Madison Pride and MAGIC Picnic
madison pride magic picnic yearly celebration lesbian gay bisexual transgender lgbt resident madison wisconsin version event wisconsin capitol pride outreach lgbt community center took major pride celebration madison wi remains main pride parade planning organization today event amalgamation two lgbt event originally separate distinct event pride march rally originally organized defunct galvanize organization lgbt group magic picnic started late rodney scheel owned operated hotel washington complex nightclub included establishment club dewash new bar rod barber closet etc community lost tragic fire picnic traditionally held third weekend july although shifted year avoid conflict regional gay event gay game picnic held second weekend july picnic traditionally held brittingham park junction park street west washington avenue madison acronym magic stand madison area gay interim committee also formed partially response anita bryants antigay campaign late searly magic picnic also closely associated local national gay volleyball league usually held tournament madison weekend magic picnic october madison resident pam jacobson tim obrien separately attending second national march washington lesbian gay right greatly inspired presence people assembled national mall upon returning madison jacobson explored possibility organizing local march began searching others help organize event time obrien also discussing idea organizing march mutual friend connected obrien jacobsen meeting resulted formation madison pride march committee first committee meeting name galvanize gay lesbian visibility alliance selected galvanizes existence group goal increase awareness number lesbian gay bisexual madison work civil right form coalition minority group madison galvanize held two major march gay lesbian civil right madison first held may second major march occurred ⁄ year later october official attendance estimate first march averaged people people second march scale roughly comparable number people attending many recordsetting madison civil right antiwar related march march accompanied several day associated event including concert workshop exhibition major portion name project aid memorial quilt event coordinated central committee approximately twenty member met weekly twice weekly period many month least dozen standing ad hoc committee everything made possible due individual contribution hundred volunteer many volunteering labor equivalent parttime even fulltime job event served catalyst dozen positive story lgbt people local medium opportunity highlight visible presence dozen lgbtsupportive community faith march also featured visible support local government official wide variety community nonprofit forprofit business formed foundation coalitionbuilding effort year come group working civil right social justice addition accompanying workshop incubator new organization addressing need changing community including workshop laid groundwork plus familiesstrong lesbian parent network subsequent parenting group rainbow family well galvanizing lgbt community effort around support lgbt youth associated advocacy effort school effort reach older lgbt adult diverse lgbt community city county already seen decade multiple pioneering successful openly lesbian gay candidate local office march also marked positive political effect including boosting effort level madison council dane county board pas legislation providing measure domestic partner benefit general successful organizing effort surrounded initial march also provided positive example madison lgbt community member could accomplish working together—laying groundwork political mobilization coalitionbuilding work would eventually lead election madison nation first openly lesbian congresswoman first march rally featured variety distinguished speaker including madison alderperson ricardo gonzalez nation first openly gay latinoamerican elected official state rep david clarenbach principal author wisconsin firstinthenation lgbt right law dane county supervisor tammy baldwin baldwin would later make state history wisconsin first openly lesbiangay member state legislature national history first successful nonincumbent openly gay lesbian candidate u congress second march rally included keynote speech urvashi vaid director national gay lesbian task force major march judged extremely successful measure human financial resource necessary continue produce ongoing series event scale proved prohibitive also explains part second major march occurred year first lgbt community leader believed annual event planned manageable scale collaboration group producing longstanding existing lgbtfocused summer event magic picnic would sustainable desirable many pride celebration nationwide occur last weekend june order coincide annual observance anniversary historic stonewall rebellion madison organizer decided compete popular celebration occurring nearby chicago minneapolisst paul weekend decided hold madison pride celebration several week later following march evolved traditional pride parade consolidated pride weekend pride weekend traditionally consists madison lgbt community center outreach annual dinner friday community leader ally receive recognition work university wisconsin–madison glbt alumnus breakfast saturday sunday morning also includes ceremony recognizing distinguished lgbt alumnus magic picnic saturday afternoon followed pride parade sunday morning repeat picnic sunday afternoon last madison pride magic picnic related event madison celebration called wisconsin capitol pride occurred saturday august sunday august th anniversary year pride pride committee honored contribution founder madison first major march described asking serve parade marshal pride took place alliant energy center willow island saw end organization nightclub plan b successor club prism created festival community run july national pride month focus music fruit fest continues day late outreach lgbt community center gathered lgbt social group business madison wi help pride celebration become strong event community august first outreach pride parade made way willimason st capitol square culminating rally music event took shape august time returning pride parade route state st madison pride parade returned august outreach hosted annual pride parade madison last two year outreach pride parade year bigger last due ongoing conflict city various reason pride parade discontinued magic picnic resurrected festival first ever outreach magic festival pride celebration held august crowd warner park outreach plan continue model future parade concept completely finished future air moment outreach remains main successor magic picnic madison pride orgs