the Valley will read from LGBTQ+ authors and LGBTQIA+-themed children’s books
● 12:05–12:50 p.m.: Live music with Jerrika Mighelle
○ Wisconsin singer/songwriter Jerrika Mighelle released her first solo album “Like the Sea” in January of 2017. This album has been described as a weighty and atmospheric gem, rife with raw emotions and existential longing. She has toured the midwest gaining attention for her haunting vocals and charming stage presence. Jerrika’s tunes have been featured on radio stations across the country including NPR’s Simply Folk. Her second album “Brightest Star”, released on February 24th, 2021, was written after the sudden passing of her beloved mother. This album is a culmination of the songs she wrote while trying to process this death, and also in an effort to reach her mother through the power of song.
● 1:05–1:50 p.m.: “Our Way,” performed by Transforming the Valley
● 2:00 p.m.: Announcements and Sponsorship Plaque Presentation
● 2:15–3:00 p.m.: Zumba with Z-Vida Fitness
○ Join Z-Vida Fitness to get energized and active in this guided activity
● 3:15–4:00 p.m.: Drag show
● 3:15-4:00pm: Drag Show
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Pride Bike: 1st Annual Pride Ride
Saturday, June 11
11 a.m to 12:30 p.m.
SHIFT Cyclery & Coffee Bar (615 Graham Ave., Eau Claire)
Celebrate Pride with a family-friendly bike parade through downtown. Decorate your bikes from 11 a.m. to noon at SHIFT, then slow-roll together down Barstow Street to Phoenix Park for Pride in the Park. Some bike decorating supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own.
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Education and Censorship: Presented by ACLU Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Chapter
Monday, June 6
7-8:30 p.m.
String Theory Studio (116 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls)
This moderated discussion and Q&A will focus on the importance of LGBTQIA+ representation in educational materials and the censorship that threatens it. Panelists include Sue Fondrie, Andrew Patrie, Jill Markgraf, and Shelly Collins-Fuerbringer.
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Queer Creativity: A Panel on LGBTQIA+ Expression and How to Get Involved in Local, National, and International Artistic Scenes and Communities
Thursday, June 9
7-8:30 p.m.
String Theory Studio (116 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls)
Queer expression and creativity has always existed, and always been dangerous. From visual to performing to literary arts, LGBTQ+ creators have pushed boundaries, opened doors, and made space for difficult and necessary conversations. They’ve also celebrated what it is to be queer, and to express their truths in ways that resonate around the world and through time. This panel will explore the ways that LGBTQ+ creatives work and make art, touching on how to find community, how to engage with the artistic establishments, and how to try and earn money pursuing art and creativity. Moderated discussion will run between 30 and 45 minutes with additional time to answer audience questions. Panelists include Sam LaRose, Jerrika Mighelle, and TeawhYB.
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LGBTQ+ Healthcare: A Panel on Navigating Health and Healthcare as an LGBTQ+ Person, Featuring LGBTQ+ Healthcare Professionals
Friday, June 10
7-8:30 p.m.
String Theory Studio (116 N. Bridge St., Chippewa Falls)
Health is a loaded term when it comes to LGBTQ+ people and topics, as historically and even today LGBTQ+ people are viewed as unhealthy by virtue of their identity alone. This panel will explore what it means to be healthy as an LGBTQ+ individual, and how LGBTQ+ people can better advocate for, and seek treatment for themselves in a field that is often complicated, predatory, and prejudiced. Moderated discussion will run between 30 and 45 minutes with additional time to answer audience questions. Panelists include Eros C. Dialogos, LMFT; Matthias Klein, MLT; and Marshall Carter.
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LGBTQIA+ Birding Event Sunday, June 12 Beaver Creek Reserve (S1 County Hwy K, Fall Creek)
Join a nature expert from Beaver Creek Reserve in a guided birding walk through a local park. The exact location is to be determined, but binoculars will be provided. This is an all ages event, free to all.
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Sunday, June 26
1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Wilson Park, Menomonie
Join fellow LGBTQIA+ folks at Wilson Park in Menomonie for the 2022 Menomonie Pride Picnic from 1-5 p.m. on June 26. Enjoy hot dogs and snacks—but most importantly, enjoy the community solidarity.
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