MUSKEGON, Mich. — More than 4,000 Michiganders joined the Muskegon Pride Parade & Festival last year. Organizers have been working for months to bring the best entertainment to attract more people to this year's celebration. The festival boasts live entertainment, food, and activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Jeffrey Pienela, president of Muskegon Pride, is excited to bring thousands of Michiganders to yet another pride parade and festival on Saturday, June 1.
“Since I've been doing it, we've seen the numbers grow,” Jeffrey Pienela said. "Last year, there were about 4,000 attendees and we hope to at least get that and maybe some more so we're excited.”
This year is the popular event’s second annual pride parade and third annual festival. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Muskegon along Western Avenue.
“I think we're going to continue to see the Muskegon Pride festival grow year after year, and we're really honored to be a part of that,” Rachel Cole said.
Organizers have been working to bring family fun for all to enjoy entertainment from local artists, vendors and food. Kaja Thornton, owner of Cajun Cuisine By Us says she looks forward to serving the community.
“I'm looking forward to the excitement, this is what it's about, having fun and just being your authentic self,” Kaja Thornton said. If everybody could just live authentically free, the world would be a better place.”
The festival and parade is for anyone to enjoy, including those who are not a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“It's not just people from the LGBT community and LGBT stuff that’s going to be happening there. It's going to be everybody and for everybody,” Pienela said.
Local businesses in the area like Unruly Brewing Company are preparing for large crowds. They’ll be hosting the after party this year and hope to not run out of food.
“It requires a lot of prep work, it requires all of our staff to be all hands on deck and we start preparing for it weeks in advance, just making sure that we have everything ordered and ready to go,” Cole said.
Mayor Ken Johnson will kick off the event, which goes until 9 p.m.
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