ADRIAN — After taking place in Tecumseh last year, Lenawee Pride is returning to Adrian.
The annual festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 3-8 p.m. in the City Market Pavilion, 115 Toledo St.
Organized by members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, Lenawee Pride aims to be an uplifting celebration of love and equality.
“We just want to make sure everyone has a place to come and celebrate together in a safe way and know that there’s a place for them here in Adrian and Lenawee County,” said Kristina Henning of Adrian, one of the organizers of this year’s event.
Lenawee Pride is organized by the M Society, a local organization promoting equality, acceptance and quality of life for Lenawee County’s LGBTQIA+ residents and their friends and families. It is funded by a variety of local businesses and organizations that have signed on as sponsors.
About 30 vendors will be participating, selling items like jewelry, candles, clothing, crocheted gifts, books, ceramics, and stained glass.
Attendees will notice a few differences from last year’s event. Instead of a stage, smaller-scale entertainment will happen throughout the pavilion, provided by DJ Wilson and Toledo-based drag performer Nika Fierce, as well as Cypressene Fitness offering line dancing. That’s because the M Society’s offices sustained damage during the March 15 fire downtown, and the organization has had to devote much of its time over the past several months to rebuilding.
“The goal is to ramp up entertainment again next year,” Henning said.
Another difference: Last year, when Pride was on the grounds of the Tecumseh Center for the Arts without any restaurants within walking distance, organizers made sure to have several food trucks on hand. This year, one food truck — Royal Treats and Eats — will be on site for convenience, but guests will be encouraged to support downtown establishments.
“We really want to encourage folks to shop and support local businesses,” Henning said.
A “Shop & Strut” map will be distributed with the names of restaurants and other businesses that have signed on as supporters of Lenawee Pride.
“Our goal is to not just be isolated to the market. We really want to spread out to the whole downtown,” Henning said.
The Shop & Strut map, she added, will give people a way to support businesses that support the LGBTQIA+ community. About 20 downtown businesses are involved in some way, whether as event sponsors or as Shop & Strut participants.
Parking will be available at the former Pharm grocery store, 124 E. Front St., or in the public lot behind the Croswell Opera House and Adrian City Hall.
Lenawee Pride started in 2019 as a picnic in Burr Ponds Park, and expanded into a festival in 2022. The event was in downtown Adrian in 2022 and 2023, then moved to Tecumseh in 2024. It has grown significantly since 2019, when that first picnic was attended by about 70 people.
“I think especially given the current political climate, it’s nice to know that here in our hometown there’s a safe place for everyone,” Henning said.
More information is available at campsite.bio/lenaweepride.
