TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Up North Pride is bringing back its annual Pride Week Celebration from Sept. 22 through Sept. 26, filling Traverse City with five days of events centered on LGBTQ+ visibility, arts and community connection. The schedule ranges from live storytelling and comedy to a fashion show, a rally and march, and a resource fair for residents across northern Michigan.
The week is designed to be both celebratory and practical, pairing entertainment with opportunities to meet local organizations and service providers. Organizers say the events will highlight the people and groups supporting the region’s LGBTQ+ community while also giving attendees a chance to gather downtown and take part in one of the largest Pride marches in the state.
Storytelling, signs and comedy lead off the celebration
The week opens Tuesday evening with Queerstory at The Alluvion, a ticketed storytelling and poetry event beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $15, and parental discretion is advised. The program will feature storytellers and poets from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, with proceeds supporting Up North Pride programming.
On Wednesday, the focus shifts to preparation for the Saturday march. A free sign-making party and Pride happy hour at The Little Fleet starts at 6 p.m. and is open to all ages. Materials will be provided, giving participants a chance to create signs ahead of the Visibility March.
Comedy night follows on Thursday at the State Theatre. Full Tilt Comedy will headline the 8 p.m. show, joined by Jeff Bouthiette and Liz Joynt Sandberg. Tickets are $20, and doors open at 7 p.m. The event is another piece of the week’s mix of entertainment and community gathering.
Friday’s Intimi Affair pairs a fashion show with local tastings
Friday night brings one of the more formal events on the schedule: the Intimi Affair at Venue Blue at Discovery Pier, starting at 7 p.m. The lingerie fashion show is limited to guests 21 and older, with tickets priced at $75 and VIP access listed at $700.
Organizers describe the event as a showcase of muses and models representing the communities served by Up North Pride. The program is intended to celebrate the many body types, identities and forms of self-expression found in northern Michigan.
Along with the runway presentation, attendees will be offered a tasting experience from Mawby Winery and treats from Sweet Tartlette and the Cheese Lady. Tickets are available through Up North Pride’s website. The evening adds a more upscale fundraising element to a week that otherwise remains broad and community-centered.
Saturday begins with a rally and the region’s largest Pride march
Saturday, Sept. 26, is the centerpiece of the week. The day opens with a Visibility Rally at F&M Park at noon, where keynote speakers and the Grand Marshal are expected to take part before the march begins. Attendance is free, and the event is open to all ages.
After the rally, participants will walk through downtown Traverse City to the Open Space. Up North Pride says the march is the largest participant-driven 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride march in Michigan. Organizers are asking attendees to arrive at F&M Park no later than 2:45 p.m. for the walk.
A clear bag policy will be in effect at the Open Space. The march and rally are built around public visibility, but they also serve as the gathering point for the rest of the day’s community activities.
Resource fair brings nonprofits and service providers downtown
Following the march, the Open Space will host a Resource Fair from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The free event is open to all ages and will feature area nonprofits, service providers and other organizations offering support, inclusive programming and information for northern Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community.
Food trucks and refreshments will also be available for purchase, making the fair a place to stay, visit and connect after the march. The setup reflects one of Up North Pride’s core goals: pairing celebration with access to practical help and local networks.
For many attendees, the fair may be as important as the performances. It gives community members a chance to learn about services available in the region and to meet the people and groups working on the ground throughout northern Michigan.
Drag Night and Silent Disco keep the celebration going after dark
The day closes with Drag Night at 6 p.m. at the Open Space, featuring local hosts Ben Eaton and Deija Vaton along with special guest Silky Nutmeg Ganache. The event is free and open to all ages, though parental discretion is advised. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase on-site.
Silky Nutmeg Ganache is known for appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, All Stars Seasons 6 and 11, and Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World, where she finished as runner-up. Her appearance gives the evening an added draw for fans who want to see a nationally known performer on a local stage.
Late-night festivities continue with a Silent Disco from 10 p.m. to midnight at the Open Space. The event is free, all ages, and also carries a parental discretion note. Headphones will be provided, and 2Bays Productions will host the music.
