The Rainbow Hodags Present the 2022 Northwoods Pride Festival

Mission Statement

We will make the Northwoods Pride Festival a memorable and uplifting day that builds trusting relationships and space for the LGBT+ community, providing entertainment, interactions and educational opportunities to celebrate the history, diversity and improve LGBT+ acceptance in the Northwoods Wisconsin. 

Sponsorship

Huge Thanks to Our Local Sponsors:

Gold Sponsor: Northwoods Pets
Silver Sponsors: Homestead Veterinary Care, Tilly’s
Bronze Sponsors:  Associated Bank, Thrive & Empower

Sponsorship money and donations are used to fund the Pride event itself, to provide leadership and educational opportunities for LGBT+ students and to fund Scholarships for LGBT+ students to attend Nicolet. Become a sponsor here.

Schedule

Highlights

Virtual Round Table: Gender Identity Talk

Wanna learn how to better support your LGBTQ friends and family? This is a fully virtual event and we will have a panelist of 3-6 people to discuss gender identity, expression, why pronouns matter, all-gender restroom, etc. The purpose of this round table is to educate everyone on how to support transgender, gender non-binary, and agender folx, especially in the Wisconsin rural area. We would love to invite everyone to have a live, meaningful, and candid conversation! We will use BlueJeans (a virtual conferencing tool) and it can be recorded for future resources for the public. Here is the virtual join link: https://bluejeans.com/952509287/6770

Drag Workshop

Wanna perform in Drag, but don’t know where to begin? Attend the free Drag Workshop on June 18th and be part of the Drag Show on June 25th at the Northwoods Pride Festival. Seasoned Drag performers will mentor you on make-up, dress, and stage performance. Nicolet College cosmetology program students will also teach you make-up skills. Join us and explore your gender fluidity! RSVP required.

Signature Drag Show

You will be wowed by this fun, entertaining, and fabulous show. We will present you with the best-seasoned drag queens across the state from Milwaukee to Wausau (Por Tia, Zoey, and Laydee Swallow)! Drag beginners will also be encouraged to perform. So please bring plenty of dollar bills to tip the drag performers (don’t be shy!). *Disclaimer: Parents or guardians attendance with their child or dependent is strongly suggested. Some material may be inappropriate for minors.

Keynote Speech -Time to Discover: Queer Identity & Expression                               

In Northcentral Wisconsin, many individuals struggle with identity-related stressors and discrimination in their day-to-day experience. This presentation will aim to fill a gap in base-level knowledge surrounding Queer Identity & Expression so that individuals who may identify with the community (and potential allies) have a better understanding of the psychosocial processes underpinning the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Maggie's Bio:
Born and raised in Northcentral Wisconsin, Maggi Rocha is a certified advanced practice social worker (CAPSW) and therapist specializing in LGBTQIA+ Identity, Acceptance, & Expression and Youth & Family Therapy. As a CAPSW, Maggi uses a holistic and individualized approach to therapeutic practice, understanding that life circumstances often inform a person’s approach to mental health treatment. Maggi finds joy in advocating for individuals to explore vulnerability and identity in a safe, supportive environment.

Erin's Bio:
Erin Cimino is a Licensed Professional Counselor In-Training (LPC-IT) from Northcentral Wisconsin; she is a proud graduate of UW-Stevens Point’s Psychology program and of UW-Stout’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Erin practices primarily from a Person-Centered approach, believing that healing and growth can occur when people feel accepted, heard, safe, and supported. Combining this approach with evidence-based strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Erin is passionate about working to support members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Luncheon & Social Meetup

One of the components of Northwoods Pride is to provide meaningful connections and networking opportunities for attendees. This is a place to grab some food and meet new friends by the beautiful Lake Julia.

Donations

Individuals or local businesses can donate online to LGBT+ student scholarships to support their education. The donation form has a line that says, “Please designate my donation to:” Donors may select “Other” and in the next field they should write “Rainbow Hodags”

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Live Music or Open Mic

We welcome any professional or amateur musicians or have open mics (poetry jam, dance, sing, instrument, stand-up comedy, etc), karaoke to perform on the Nicolet Theatre or patio area on June 25. RSVP required here.

Community Resource Fair

The Community Resource Fair is to inform the public about LGBT+ resources and services available in Northwoods Wisconsin.  The 2nd floor of the Lakeside Center will be turned into an exhibition area for nonprofit organizations, health care providers, government agencies, and businesses wanting to show their support for the LGBT+ community. This includes counseling services, LGBT+ social groups, and LGBT+ friendly churches. The Festival runs from 10 am to 4 pm but the Resource Fair runs from 10 am to 1 PM. Free to sign-up. Spaces are limited. RSVP required.

Drag Workshop & Show

The idea is to provide a drag workshop to teach people how to drag including makeup, dress, and perform. We will host the workshop one week prior to the drag show featuring cosmetology students. And then we will have an open stage Drag Show with seasoned drag performers and amateur performers on pride day. Spaces are limited please RSVP. This is a free community event and everyone is welcome.

Help Needed

We need volunteers on the Northwoods Pride day. The duty varies from the welcome table, stage support, family activity, photography, videos, and cleanup. Please sign-up here https://forms.gle/BG9crzR6Aip9Qvvg7