2021 Milwaukee PrideFest June dates canceled due to coronavirus

Milwaukee's Summerfest grounds will be a little less colorful this June. Organizers for Milwaukee PrideFest 2021 announced Tuesday morning they were canceling the four-day event, originally scheduled for June 3 - 6. This is the second year in a row the festival has been canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“After much consideration, we cannot move forward with planning a June 2021 festival without knowing how and when a vaccine will be distributed throughout our community equally” said Wes Shaver, Milwaukee Pride, Inc. President. “It is still unclear as to how (or if) public gatherings will happen in 2021 and we cannot risk the health and wellbeing of our community by putting the festival ahead of the people it serves.”

The Milwaukee Pride Board of Directors said they are working on possible alternate dates for later this year, “hoping there's a more clear path for hosting safe, public events.” The board is also exploring the possibility of different formats and locations if the Henry W. Maier Festival Park is unavailable.

“We don't want people to think there will be no PRIDE this year,” said Luke Olson, PrideFest Festival Producer and VP of Milwaukee Pride, Inc. “We simply want to ensure we're taking the right steps forward.”

PrideFest has been a tradition in Milwaukee's LGBTQ community since 1987 and draws nearly 45,000 people each year to the fairgrounds.

Milwaukee PrideFest becomes the first pride festival to cancel in 2021. Last year, a majority of pride-related festivities and parades were postponed or canceled worldwide.

There have been no official announcements concerning Chicago's 2021 pride celebrations, including the annual Pride Parade currently slated for Sunday, June 27.

2019 Milwaukee PrideFest Photos: Friday, June 7, 2019 | Saturday, June 8, 2019 | Sunday, June 9, 2019