Flint, MI — With Pride Month underway, groups in Flint are sharing details on where residents and visitors can celebrate the occasion.
For Roby Lee, celebrating Pride means throwing a huge party and dancing on stage while he DJs.
“I’m the host, the DJ and kind of like the entertainment. It’s very theatrical,” he said. “What I do is I basically get on a stage and twerk.”
Lee’s event, WednesGAY, will take place in downtown Flint’s Brush Park from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 21, 2023. There will also be an after party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at The District, formerly 501 Bar & Grill, located at 500 Saginaw St.
Lee said WednesGAY will feature live performances, dance competitions and vendors. One of the live entertainers will even be wearing a bra that shoots out sparklers, he said.
“A very Lady Gaga fashion,” he added with a laugh.
Lee began WednesGAY in 2021, before the city of Flint had officially acknowledged June as Gay Pride Month, with the purpose of creating a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
“I was like, man . . . [I’m] sick of no gay events or gay clubs or bars. We have a gay community, so let’s see if we can bring it together,” Lee said.
Lee’s is just one of multiple Pride Month events happening in Flint, here’s what else to look out for:
Pride Month Film Screening
The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library (FPL) is hosting a film screening of Stonewall Rising, a movie about when police raided a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village in 1969 and the community responded with violent protests that lasted days. “The Stonewall Riots marked a major turning point in the gay civil rights movement in the US and around the world,” according to the event description. The film will show in the Friends of FPL Room 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 10, 2023.
Rob’s G Bar & Grill
G Bar, located at 2713 Layton Boulevard, has a variety of times available to party and celebrate pride month. On June 9, 2023, the bar will feature live performances from Him Him, Remi Spice Ebony and Sv Preme. They will also have a DJ.
The doors open at 9 p.m., and cover is $5. G Bar’s Facebook Page reads that there are food and drink specials throughout the evening.
Pride Month Book Discussion
The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library is hosting a book discussion about “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo. The book is about two women who fell in love in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1954, during the Red Scare. The book discussion takes place in the Harris Room from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on June 17, 2023.
Flint Pride Festival
The Flint Gay Pride Festival will take place in Riverbank Park from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 24, 2023. The event is free, although the description suggests a $5 donation to Flint Pride. The event is to celebrate diversity in Flint and affirm gay and transgender individuals, increase visibility and build a sense of community.