Motor City Pride

Lore & Background

Motor City Pride traces its roots back to June 1972 when the first march was held downtown Detroit to protest homophobic laws and to work for recognition for LGBT Rights and Equality. In the mid-1980's Craig Covey, then director of Michigan Organization for Human Rights, is credited with organizing Detroit's first Gay and Lesbian pride festival in 1985. The Detroit Area Gay & Lesbian Council organized PrideFest from 1982 to 1992. In 1993, PrideFest became its own organization known as South East Michigan Pride and held at the Oakland Community College in Royal Oak, MI with Michael Lary as the event director. In 2001, PrideFest was moved to downtown Ferndale under the new direction of the Triangle Foundation. In 2003, the name changed to MotorCity Pride. In 2011, Motor City Pride was moved to downtown Detroit. No event was held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the 50th anniversary celebration was deferred to June 2021.