June is Pride month, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and West St. Paul is joining the celebration. The first ever West St. Paul Pride in the Park event will be held at Southview Park on June 30 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
This free, family-friendly event will include lunch, a silent auction, activities for kids, and more.
“We want to build our community and celebrate our diversity.”
-Wendy Berry
Everyone Is Welcome
“Absolutely everyone is welcome to West St. Paul Pride in the Park,” says organizer Wendy Berry. “While we’ll be celebrating our LGBTQ+ community, we also want to invite our families, friends, and allies to join us. We want to build our community and celebrate our diversity.”
While Berry is a West St. Paul city council member, this is not an official city event. It’s being organized by a group of volunteer residents.
“The biggest thing I hope we can accomplish is a feeling of inclusiveness for anyone who wants to attend—and that feeling of inclusiveness extends to their day to day lives here in West St. Paul,” says Berry.
Event Details
The picnic will provide hot dogs, chips, drinks, and dessert, but people are welcome to bring something to share.
Over a dozen businesses and individuals have donated items for the silent auction, which will help pay expenses for the event and future efforts in West St. Paul.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been set up to help cover expenses for Pride in the Park.
More Pride in West St. Paul
The Dakota County Library is also holding a series of Pride Family Storytime events in June. They’ll be at the Wentworth Library on June 18 and 22, and a third event at the Wescott Library in Eagan on June 20. The events will include stories, songs, and crafts to celebrate LGBTQ+ families, diversity, and the inclusion of everyone.
