About

About East Central Minnesota Pride
In 2005, the East Central Men’s Circle marked its fifth anniversary by doing something new. The group invited the wider LGBTQ+ community to join them for a public picnic and celebration in Pine City. What began as a small gathering that June became East Central Minnesota Pride, one of the earliest rural Pride celebrations in the United States.

From those beginnings, Pride grew into an annual tradition drawing LGBTQ+ people, families, friends, and allies from communities throughout East Central Minnesota and beyond. Each June, people come together in Pine City for a celebration rooted in visibility, connection, and belonging.

Over the years, Pride’s presence has extended beyond the annual celebration. East Central Minnesota Pride has helped build connections across a five-county region, supported LGBTQ+ visibility in rural communities, and demonstrated that Pride can take root and thrive far beyond major metropolitan areas.

Today, rural Pride celebrations can be found in small communities throughout Minnesota and across the country. East Central Minnesota Pride is proud to have been among the pioneers, beginning with a simple idea in Pine City in 2005: bring people together and let them know they belong.

For more of the story, watch Small Town Pride by Twin Cities Public Television here.