GLBT Pride Parade 2002!

Once again, the Witches' Informational Network and local Pagans -heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, lesbian and transgendered, all- gathered to march down Hennepin Avenue in the brightly colored and festive GLBT Pride Parade!

It seemed that it was almost the death of us, this year, however... Anyone making jokes about "burn the Witch" was obviously on-hand to witness the blazing, 96 degree temperatures, opressive humidity and raging winds that kept us going as we -and several thousand others- paraded down Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis this past June. It was a lethal combination of heat and moisture that -thankfully- Mother Nature lessened with a powerful wind that kept us relatively cool, rushed beneath our robes and made it possible for us to go from one end of the slightly-over-a-mile course to the end!

But what a great run it was, too! This year, we had the Besom Brigade (of Minnesota) join us in their festive garb, ribbons fluttering and drill-team broom demos. It was great fun watching them create patterns with their brooms, march about behind our car/float and generally elict whoops and cheers from the crowd. Our own car, to make it a bit different this year, sported a maypole with rainbow-colored ribbons blowing merrily from it's phallic tip. I don't think we've ever had any parade this dynamic!

There are those who have said that the GLBT community will be the cause of great disaster and calimony should we parade openly in our streets. Well, to them, I say that had it not been for that blessed wind, that may have happened! I know the Gods were with us...

Official GLBT Pride Site

See ya'll next year!

This is the route we took: