After the hiatus of 2020, Twin Cities Pagan Pride was back at Minnehaha Falls park last Saturday. With the uneven return of back to normal, this was one event that I was happy to celebrate in the lovely outdoor park. Pagan Pride is the free open to the public event meant for pagans and non pagans alike. It is put on by TC Pagan Pride, an all volunteer non-profit that also runs Paganicon in March. (Full disclosure: I have volunteered for them in the past.)
Some of the usual events and people were back this year, and Pagan Pride was accepting donations to the Groveland Emergency Food Shelf. There was live music, rituals, and some topics. The main part of pagan pride was the vendors and community organizations that had a table. It has always been an event to meet some of the more active groups in the community, and pick up some pagan bling. This year saw the return of the swap altar, where people could leave and take items. (Of course I forgot to bring my Wicca 101 books that I am trying to find a new home for… oh well.)
It has been 10 years since Pagan Pride split into the day long outdoor event and the weekend conference of Paganicon. What I miss most is the silent auction—it was a chance to buy some great stuff. Usually a few items would be fought over, but there would also be plenty of other items that could be picked up at a reasonable price. However before the split Pagan Pride Day felt like an unending sprint as I raced from one topic to another. The weekend conference gives more time to absorb all the information and maybe spend time meeting old and new friends.
This year Pagan Pride was a down scaled version, partly due to Covid. There were only a few rituals and presentations, which were mostly introductory topics. For kids there was a fun scavenger hunt and some kids crafts. I believe in years past they had a labyrinth but not this year.
The location is a strength as well as a drawback. Minnehaha Falls park is a lovely park in the heart of Minneapolis off a Blue Line stop, so it is easy to get to. It is a nice park with trails to walk or bike and playground. However, there is one restaurant that while it is excellent it is also very busy. I wish Pagan Pride had more food choices like some food trucks. I insisted on bringing water bottles for the whole family, which we were all grateful for after being under the hot sun.
If you’re looking for a local Twin cities Pagan group, are just starting to explore a Pagan Path and don’t know where to start, or just want to buy some cool stuff for your altar and hang out listening to music Pagan Pride is the place to go.