History
Although they've taken on varying forms over the decades, Milwaukee has hosted celebrations of the gay community since 1974, when 350 people attended the Gay People's Union Ball. Other dances and parties followed in the years to come, but it wasn't until 1988 that the first official events were hosted by the Milwaukee Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee. Several hundred people participated in the week-long celebration, which included a softball tournament at Mitchell Park, picnic, formal ball, and film festival. In June 1989, the MLGPC organized a march from Walker's Point to a rally in Cathedral Square. Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist addressed the crowd of 1000, affirming,