OSHKOSH, WI – (WISS & WGBW) – Colorful flags and colorful people will grace the Leach Amphitheater when Oshkosh Pride returns on June 29th from 2 to 7 pm. Organizers say there will be lots of entertainment, food, vendors, resource booths, activities and more. 

“This year with the addition of vendors and the essentially doubling if not tripling of our resource booths, plus the anticipated attendance increase,” said organizer TJ Hobbs. “We just want to make sure we have room for everything!”

History

Oshkosh Pride started in 2018 when United Action Oshkosh had a small cookout with a few speakers. A break had to be taken when the pandemic hit. The event returned in 2021. Hollie Poupart with Oshkosh Pride said it is only getting bigger.

“And it has, honestly, been growing ever since. What started as a very small, free cookout has grown,” said Poupart. “Honestly, it’s doubled each and every year that we’ve been going.” 

Entertainment and food

Part of the Oshkosh Pride celebration will live entertainment. Jasper Werlein says there will be local bands and drag performers as well.

“On stage, we have two fantastic local bands; The Traveling Suitcase, as well as The Toy Boxes,” said Werlein. “And then we have our drag show from 5:30 to 7 p.m. featuring our local host, Jessica B.”

Werlein said there will be 7 other entertainers at the event. Lukas Shelton, another of the organizers said he is particularly excited about the food.

“Fatt Mamaa’s is coming back for her second year,” said Shelton. “Not only did we enjoy her and working with her. But the community loved her food. I think I saw a few faces come back for seconds and thirds.”

Oshkosh Pride for the community

June is Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. In Oshkosh, the pride celebration is on June 29th. Poupart said an event like Oshkosh Pride helps people know that they are not alone. There is a community of love nearby.

“Remind them that there are people that are fighting for a better world and that love them, and that want this community to thrive,” said Poupart. “If you need a place to get something to eat and be around an ecstatically awesome and electric crowd, just surrounded by love, and are ready to embrace that, we want you at Pride.”

Werlein echoed Poupart’s sentiment.

“If you’re in the community, if you stand with our community, I think we want to have you,” said Werlein. “Come on down. Check us out. Have a good time with us.”

Oshkosh Pride for the individual

Organizers for Oshkosh Pride say there are many reasons why the Pride Celebration in Oshkosh is important. 

Shelton said, “Since I have been coming to Pride, I have learned that love is love is love. Keeping that in mind helps me in my decision-making and choices for Pride. It’s bigger than myself. It’s about people who are fighting for the ability to love other people.

Poupart said saving lives is her primary goal for the event and organization.

“To save lives!” Poupart said. “We, unfortunately, even with all the progress that we have made, our community faces enormously higher rates of suicides and suicide attempts. Rates of homelessness and rates of mental health struggles.”

Werlein says visibility is important for self-worth and community. And Oshkosh Pride brings that visibility.

“I think, for me, something that is very important, along with community building, is being visible to people. I know, for me, I didn’t really know about non-binary or trans identities until I was in college,” said Werlein. “Now we’re really focusing on “We’re not individuals anymore; we’re a community.’ So let’s lift each other up. Let’s provide resources. Let’s be seen and see others for who they are. So, I think, Pride is a great place that we get to exemplify that.”

Importance of representation

Hobbs said people seeing themselves represented in society is important for the individual and the community.

“Representation is the word I was thinking of,” said Hobbs. “But it goes hand in hand with visibility. I, like Jasper, didn’t learn about non-binary until college. Same story! But I knew I wasn’t a boy or a girl since I knew those words. It never felt right. It never fit me. I didn’t identify with either one. And I just had a really, really, rough childhood because of it.

“And my mom’s still alive and it’s fantastic. So I always want to say it has nothing to do with her. She did the best she could in the nineties. We didn’t have that language floating around.

“It was out there. It just wasn’t shared with anyone. You know, folks think that it’s helpful to young people, somehow, to protect them from the realities of the human experience. But guess what? Young people are part of the human experience, and they’re smarter than we think they are.

“Just letting them have that information so they can find the words they need to use to describe who they are inside, is important for kids and adults. And it’s, to me, a big part of what drives me to be a part of making sure Oshkosh Pride continues and grows and reaches every person that needs to be reached.”

Oshkosh Pride is a family-friendly event

Bring your lawn chair and blankets to enjoy the activities. Hobbs says you can bring in coolers with non-alcoholic beverages. The event is an alcohol-free, family-friendly event.

“The sign we’ll have at the front entrance; just says ‘No Guns or Weapons.’ And we’ll have security screenings for that. No alcohol. No smoking. No drugs. No glass containers…No pets but service animals are okay,” said Hobbs. “As far as creative expression with clothing, we just clarified that a shirt, swim top, or a binder is required for all persons.”

“And then no nudity. And no hate,” they continued.