Twin Cities Pride organizer aims to bring joy, safety to festival this weekend

Twin Cities Pride returns this weekend with the annual festival in Loring Park and parade in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday. Over the past 53 years, the festival has grown to attract thousands of people to come see performers, check out vendors, and celebrate with friends and family. This year's celebration comes during a challenging moment for many LGBTQ+ people, with ongoing political battles over transgender rights nationwide. Andi Otto is the executive director of Twin Cities Pride. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about this year's festivities and what holding a pride celebration means in 2026.