Who we are
More than
one day
a year.
Austin, MN Pride is a volunteer-run LGBTQIA2S+ organization in Mower County. We throw a free festival every fall, yes, but we are here the other 364 days too: coffee hours, karaoke, book clubs, and the steady work of making a small city a place where everyone belongs.
Why we exist
Love is at the root of everything we do. We're here so every LGBTQIA2S+ person in Austin can live openly and fully as their most authentic self.
Our mission
An inclusive community where LGBTQIA2S+ people and allies feel valued and empowered, through education, resources, and affirming spaces.
Our vision
Equity, visibility, and belonging for all, celebrated out loud.
What we stand for
Five values, lived out loud
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01
Love & Inclusion
Spaces that welcome all, with a real commitment to safety and recognition.
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02
Authenticity
Celebrating individual journeys with radical acceptance and unwavering support.
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03
Community & Connection
Building relationships through events, gathering, and advocacy.
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04
Education & Growth
Fostering understanding through honest dialogue and educational initiatives.
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05
Respect & Empowerment
Honoring diverse experiences so everyone can thrive without fear.
How we got here
Too loud to stay gone.
Austin is the seat of Mower County, a working city of about 26,000 in southern Minnesota. A visible Pride here has never been a given. It is something neighbors built, let go of, and chose to build again.
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2021
A first foothold
Austin's earliest visible Pride: a Pride pavilion at the 4th Avenue Fest. Small, public, and a sign of what was coming.
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2022
Pride comes to Austin
The city's Human Rights Commission hosts Austin's first community Pride at the Cedar River Farmers Market: a small, joyful day.
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2023
A second year, downtown
Pride returns for a second year, this time downtown at the Justice Center Pavilion.
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2024
A quiet year
The festival goes dark. Momentum built over those first years could have ended right there.
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2025
We bring it back
A volunteer crew revives Pride at Bandshell Community Park around one rallying idea: putting the unity back in community. More than 70 booths, two stages, and the biggest turnout yet. The work no longer fits a single day, so coffee hours, karaoke, and a queer book club fill the rest of the year.
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2026
Here to stay
Austin, MN Pride becomes a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, now around 30 organizers strong. The free festival returns Saturday, October 10, 2026. And the mission keeps growing past one day a year: a rainbow wardrobe, gender-affirming haircuts with local salons, and new statewide allies like Gender Justice.
The people
Meet the team
Austin, MN Pride is powered entirely by local volunteers, with no paid staff. Meet the founding board that keeps it running, with more of the crew joining as we grow.
Founding Board of Directors
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Committee & volunteers
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- Events Coordinator Name coming soon
Some of these seats are still open. If you want a hand in shaping Pride here, find your way in or email the team.
In good company
We don't do this alone
Pride here is a group effort. These local and statewide partners host our events, share resources, and help make Mower County a place where everyone belongs.
Community partners
Where we gather
Interested in sponsoring or partnering with us? Let's talk.
All voices, all vibes, all welcome
Find your people.
However you found us, you belong here. Come to an event, lend a hand, or help keep Pride free for everyone.
