08/20/2026
WHAT A WEEK! MN POC Pride Festival 2026!
Now that the numbers are in, I just want to take a minute to reflect on what an AMAZING Festival Week we had!
We kicked things off Wednesday with Smoke, Sip & Paint. Our capacity was 50, but the community showed up and we found a way to make room for a few more! It was the perfect way to start the week.
Then came our Youth Fair, where we served more than 200 youth and families! We provided meals to the first 100 attendees while bringing together local organizations and vendors to connect our young people and families with services, resources, information and opportunities.
And thanks to our incredible supporters, we were able to give away 800 backpacks filled with back-to-school supplies to youth this year! That is 800 young people heading into the school year with supplies they need and a reminder that their community is behind them. Thank you to everyone who donated, sponsored, packed, transported and helped us get those backpacks into the hands of our youth!
Our Brunch & Learn was amazing as usual! We brunched, we learned, but most importantly, we connected as a Black community. More than 50 people joined us, including VIP guests from the City Council. The conversations, connections and energy in that room were exactly what we hoped for.
Later that day, we took Pride to the water for Pride on the River! More than 200 people came out to vibe with us, enjoy our three DJs and experience the Black Diamonds R***e. We also saw plenty of new faces checking us out for the first time, and we loved welcoming them into our community.
And then came Family Day at Powderhorn Park, our BIGGEST YET!
The numbers are in: more than 2,000 attendees and youth joined us!
Community showed up and SHOWED OUT!
Our youth tent stayed active throughout the day with activities, free haircuts, giveaways and opportunities for our young people to simply have fun and be celebrated. The first 200 youth received free meal tickets, because we wanted our young people to come out, enjoy themselves and EAT!
This year, we said we wanted Festival Week to be about YOUTH. FAMILY. COMMUNITY.
And we did exactly that.
Was everything perfect? No. We tried some new things. We learned some things. We heard your feedback, and we will make adjustments for next year, especially with how we utilize the park. That's part of growing.
But one thing is undeniable: MNPOC Pride 2026 was an amazing week of Black LGBTQ+ joy, family, youth, connection and COMMUNITY!
To every sponsor, supporter, vendor, volunteer, artist, DJ, community organization, staff member, board member, family, young person and every single person who showed up: THANK YOU!
800 filled backpacks. More than 200 youth and families at our Youth Fair. More than 200 people on the river. More than 2,000 at Family Day.
Those aren't just numbers. That's impact. That's community. That's MNPOC Pride.
We couldn't have done it without you.
MNPOC Pride 2026: Always Better Together.
