Big Sky Pride 2016 Parade & Festivities

Big Sky Pride holds an annual parade and festivities in different host cities around Montana to bring awareness and celebrate the LBGTQ community. This year's host city is Great Falls with events taking place on June 17th through 19th.

This year's events will kick off on Friday the 17th with a "Welcome and Orientation Happy Hour Mixer", a parade & rally on Saturday and dances, parties, drag shows, and many more events all weekend.

Here is the very full list of events:

Friday, June 17, 2016
4:00pm 7:00pm
Sip-n-Dip
We kick off the weekend's events by meeting up the iconic Sip-n-Sip. We're excited to be joining up with the famous mermaids & mermen, as well as the ever amazing Piano Pat to welcome everyone to Big Sky Pride 2016! Enjoy some beverages and great food and pick up the maps and schedules for the entire weekend while meeting up with members of our tribe from across Montana!
The Sip-n-Dip is family friendly, so please bring everyone!
This is the place to meet up with everyone you haven't seen since last year, and figure out which of the amazing parties, shows, sports events and get-togethers you want to attend throughout Big Sky Pride!

THE MISTER SISTERS PRESENT: BURLESQUE!
Friday, June 17, 2016
7:00pm 10:00pm
Holiday Inn
Live Singing & Instrumentals! Comedy! Drag! Family Fun! Exclamation Points!
Join Great Falls' premiere drag company as they kick off the weekend with their signature style show with guest performers. Come experience this unique style of drag that celebrates many talents and every expression of the LGBT+ spectrum that the locals have come to love.
Doors at 7, show 8-10pm. Drinks and food available all evening. $15 Cover, Pre-sale tickets and VIP Tables available at themistersisters.com beginning May 1st.
This show could sell out, so you might want to get your tickets now!

GREAT FALLS LGBTQ CENTER DANCE AT INDUSTRY
Fri, Jun 17, 2016 9:00pm Sat, Jun 18, 2016 1:00am
INDUSTRY
Come kick off Big Sky Pride with the Great Falls LGBTQ+ Center at the hottest club in town: INDUSTRY! Dance the night away with a live DJ, full bar, and all the rainbow apparel you can find! The fun all starts at 9PM. Ages 18+ ($10 mandatory cover for those under 21) FREE to those over 21. INDUSTRY is located at 616 10th Ave S. (just a few blocks from The Sting)

BIG SKY PRIDE BIKE RIDE
Saturday, June 18, 2016
8:30am 10:00am
Gibson Park, River's Edge Trail
Big Sky Pride and the Electric City Creative are hitting the trail and riding to get some much needed exercise and a beautiful view of Great Falls. We'll be meeting up at the Gibson Park Band Shell and riding River's Edge Trail. Bring your bikes, helmets and your smiles, as you're gonna need all of them!

BIG SKY PRIDE BREAKFAST
Saturday, June 18, 2016
9:30am 10:30am
Faster Bassett
Join all of Big Sky Pride as we chow down on some delicious food at Faster Bassett/The Front. The food is amazing and, if you weren't able to get the info on the weekend on Friday, we'll have the stuff here for you! And from here to where we line up for the Parade is a quick walk, easy for almost everyone.

PARADE STAGING & GATHERING
Saturday, June 18, 2016
9:30am 11:00am
8th Street and Central Ave Great Falls, MT 59405 United States
If you're planning on marching in the 2016 Big Sky Pride parade, you'll want to get you (and your group, float, or whatever) to the staging grounds so we can get you in line and ready to march. The walk is an easy 8 blocks down Central Avenue, with the end of the parade being at the rally point. Everyone is welcome to march, but if you have a group, please get registered soon so we can get you in the parade in some semblance of order that doesn't cause cacophony or distress to anyone else. (Two different drum groups right next to each other is what we're trying to avoid, really.)
If you have any questions, please contact us about them.

BIG SKY PRIDE PARADE
Saturday, June 18, 2016
11:00am 12:00pm
Central Avenue
We march in celebration of all things LGBTQIIA, as we celebrate our differences and the magic that they make for us. Our community embraces our diversity, showcasing the marvelous differences that make us unique, and proving that those differences are what make us stronger, bring us together, and help make the world a better place.
We'll be marching down Central Avenue, with the end of the parade being the rally on the steps of the Great Falls Civic Center.

BIG SKY PRIDE RALLY
Saturday, June 18, 2016
12:00pm 1:00pm
Great Falls Civic Center
It's a secret right now, but we can't wait to tell you who the Grand Marshall of the Big Sky Pride Parade and Rally is, but we are going to because it's more fun to wait. I promise.
The rally takes place on the steps of the Great Falls Civic Center right as the parade ends. Everyone is welcome, the slate of speakers for the rally will have you happy about all we've accomplished, and excited for how we're going to keep progressing.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Saturday, June 18, 2016
12:00pm 1:00pm
Planned Parenthood, 211 9th St South
Attending the PRIDE Parade in Great Falls? Treat Yo' Self after!
Join Planned Parenthood of Montana for a family-friendly PRIDE Ice Cream Social!
Stop by for a cool treat, ACA Enrollment and LGBTQ Health Care information, Parent Resources, Safe Sex Information, and of course, condoms!
Planned Parenthood of Montana believe ALL Montanan's should have equal access to reproductive healthcare, and we stand up with our fellow Montanan's for inclusivity and equality!

FROM SELMA TO STONEWALL VIEWING
Saturday, June 18, 2016
2:00pm 4:00pm
Great Falls Public Library
Marilynn Bennett, of Helena, joined forces with her unlikely friend, the Reverend Gil Caldwell, as they take a hard look at the civil rights movement and the lgbt rights movement, and they ask the question, "Are we there yet?". This documentary has been in the works for several years, and interviews people from all walks of life as it explores the intersection of all forms of civil rights in the United States.
Marilyn will be showing the film in its entirety, and will be chatting with the audience after the show.
Gil Caldwell, an 80-year-old black, straight retired preacher and civil rights leader, and Marilyn Bennet, a 52-year-old white lesbian activist and author, joined forces to create "From Selma to Stonewall".
Gil Caldwell, an 80-year-old black, straight retired preacher and civil rights leader, and Marilyn Bennet, a 52-year-old white lesbian activist and author, joined forces to create "From Selma to Stonewall".

BIG SKY PRIDE PIZZA SOCIAL
Saturday, June 18, 2016
3:00pm 5:00pm
Mighty Mo Brewing Company
Everyone is welcome to swing on over to the Mighty Mo Brewing Company, located in the middle of Downtown Great Falls. Their historic building was restored in recent years, providing a wow factor when you walk in the door, preparing you for the tasty brews you are about to indulge in! Also, Mighty Mo has a full kitchen, offering pizza (natch!), and wings, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers to go with your high quality, flavorful craft beer. Mighty Mo Brewing Co. is designed to be a place where new and old friends can meet to enjoy quality beer, great food, and live music, and they are looking forward to having a crowd from Big Sky Pride!
This is a family friendly event at a very family friendly establishment, so bring everyone!

BEARS & BREWS
Saturday, June 18, 2016
4:00pm 6:00pm
The Sting Sports Bar
Our Fourth Annual Bears and Brews will take place at The Sting Sports Bar! You won't want to miss this, as the most welcoming group of cuddly people share beers, cheers and laughter with everyone. This party is hosted by the Montana Bears, and, regardless of your body type, sex, sexuality, or anything else, you, too, can be a bear. Be sure to check out their site for the 2016 t-shirt and more details.

BIG SKY PRIDE DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
Saturday, June 18, 2016
7:30pm 9:30pm
Holiday Inn
Big Sky Pride's annual Drag Show showcases your favorite drag performers from across the Treasure State, and this year will have the widest variety of performers yet. We'd tell you more, but a lady must keep just a few secrets to herself... Saturday, June 18th at the Holiday Inn!
Free admission.
Doors at 6:30 pm, show from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
Message The Mister Sisters if you're interested in performing!

ELECTRIC CITY CREATIVE DANCE PARTY
Sat, Jun 18, 2016 9:00pm Sun, Jun 19, 2016 1:00am
Industry
Electric City Creative and Open Definition: Great Falls LGBTQ+ present: MAKE IT GLOW. Make It Glow is a dance party celebrating queer musicians and more. Nosight will DJ, with special guests. Free for 21+, $10 for 18-20.

BIG SKY PRIDE AFTER PARTY
Sat, Jun 18, 2016 10:00pm Sun, Jun 19, 2016 1:00am
Club Cigar
Three venues combine to continue the fun as we dance the night away. Music, frivolity, drinking, dancing and all the excitement continues at Club Cigar with overflow to the Back Alley Pub and Celtic Cowboy.

BLOODY MARY RECOVERY BAR
Sunday, June 19, 2016
9:30am 12:30pm
Hi Ho Tavern
Well, we hope that everyone has had a wonderful time, and we really don't want to say goodbye, but that time has come.
Before you hit the road back to your home, be it in Great Falls (we love you all!) or one of the other awesome places in Montana, or even the rest of the world, we hope you'll swing by the Hi Ho Tavern and join us for a quick breakfast and tell us how your weekend was.
We especially hope you'll share any ideas to make things even better for next year in Billings! And that we see you all there!

DECOMPRESSION BRUNCH
Sunday, June 19, 2016
10:00am 12:00pm
Celtic Cowboy
For those still down central, the Celtic Cowboy is ready for anyone to stop in and grab a bite to eat, say one last goodbye to your friends from elsewhere, and be ready for the perhaps long drive home. You may have to go home, but you don't have to go home hungry.

SELF EVIDENT TRUTHS PROJECT
Sunday, June 19, 2016
1:00pm 3:30pm
Hi Ho Tavern
Self Evident Truths Project is a national photography campaign of 10,000 LGBT Americans from all fifty states. Creator and photographer, iO Tillett Wright explains the project in depth in her TED talk, Fifty Shades of Gay, but this short video explains what we're doing.
To date, iO has photographed over 9,500 people in 47 states and we are coming to Big Sky Pride on Sunday, June 19th! This is our only stop in Montana, so we want to represent big! This is the only chance to be in the project before it is complete.
Participation is completely free and is open to all ages (those under 18 will have to have a guardian sign the photo release form as well). We want all ages, identities, and backgrounds!