Celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and who you are at Magic City Equality’s fifth annual Minot Pride Festival. The festival will unofficially start this weekend with a special Pre-Pride Brunch on Sunday with the official kick-off set for June 27.

A yearly celebration, Minot Pride Festival is returning for another year, promising to be bigger and better. This year’s celebration also coincides with a special event in the LGBTQ+ community that will play a role in the celebrations.

“This year will coincide with the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which helped to fuel the fight for rights in the LGBTQ+ community,” Magic City Equality’s president James Falcon said. “It will really fuel the event as we work to honor those who have fought and to remind people that the fight is still going on.”

The celebrations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. with a Pre-Pride Brunch at Broadway Bean and Bagel. Members of Magic City Equality will be there to answer questions about the non-profit and Minot Pride Festival and to give out information about everything taking place.

“Broadway Bean and Bagel has been very good to use over the years, as either a sponsor or giving us a place for events like this,” said Falcon.

The official kick-off will take place on June 27 at 6 p.m. at Arny’s 2.0. Admission for those wanting to take part in the Pride event will be $5 for a wristband, allowing attendees to take part in drink specials. If weather permits, the party will stretch outside.

June 28 will have Magic City Misfits performing their shadow cast of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Mouse River Players theater.

The performance will also be the fifth anniversary of the Magic City Misfits performing the show.

Falcon, who is also a part of Magic City Misfits, said, “We’ll be coming back around full circle because we performed for the first time at Minot Pride Festival.”

Parental discretion is advised since not everything in the show will be appropriate for all ages. A cash bar will be available for guests over the age of 21 to purchase alcohol.

Admission will be $15.

Pride in the Park will take place at Roosevelt Park on June 29. Starting at 10 a.m., it will feature 60 different booths, offering food trucks, vendors and more. Live music will be played throughout the event and kid’s activities will be available.

North Dakota Representative Ruth Buffalo, the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota Legislature and recent recipient of the Woman of the Year honor by North Dakota Women’s Network, will be giving a keynote presentation.

“We’re looking forward to having a fantastic event,” Falcon said. “We’re hoping people will come out, have fun and learn something new.”

Pride at the Park will run until 3 p.m. Then taking over the festivities will be the Over the Rainbow Drag Show at the Minot Municipal Auditorium’s Armory starting at 7 p.m. Entrance to the Armory will be on the North side of the building by the large garage door.

The show will feature 11 performers with many being from the Minot and surrounding areas. Entrance will cost $15 and a cash bar will be available for those 21 and over.

Alongside the fun, Rural AIDS Action Network will be on-site to provide free rapid results HIV testing. Quick and easy, Falcon says results are fast and usually done within 20 minutes.

Rounding out the activities planned for the Minot Pride Festival will Drag Brunch and Bingo on June 30 starting at 1 p.m. at Arny’s 2.0 Lounge and Bottle Shop. People are invited to come out, have fun and play bingo.

Magic City Equality expects the event to be fun, relaxing and a respectful time for everyone, inviting everyone to come out for the fun.

More information on the Minot Pride Festival and on Magic City Equality can be found at Magic City Equality’s Facebook page and magiccityequality.com.