Northern exposure

Photo: A. Gallegos

Milwaukee didn’t earn the moniker “City of Festivals” for nothing—its Festa Italiana, Irish Fest and Polish Fest are supposedly the biggest events of their kind in the world. So it’s not surprising that some Chicagoans will make the jaunt north when the annual PrideFest unfurls its rainbow colors this weekend. In fact, Milwaukee’s big queer party is slowly gaining a reputation nationwide: Instead of focusing on a parade, organizers pack the three days with live music.

How do they swing it? In 1996, the celebration was promoted to Henry Maier Festival Park (also known as the Summerfest Grounds)—the centerstage for Milwaukee’s prized lakefront fests. “It was a big deal for the gay community,” says Paul Williams, PrideFest communications director,  whose earlier Pride marches sparked religious and political controversy within the town’s conservative factions in the late ’80s. “We’re [now] included in the city’s marketing for the summer festivals.” 

In the decade since landing at Maier Park, PrideFest organizers have taken full advantage of the top-notch facilities to attract musicians, comedians, DJs and drag stars from across the nation. Twelve  acts from Chicago will perform—14, if you count headliners Chaka Khan, who grew up on the South Side, and Oak Park native Kathy Griffin. Other performers include Jason and deMarco, a gay Christian pop duo from L.A., drag cabaret star Hedda Lettuce—and the third and final headliner, a rocker loved by everybody: Joan Jett. (The fest also boasts smaller stages with kid-friendly activities for GLBT families.)

While most big cities—including gay meccas New York and San Francisco—throw enormous parades in late June (to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots that kick-started the modern gay-rights movement), mid-size Milwaukee made “a conscious decision to set ourselves apart,” Williams says.

Photo: C. Hammerbeck

Most Pride concerts are shorter affairs, more like post-parade rallies. “Typically you’ve got not the greatest stage in the world and not the greatest sound system. [And] you’re playing with maybe four other people,” says singer-songwriter Julie Loyd, who makes her PrideFest debut Friday 8.  “But…I know half the people who are playing, and they’re coming from all over. It’s a really cool amalgamation of artists. I’m kind of jealous that Chicago doesn’t have something as music-focused.”

David Charpentier, who heads up programming for the fest, affirms that booking queer artists is a priority. “I do a lot of research on the Internet and keep an eye on the various media outlets like the LGBT TV networks, radio shows, podcasts, print publications and websites,” he says. He also attends Pride events in L.A. and Orlando, as well as a number of Chicago festivals, both queercentric and not, looking for talent.

“[David is] very interested in filling their stages with queer talent that’s diverse and interesting,” says Chicago musician/producer Scott Free, who takes the mike Sunday 10  for his second PrideFest appearance. 

That might explain why PrideFest organizers see tickets sales coming from all over the country, and even Britain. The inexpensive ticket prices ($15–30) don’t hurt, either—and during certain hours, entry is free with a food donation which goes to a pantry that helps people with HIV.

Milwaukee PrideFest is Friday 8 to Sunday 10 at Henry Maier Festival Park. For more information, visit pridefest.com. For GLBT-friendly bars in Milwaukee, see our feature story this week.