Motor City Pride draws 60,000 in defiant celebration of love, legacy, and LGBTQ+ visibility
The first Motor City Pride parade took place in June 1972, where several hundred people gathered to march down Woodward Avenue. 53 years later, over 60,000 people flocked to Hart Plaza for Michigan's largest Pride festival and parade.
The festival boasted an extensive entertainment lineup, with three stages showcasing more than 50 acts and over 200 performers.
One standout feature of Motor City Pride 2025 was the expanded exhibit on the origins of Pride and the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement. Designed by Milwaukee Pride's Vince Tripi, the exhibit featured information on the 1969 Stonewall Riots while also spotlighting the lives and achievements of LGBTQ+ leaders and advocates.
This emphasis on education and advocacy comes amid growing national challenges to LGBTQ+ visibility and support.
Pride Month celebrations across the country have seen a decrease in sponsorships as a result of anti-DEI initiatives at the federal level. Cities like New York, St. Louis, Seattle, and San Francisco have all seen drastic reductions in corporate financial support.
Detroit, however, has defied the national trend: only one sponsor backed out of Motor City Pride, and that vacancy was very quickly filled. Overall, the weekend-long event was backed by more than 140 sponsors, vendors, and nonprofit groups.
'One of the best parts of Pride is getting to see people coming from all over the state,' a spokesperson for Motor City Pride said.
'The existence of this event in Detroit shows everyone in the community that they're respected, loved, and supported,' he added. 'I hope that everyone sees the love and walks away knowing they belong here.'
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2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
2025 Motor City Pride parade makes its way to Hart Plaza. June 8, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
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