Pride in a Purple State

A throng of hateful protestors gathered outside the Pride festival grounds in Milwaukee circa 1997, spitting vitriolic rhetoric like “homosexuality is an abomination.” A then 19-year-old Terrance Raffeet helped escort two women who were being bothered by the crowd into the safety of the fest. At that moment, Raffeet knew his first-time volunteer festival security gig wouldn’t be his last. Now, 28 years later, he’s been the security director for 21 years and is a member of the board.

The PrideFest of 1997 is a far cry from PrideFest 2025. It is now Wisconsin’s largest LGBTQIA+ festival, hosting more than 40,000 weekend attendees and playing an ever-important role in creating a safe space for the decidedly purple state’s queer community.

“The first time I attended, I finally felt like I had a community around me,” said Mark Pochowski, an attendee since 2014. “It made me feel seen in a way I had never experienced before. That year was also when I met my husband. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being in a community with others and finding a connection I’ve never had before.”

The fest also holds a special spot in Raffeet's heart. When he showed up in 1997, it was the first Pride event he’d ever attended.

“I had only been out for about four months at that point,” he told Now Frolic. “This whole community was still very new to me and almost everything was uncharted territory. Once inside, I remember feeling not only comfortable to be open about who I was, but also included in a community that I didn’t even know existed in proximity so close to me. When you have a small circle of queer friends, realizing that there was a reality where gay people lived lives that were just as stable as our straight counterparts with homes, families, and most incredibly parenthood was mind blowing to 19-year-old me.”

In the years since, society has become more accepting of the queer community, but the world can still feel very suffocating. Pochowski notes that there are always protestors outside the festival; however, as the federal government under the current presidential administration continues to try to push the LGBTQIA+ community back into the shadows, events like PrideFest become more than just a party. They become an act of resilience, both literally and recently, financially. 

“I believe that Pride events are more important now than ever,” Pochowski explained. “Pride in Milwaukee is a celebration of our community, but given that the current administration is making it more challenging for companies to support us, I feel we need to return to the roots of Pride. The first Pride was a riot, and while we celebrate, we must also remember that the fight for our rights is not over and is more crucial than ever. Pride has never been solely about corporate sponsorship; it has always been about the LGBTQ+ community being true to who we are.”

Raffeet confirmed that PrideFest’s sponsor support remains strong even in these unstable times. He said the event has held onto its major sponsors while still monitoring their public-facing sociopolitical intent. Although the political polarity of the world will touch every person who walks through the festival’s gates, Raffeet sees the festival as continuously “grounded in the community that we celebrate and ultimately serve.” 

The big pride celebration in Milwaukee consists of two major events: PrideFest (June 5-7, 2025) and the Milwaukee Pride Parade (June 8, 2025). Though both share significant overlap in attendance, they’re run by two separate organizations. Milwaukee Pride operates PrideFest while a separate organization called Milwaukee Pride Parade Inc. runs the parade itself. With PrideFest, attendees can enjoy a range of food vendors and near-constant entertainment across six different stages. Meanwhile, the Pride Parade offers delightful floats, celebration, and the Walker’s Point Block Party afterwards. 

Today’s constant bombardment of demoralizing political news can be paralyzing, and the queer community needs these celebratory moments more than ever.

“As every new Presidential executive order comes to pass, Pride events become even more important because the fight for equality and even existence is becoming harder,” Raffeet said. “If we allow those obstacles to erase these types of events, then it’s erasing our history… It’s kind of like climbing a mountain. You’ve reached the plateau with the others only to find that not only do you have to start climbing again but this time the mountain is now steeper and the safety lines to catch you are gone. So, in this evolving landscape, the mere existence, let alone the [flourishing], of these events are acts of defiance against this administration.”

Unlike many public acts of defiance, Milwaukee Pride events come together under something wholly unexpected by the opposition. The one word Pochowski would use to describe the events: joy.

It’s a perfect word for these rainbow-clad festivals. Pride events, such as PrideFest Milwaukee, are primarily about cultivating joy. There’s joy not only in finding your community, but in being completely comfortable in your own skin. For many queer individuals, including myself, attending an event like this unlocks a whole new part of ourselves. They create a safe place within the world as well as in our hearts. By celebrating with unabashed joy, we tell the hateful segments of society that their anger is deeply misplaced — and that we aren't going anywhere.