PrideFest is back for its 35th go-around this week, jumpstarting a couple big things here in Milwaukee (festival season) and nationwide (Pride Month).
Starting this Thursday and running through Saturday, the annual event will fill Henry Maier Festival Park with an incredible range of performances — from music to aerial displays — plus food and drink, learning sessions and even a volleyball tournament just north of the festival grounds. Tickets for PrideFest are $15 for Thursday, $25 each for Friday and Saturday, or $50 for a three-day pass. You can buy those in advance on the festival's website or at the gate.
Here's this year's full lineup and other daily information:
Thursday, June 1
- Grounds open from 4 p.m. to midnight
- Throwback Thursday Happy Hour (1996 festival pricing for MolsonCoors products)
- Food drive to benefit VIVENT Health's food pantry
Dance Pavilion
Hosts: Shannon Dupree, Melee the Queen, Dora Diamond
- 4-5 p.m. — DJ Sammy T
- 5-6 p.m. — DJ Avalon
- 6-6:30 p.m. — Special Performance by Shannon Dupree
- 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Felix Ramsey
- 7:30-8:30 p.m. — Cass Marie Trans Drag Show
- 8:30-9 p.m. — LADY SABO
- 9-10 p.m. — PHOX
- 10-10:30 p.m. — Special Performance by Melee the Queen & Dora Diamond
- 10:30-midnight — DJ DRiPSweat
The Intersection
- 5-5:30 p.m. — Araelee Berberbaby
- 6-7 p.m. — Kawaii's Toy Box
- 7:15-7:45 p.m. — Cleopatra Hoze
- 8:15-9:15 p.m. — Trans/Enby Excellence Extravaganza!
- 9:45-10 p.m. — Simba da SBK
- 10:30-11:30 p.m. — i.V KiNG
Stonewall Stage
- 5-5:50 p.m. — Parenting Queer Children: Ask the Experts
- 6-8 p.m. — Grim Paddle takes Pridefest!
Friday, June 2
- Grounds open from 3 p.m. to midnight
- Flashback Friday Happy Hour (1996 festival pricing for MolsonCoors products)
Skyyline Main Stage
- 4-5 p.m. — MKE Royal Drag King Show
- 5:30-6:30 p.m. — Totally Neon
- 7-8 p.m. — Coven
- 8:30-9:45 p.m. — Cazwell
- 10:15-11:30 p.m. — Betty Who
Dance Pavilion
Hosts: Melee the Queen, Stacy Layne Matthews, Malaiya Marvel
- 4-5 p.m. — Opening Ceremonies
- 5-6 p.m. — Sean Parks
- 6-6:30 p.m. — LUXI
- 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Skrat & FXY
- 7:30-8:30 p.m. — DJ Mel-Down
- 8:30-9:30 p.m. — Lady Gia's 25th Anniversary of PrideFest Revue
- 9:30-10:30 p.m. — Chomper
- 10:30-midnight — DJ Shawna
The Intersection
- 4-4:30 p.m. — Out in the Open: Spoken Word Lounge
- 4:45-5:15 p.m. — Ben Blake & Marco Lara
- 5:15-6 p.m. — Sports Bra
- 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Leah Jee
- 8-8:30 p.m. — Landon DeVon
- 9-10:30 p.m. — Hue Revue BIPOC Cabaret
- 10:30-11:30 p.m. — Hue Revue Dance Party with DJ Femme Noir
Stonewall Stage
- 3-3:50 p.m. — Running for Office as a Queer Person
- 4-4:50 p.m. — WI Queer State of the Union: A Political Map for 2023-2025
- 6-6:50 p.m. — Reducing Jealousy Through Better Communication
- 7-7:50 p.m. — Power to the People! A Campaign to Convert WE Energies into a Municipally Owned Public Utlity
Saturday, June 3
- Grounds open from noon to midnight
- Ice Cream Social presented by Shake Shack
Skyyline Main Stage
- Noon-12:30 p.m. — Rai
- 12:50-1:50 p.m. — Salford Lads
- 2:10-3:10 p.m. — Our Voice Milwaukee
- 3:30-4:40 p.m. — Murray the Magician
- 4:55-5:55 p.m. — Bryanna Banx
- 6:25-7:40 p.m. — The Olivia Show
- 8:10-9:20 p.m. — Big Dipper
- 9:15-9:30 p.m. — Vigil & Fireworks Dedication
- 9:30-10:35 p.m. — Bright Light Bright Light
- 10:45-11:45 p.m. — Peaches
Dance Pavilion
Hosts: Chanel D'Vine, Marbella Sodi, Melee the Queen, Montell Infiniti Ross
- 1-2 p.m. — World Dance Revue
- 2-3 p.m. — DJ B
- 3-3:30 p.m. — Bottoms Up Aerial Burlesque Show
- 3:30-4:30 — DJ Rozz
- 4:30-5 p.m. — K.I.L.O. aka SkitL'z
- 5-6 p.m. — Agua de Rosas
- 6-7 p.m. — Sabor Latino
- 7-8 p.m. — Haunt3d Hous3
- 8-9 p.m. — Montell's Melanin Extravaganza
- 9-10 p.m. — Kenny Perez
- 10-10:30 p.m. — DJ Shawna
- 10:30-midnight — J. Worra
The Intersection
- 1-3 p.m. — Granny Bingo with Ester Flonaze
- 3:30-4:30 p.m. — Queer Deaf Stories: A Pride Story Slam
- 5-5:45 p.m. — Pop Rock Suckers
- 6-6:45 p.m. — The Upside
- 7:15-8 p.m. — MAN Williamz & Alonna Deville
- 8:30-9:30 p.m. — Newcomer Drag Experience
- 10-10:30 p.m. — Vaé
- 11-11:30 p.m. — aya
Stonewall Stage
- 2-2:50 p.m. — Aging with HIV/AIDS
- 3-3:50 p.m. — Harm Reductions and Safe Syringe Programs in MKE
- 4-4:50 p.m. — Learn How to Dance Burlesque with the cast of HUE Revue!
- 6-8 p.m. — Trance Consulting, LLC Spotlight Event: Community Showcase
Children's Stage
- 1 p.m. — Drag Queen Story Time with Cass Marie
- 2 p.m. — Rugrats Royale Review
- 3 p.m. — Mischief and Magic
- 4 p.m. — Premiere Youth Drag Show
