PrideFest Milwaukee 2018 kicks off festival season June 7-10



MILWAUKEE -- PrideFest Milwaukee, the world's largest LGBTQ celebration with permanent festival grounds, kicks off the summer festival season Thursday, June 7 and goes through Sunday, June 10.

According to a news release from PrideFest, the event traces its heritage back to 1974, when 350 people attended the city's first organized expression of pride at the Gay People's Union Ball.  This year, PrideFest 2018 is expected to attract over 40,000 visitors over the four-day weekend, shattering attendance records for the seventh consecutive year.

The festival will feature a wide variety of national entertainment acts, including the B-52sJussie SmollettDayaJoJoFortune Feimster and the Ladies of Comedy,  as well as Milwaukee favorites GGOOLLDDREYNATigernite, and Lex Allen.

New this year, will be the first annual Ride with Pride on Saturday, June 9. Riders will start at the Harley-Davidson Museum and will cruise throughout the city over the course of several hours.



"PrideFest is proud to support a number of important causes of the LGBTQ and allied communities, honoring champions who are doing work to make our state a fair and just place to live, work and play for all Wisconsinites, regardless of gender identity," said the news release.

PrideFest runs Thursday, June 7 through Sunday, June 10. For more information on the festival, CLICK HERE.

Below is information from MCTS regarding the PrideFest Shuttle:

To get to Maier Festival Park quickly and easily with affordable, round-trip fares, take the PrideFest Shuttle or Local Routes June 8-10.

During PrideFest, the Downtown Shuttle takes you directly to the Mid-Gate.

The PrideFest Shuttle runs approximately every 30 minutes and makes stops along both sides of Wisconsin Avenue (see map), between N. 6th Street and N. Jackson Street, at all bus stops marked with the Summerfest smile logo.

Shuttle service runs from 2:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday, June 8; and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10.

Shuttle Fare

Round-trip: Adults

  • MCTS M•CARD: $2.50

  • Cash: $3.00

  • M•CARD 1-, 7- or 31-Day Pass: Free

  • Ride MCTS App 24-Hour Ticket: Free


Round-trip: Children (ages 6 - 11), seniors (65 and over) and persons with disabilities with proper ID.

  • MCTS M•CARD: $1.25

  • Cash: $1.50

  • MCTS M•CARD with a 1-, 7- or 31-Day Pass: Free


Children under age 6 ride free when accompanied by an adult.

Pay full amount of fare when boarding the Downtown Shuttle to PrideFest. Exact fare required. On the Shuttle, U-PASS (summer semester only), GO Pass ($1 Day Pass), New Freedom Pass and Commuter Value Pass are accepted as full fare.

LOCAL ROUTES

Not coming from downtown? No problem. Routes 14, 15, GreenLine & GoldLine all drop you off within walking distance of the Maier Festival Grounds.

Plan your trip at RideMCTS.com or on the Ride MCTS app.