Pride is alive in rural America!Pine Citys East Central Minnesota Pride is the very first rural Pride celebration in the country, and this year marked its 20th anniversary of breaking down barriers and building community in the rural Midwest.What started as a small Pride picnic back in 2005, ballooned into an annual tradition that has become a fixture of Minnesotas summer calendar and proves every year that queer folks belong in the farm country.This years event was hosted in Robinson Park and featured live music, food trucks, LGBTQ+ resources, and a drag queen story hour. Drag queen and Broadway Baby of the Twin Cities Martina Marraccino hosted the event, which featured performances by singer-songwriter Barb Ryman, funk musician Salty Dog, hometown folk duo The Harlow Pennies, jam band The Big Wu, and the Oshikii Giishik singers.Pine City may only be a town of 10,000 people, but LGBTQ+ people and their allies come from all around the state to celebrate Pride Month together. Its just further proof that when we come together to celebrate and fight back, we can make our voices heard.Keep scrolling to see how rural Minnesota celebrates Pride Month!All photos are courtesy East Central Minnesota Pride.How many of these Pride facts did you know? Pride is for EVERYONE! These vintage photos of Pride prove that it is, was, and will forever be about diversity! If you want to celebrate Pride Month, but youre not sure where to start, check out our Pride 2025 calendar and our lists of every Black Pride event, Dyke March and Trans Pride celebration in the country. Don't forget the first Pride was a riot. Know your Stone Wall Uprising history!Is this your first Pride? Here's 5 essential tips you need to know!Want to celebrate Pride with the whole family? Heres how!Pride is a blast but it can also be awkward! These moments are sadly, too relatable. Looking to get kinky at Pride? Heres how to find your kink scene. Pride Month is a time to let your Pride and kink flags fly. Here's how to do it safely.Looking to find a little love at Pride? Heres how to get your flirt on!There are a lot of flags flying at Pride. Heres what they all mean! Want to get busy at Pride? Heres how to play safely.How many of these Pride facts did you know? Pride is for EVERYONE! These vintage photos of Pride prove that it is, was, and will forever be about diversity! If you want to celebrate Pride Month, but youre not sure where to start, check out our Pride 2025 calendar and our lists of every Black Pride event, Dyke March and Trans Pride celebration in the country. Don't forget the first Pride was a riot. Know your Stone Wall Uprising history!Is this your first Pride? Here's 5 essential tips you need to know!