18 pics of East Central Minnesota's Pride celebration that show why rural Pride is so important
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Pride is alive in rural America!
Pine City's East Central Minnesota Pride is the very first rural Pride celebration in the country, and this year marked its 20th anniversary of breaking down barriers and building community in the rural Midwest.
What started as a small Pride picnic back in 2005, ballooned into an annual tradition that has become a fixture of Minnesota's summer calendar and proves every year that queer folks belong in the farm country.
This year's event was hosted in Robinson Park and featured live music, food trucks, LGBTQ+ resources, and a drag queen story hour. Drag queen and Broadway Baby of the Twin Cities Martina Marraccino hosted the event, which featured performances by singer-songwriter Barb Ryman, funk musician Salty Dog, hometown folk duo The Harlow Pennies, jam band The Big Wu, and the Oshikii Giishik singers.
Pine City may only be a town of 10,000 people, but LGBTQ+ people and their allies come from all around the state to celebrate Pride Month together. It's just further proof that when we come together to celebrate and fight back, we can make our voices heard.
Keep scrolling to see how rural Minnesota celebrates Pride Month!
All photos are courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
How many of these Pride facts did you know?
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Pride is for EVERYONE! These vintage photos of Pride prove that it is, was, and will forever be about diversity!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
If you want to celebrate Pride Month, but you're not sure where to start, check out our Pride 2025 calendar and our lists of every Black Pride event, Dyke March and Trans Pride celebration in the country.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Don't forget the first Pride was a riot. Know your Stone Wall Uprising history!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Is this your first Pride? Here's 5 essential tips you need to know!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Want to celebrate Pride with the whole family? Here's how!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Pride is a blast — but it can also be awkward! These moments are sadly, too relatable.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Looking to get kinky at Pride? Here's how to find your kink scene.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Pride Month is a time to let your Pride and kink flags fly. Here's how to do it safely.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Looking to find a little love at Pride? Here's how to get your flirt on!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
There are a lot of flags flying at Pride. Here's what they all mean!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Want to get busy at Pride? Here's how to play safely.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
How many of these Pride facts did you know?
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Pride is for EVERYONE! These vintage photos of Pride prove that it is, was, and will forever be about diversity!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
If you want to celebrate Pride Month, but you're not sure where to start, check out our Pride 2025 calendar and our lists of every Black Pride event, Dyke March and Trans Pride celebration in the country.
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Don't forget the first Pride was a riot. Know your Stone Wall Uprising history!
Courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride
East Central Minnesota LGBTQ+ Pride, Pine City, June 2025
Is this your first Pride? Here's 5 essential tips you need to know!
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Always loved Sinatra's music. It's done a lot for me. I stand on the shoulders of what the styles he invented. Krista Bo 00:11:27 And using a golden mic he said was once used by the iconic singer himself, John sang his 1964 hit, "The Best Is Yet To Come," from the record label Reprise. Krista Bo 00:11:44 Fun fact, "The Best Is Yet To Come," was the last song Sinatra sang in public before he died in 1998, and the phrase was originally inscribed on his tombstone. In the city where he got his start, Sinatra's songs still inspire fans of all ages, doing it their way on a summer night in Hoboken. Krista Bo 00:12:24 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. Krista Bo 00:12:28 FIve Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director, and Steve Lichteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. Krista Bo 00:12:45 We get support from Joey Salvia, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. And special thanks to Wendy Brundige. And thank you, as always, for listening. If you liked the show, please consider giving us a good rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or sharing it with a family member or a friend. That's the best way we can spread the good vibes. Take care, till next time.
