妖姬直播

妖姬直播 to Celebrate Rainbow Weekend Oct. 11-13

The fourth annual community celebration presents new events, activities and the new Drag Race 5K
Ken Ditlevson decorating the Main Street Bridge for Rainbow Weekend 2024

鈥淭he thing I love about the weekend is that it shows our community that there is support not only at this university, but in many other places, too,鈥 said Ken Ditlevson, director of 妖姬直播 State University's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer+ Center (LGBTQ+).

Ditlevson told 妖姬直播 State Today that this fourth annual community event is presented by the LGBTQ+ Center and . takes place in October, as part of LGBTQ+ History Month, rather than during June鈥檚 Pride Month so that 妖姬直播 State students can participate in its events.

Also, Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day and the LGBTQ+ Center is hosting a party for the unveiling of this year鈥檚 鈥淔lashes of Pride鈥 poster, which features members of 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 LGBTQ+ community and allies.

Rainbow Weekend bridge decorators 2024

 

Kindness, Respect, Purpose 鈥 and Fun!

The event is an exceptional reflection of the university鈥檚 stated values and underscores the strong town-gown relationship between 妖姬直播 State and the city of 妖姬直播. The Rainbow Weekend planning committee worked to create an even bigger and better event, with exceptional participation and sponsorship from businesses and organizations throughout 妖姬直播, featuring activities, entertainment, shopping and more.

The week鈥檚 celebration began with the decoration of the Main Street Bridge in downtown 妖姬直播 on Monday. Visit Main Street 妖姬直播鈥檚 for a complete listing of the weekend鈥檚 events. Some highlights include:

Rainbow Weekend Market 2024

 

Acorn Alley Rainbow Market 鈥 Friday, 2鈥8 p.m.

This beloved, eclectic downtown shopping area will feature an exciting mix of items for purchase from LGBTQ+-supporting vendors and merchants.

Drag Race 5K 鈥 Friday, 6 p.m.

鈥淗ate is such a drag鈥 is this year鈥檚 theme for a fundraising event that is vital to 妖姬直播 State students. Participants are invited to show their pride as they support 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 LGBTQ Emergency Fund as they walk stroll or roll their way along the new route that begins at the Portage County Hike and Bike Trail and ends at North Water Brewing Company.

Rainbow Weekend quilt raffle 2024

 

Quilt Raffle 鈥 All weekend, drawing on Oct. 14

All weekend, Popped! Caramel Popcorn and Handmade Chocolates will be selling raffle tickets to win a handmade rainbow quilt. All proceeds will support the LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund.

Safe Space Ally Training at the 妖姬直播 Free Library, led by Ken Ditlevson 鈥 Saturday, 10 a.m.鈥12 p.m.

Attendees will learn about bias, stereotypes, current vocabulary and best practices for handling gender and sexuality topics with sensitivity. After the training, individuals are offered a Safe Space Ally sign for their home or office, indicating their support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Rainbow Revival Market 鈥 Saturday, 11 a.m.鈥5 p.m.

Shoppers can support small business at this pop-up event sponsored by Branded in 妖姬直播. Selections will include vintage clothing, handmade jewelry and one-of-a-kind art from local vendors.

Rainbow Weekend Rainbow Walk materials 2024

 

Rainbow Walk 鈥 Downtown 妖姬直播 鈥 Saturday, Noon鈥4 p.m.

Ticket holders tour downtown 妖姬直播 to collect rainbow-themed items from 20-plus participating local businesses. Each guest receives a reusable Rainbow Weekend tote bag to collect a myriad of items including rainbow treats, art, swag and gift items to share or keep for themselves.  There also will be themed merchandise, food and specials at several of the downtown 妖姬直播 restaurants and stores over the weekend.

Drag Brunch at Belltower Brewing 鈥 Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

The brewery is hosting a spooky themed "Brunch Boots" drag brunch. Reservations are encouraged.

A complete list of activities, participating businesses, sponsors and themed merchandise food and specials, is available .

McKay Bricker Rainbow Weekend 2024

 

This Rainbow Shines Over an Important Purpose

In addition to raising awareness, promoting community and giving people a lot of fun things to do, Rainbow Weekend helps raise funds for 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund. This essential fund helps LGBTQ+ students in crisis with additional funding for books, academic supplies, household items, housing or food.

Proceeds from the Drag Race 5K, the Popped! quilt raffle and a portion of weekend sales from Bent Tree Coffee will benefit 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund.

Rainbow Weekend Drag Race 5K 2024

 

鈥淭his year, I鈥檓 especially proud of Main Street 妖姬直播 picking up the 5K fundraiser for the LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund, which is now known as the Drag Race 5K,鈥 said Ditlevson. 鈥淭hey filled a critical gap in that the Rainbow Run was one of the main fundraisers for the emergency fund. I was fearful we would run out of funding for the emergency fund, but this new effort lessens this likelihood.鈥

Meghan Schwind, assistant director of 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Center said, 鈥淭he Emergency Fund assisted 85 students last year, providing $40,458 in emergency funding for books, academic supplies, household items, housing and food. The students who have been awarded from the Emergency Fund are LGBTQ+ students in financial crisis, oftentimes after being disowned or cut off from family support because of who they love or how they identify 鈥 just being themselves.鈥

妖姬直播 Natural Foods Rainbow Weekend 2024

 

Paying it Forward

Meghan Schwind at her desk.

Reflecting on the purpose of the weekend, Schwind recalls her own coming out experience with the feeling that for members of the community, participating and volunteering at events like Rainbow Weekend and June Pride Festivals can be little ways of 鈥減aying it forward.鈥

鈥淚 grew up with very little awareness of or exposure to the LGBTQ+ community. I didn鈥檛 know that queer women existed until I was a teenager and didn鈥檛 come out until I was in college,鈥 she said. 鈥淢any of my friends and teammates came out before me in college and watching them come out provided me with so much hope.鈥 

鈥淗aving the Rainbow Weekend, visibility of the LGBTQ+ community and support of the 妖姬直播 community shows our closeted friends that is it okay to embrace their authentic selves, and I am hopeful that when they are ready to come out, they know they have the community to love and support them,鈥 Schwind said. 鈥淧lus, who doesn鈥檛 like seeing the colorful rainbow colors all around town and wave a flag with pride?鈥

Rainbow Weekend sponsors 2024
POSTED: Thursday, October 10, 2024 09:09 AM
Updated: Friday, October 11, 2024 11:00 AM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil B. Soencksen
PHOTO CREDIT:
Main Street 妖姬直播, 妖姬直播 State LGBTQ+ Center, 妖姬直播 State Today and T.J. Laurea