Twenty-one years ago in Pine City, Minn., East Central Minnesota Pride (ECMP) held the nation’s very first rural pride celebration. Today, the city is receiving a first-of-its-kind historical marker in Voyageur Park as the birthplace of rural pride. Natalie Goldman, ECMP’s Vice Chair, says, “It’s special to be honored like this, you know, rural queer folk deserve to be celebrated too.”
Where rural pride began
The pride event was originally kicked off by one group, who still organizes it today. The East Central Men’s Circle, formed in 2000, was a group for “gay, bi, trans, and questioning men” in the area to support one another. The event was also a celebration of the group’s fifth anniversary.
One of the founding members of the East Central Men’s Circle, Randy Olson, passed away just a few weeks ago at 68 years old. “It’s bittersweet, in a way, that Randy isn’t here to celebrate. He helped start all of this. But his spirit is here with us,” Goldman says.
The East Central Purple Circle also organizes the event, a group that started in 2007 with just three women for “lesbian, queer, and allied women” in the region.
Through the event’s history, it picked up national attention, won awards, and organized parades. In 2008, ECMP had a float that won best float in the Duluth-Superior Parade, reading “Pine City, home of the world’s biggest little LGBT Pride.”
A historical marker
The seven-by-four-foot monument is installed, but it didn’t come without a fight. In 2025, the Pine City Council had a tiebreaker 3-2 vote to approve it, which was cast by Mayor Kent Bombard, the city’s first openly-gay mayor in its history. He’s also the husband of Aaron Bombard, ECMP’s Chair.
The $7,000 memorial was partly-funded by Minnesota Historical Society’s (MNHS) Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, which “supports arts, arts education, and arts access, and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.” The MNHS features ECMP on its Greater Minnesota Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ History Map, an interactive storytelling website about Minnesota’s queer history.
‘There’s only more to come’
As June rounds the corner, ECMP will hold its 21st rural pride celebration. Next Saturday, June 6, Pine City Pride will take place in Robinson Park, where it began so many years ago, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Serving those in Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec, and Mille Lacs Counties, the celebration will include live music, food trucks, LGBTQ+ resources, and multiple family friendly activities.
Goldman says, “We have pride every year, but there’s more to come. We’re always planning events, brunches, and shows for people to come and hang out.”
You can find EMCP’s calendar of all rural Minnesota pride events here.
