Days of the Rainbow lit up the lakeshore June 1-7 as Community Pride MI rang in Pride Month celebrating the
LGBTQ+ community with activities and events including:
• A Tea Dance at the Dunes Resort in Douglas, Sunday, June 1;
• A Rainbow Putt-Putt Tournament at Saugatuck Mini Golf Monday, June 2;
• A Pride Paddle Cruise on board the Star of Saugatuck Tuesday, June 3 raised $3,000 for OutCenter Southwest
Michigan.
• A meet-and-great with author/historian Dr. Bonnie Morris Wednesday, June 4, at the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center, followed by her presentation, “Archiving Lesbian History: From Sports to Music,” at the Saugatuck-District Library.
• A legal update by ACLU Michigan attorney Jay Kaplan Thursday, June 5 at The Kirby Hotel in Douglas,followed by dinner in J. Paul’s Dining Room. The Kirby donated $3,264 from proceeds to ALCU Michigan.
• A Friday night, June 6 Jazz for Justice concert at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Saugatuck; and
• Saturday’s grand finale, a Care-a-Van Pride Parade of decorated vehicles cruising from Saugatuck to Pride in the
Park at Douglas’s Beery Field.
There, local band Random Play and Chicago ‘80s cover band 16 Candles played onstage for celebrators and dancers. The event also included food tents, beverages, and more than 50 vendors and organizations showcasing their products and services.
Pride Month, held annually in June, commemorates the contributions and ongoing struggle for equality of the
LGBTQ+ community, particularly the fight for civil rights and equal justice. It also marks the anniversary of the
Stonewall riots in June 1969, a pivotal movement in the gay liberation movement.
What began as one-day organized
events in its wake evolved into what are now month-long festivities worldwide.
Saugatuck-Douglas festivities witnessed weeklong sunshine, low-70°s temperatures and enthused, record-breaking
Pride event crowds. Shops in both cities buzzed with customers celebrating Pride and the arrival of summer.
