Minnesota
Here’s how to celebrate Pride Month 2024 in the Twin Cities and around Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — June is Pride Month, and there are lots of activities to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the Twin Cities and around Minnesota.
Below is your guide to some of the highlights of the Pride Month festivities, followed by a more comprehensive list:
June 1: Cheers to Pride
When: June 1
Locations: You can find a list of participating locations here.
Cheers to Pride is the official kick-off to Pride month. Raise a glass, grab a snack, or get energized with some coffee for the start of Pride month at participating locations. A portion of your purchase will go to Rainbow Circle — an organization that promotes inclusivity, provides support, and organizes to celebrate diversity.
Click here for more information.
June 1: Youth Pride
When: June 1, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Location: Como Midway Picnic Pavillion, 1199 Midway Parkway, St. Paul
Youth Pride, which is put on by the Minnesota School Outreach Coalition, is a free event for LGBTQIA+ youth between the ages of 13 and 22. The event will feature activities, games, entertainers, food from local businesses, and photo booths.
Click here for more information.
June 9: Trans Joy Fest
When: June 9, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Park Point, Duluth
The third annual Trans Joy Fest will have more than 40 performers, a free clothing exchange, kids activities, and a silent auction.
Click here for more information.
June 15: St. Paul Pride Parade and Festival
When: June 15, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Where: Lowertown to Rice Park
St. Paul’s Pride parade will start at The Bulldog Lowertown at 10 a.m. and proceed to Rice Park, where the festival will take place.
Click here for more information.
June 21: Telling Queer History
When: June 21, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis
Storytellers will present LGBTQIA+ stories of resistance, love, and identity formation. The event is part of the return of the 2023 exhibit Going Out, Coming In: LGBTQ+ Spaces in Downtown Mineapolis.
Click here for more information.
June 23: Twin Cities Pride Family Fun Day
When: June 23, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Como Park East Pavillions, St. Paul
The free event is open to all families, and will feature crafts, a Minnesota Twins kids baseball clinic, fun activities, and appearances by Minnesota mascots.
Click here for more information.
June 29-30: Twin Cities Pride Festival and Parade
When: June 29-June 30
Where: Loring Park, Minneapolis
The second largest festival in Minnesota, the Twin Cities Pride Festival will have LGBTQIA+ entertainment on 4 stages, feature 650 vendors, including LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community resources, artists, and businesses. The parade will take place from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on June 30 and will start at Third Street and Hennepin Avenue.
Click here for more information.
June 29: Minneapolis People’s Pride
When: June 29, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis
People’s Pride in a non-corporate alternative pride event for Minneapolis. There will be free food, and admission is free.
Click here for more information.
Other events around Minnesota
Twin Cities
- Burnsville Pride: June 1, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Queer Equity Casino Night: June 1, 7 pm. – 11 p.m.
- Queer Me Out 2024 Panel Discussion: June 4, 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Hastings Pride Festival: June 8, 11 a.m.
- Golden Valley Pride: June 8, 12 pm. – 6 p.m.
- MN POC Kickback Day Party: June 15, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Hopkins Pride: June 15, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Twin Cities Pride Grand Marshal Reception: June 15, 5:30 p.m.
- Gender Affirming Clothing Swap at Hopkins Library: June 16, 1 p.m.
- Twin Cities Pride Youth Night: June 28, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Pride Beer Dabbler: June 28, 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- “Going Out, Coming In” Walking Tour: June 29, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Twin Cities Pride Rainbow Run 5k & Kid’s Rainbow Dash: June 30, 9 a.m.
Greater Minnesota
A new state evaluation found Minnesota’s voter registration system mostly works as intended, but some counties did not update their records accurately.
On Wednesday, the Office of the Legislative Auditor published a summary of new voter registration applications submitted in the summer and fall of 2024. The findings stated counties processed 96% of new applications within the legal time frames, but struggled to process applications when recieved within 20 days of an election.
The report also said counties did not always update voter registration records as required by law when the Office of the Secretary of State flagged possible disqualifying conditions, such as incarceration. Counties sent required notices within 10 days to 84% of registered voters whose incarceration or guardianship challenges they removed.
The report goes on to say counties followed the identity verification process correctly for 99.9% of applicants and followed the residency verification process correctly for 99% of applicants. But among applicants counties manually reviewed for residency, counties either inaccurately assigned voter statuses or failed to document their rationale in more than one-third of the cases reviewed.
The Secretary of State maintains the Statewide Voter Registration System, while counties are responsible for creating and maintaining their own voter registration records. As of January of 2026, nearly 3.8 million people were registered to vote in Minnesota.
Top officials respond
Reaction to the report from Minnesota leaders has been mixed, with some top Republicans saying Secretary of State Steve Simon is to blame for inactive voters being left on voter rolls.
However, Simon’s takeaway from the evaluation was mostly positive, saying, “the report found our office has established the appropriate procedures for counties and that counties have performed their work with a nearly perfect record of accuracy.”
Cory Kampf, president of the Minnesota Association of County Officers, said counties generally agreed with the recommendations but asked for more context. He added voter residency was verified in 99% of applications, following the correct processes.
Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and Leader Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, full statement reads: “This voter registration audit exposes major loopholes in our system, including the thousands of votes that were allowed to register and cast a ballot on Election Day but couldn’t be verified as legal voters. It also showed that the Secretary of State does not follow the law for inactive voters, choosing to leave voters on the rolls years after they should have been deactivated. These are major problems that need to be addressed. Integrity in elections is paramount, and Minnesotans deserve certainty that only legal voters are deciding our elections.”
Minnesota
Minnesota Looks to Add 1,100 Child Care Slots, With Melrose Among the 11 Funded Communities
UNDATED (WJON News) — The city of Melrose is one of 11 communities and organizations sharing in the latest round of child care grants.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has announced more than $1.4-million in child care economic development grants that will create more than 1,100 new child care slots across the state.
DEED says more than 80% of the money is slated for outstate Minnesota.
Commissioner Matt Varilek says the grants help working families by ensuring parents are able to work. It also helps employers retain talent and establish the foundation for long-term economic vitality.
Since the program’s start in July 2023, DEED has awarded more than $13-million in grants to 56 organizations to fund child care startups and business expansions.
25 Board Games That We All Played in the ’70s
From well-known favorites like Clue to cult classics like Masterpiece, these 1970s board games bring a wave of nostalgia for a time when life felt simpler — and maybe even a little more exciting.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
LOOK: The Best Car Ads of the 1970s in One Nostalgic Gallery
From the Pinto to the Civic, get ready to relive the days of manual windows and two-door wagons as we flip through some of the most iconic car print ads from 1970s magazines.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
Summer Vacation in the ’80s: These Nostalgic Photos Say It All
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
Minnesota
Where to watch Cleveland Guardians vs Minnesota Twins: TV channel, start time, streaming for July 9
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
The MLB action continues on Thursday as the Cleveland Guardians visit the Minnesota Twins.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Cleveland Guardians vs Minnesota Twins?
First pitch between the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 9.
How to watch Cleveland Guardians vs Minnesota Twins on Thursday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: CLE at MIN
- Date: Thursday, July 9
- Time: 1:40 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Target Field
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV: Guardians.TV and Twins.TV
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for July 9 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
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