🌱 Second Annual Lansing Pride Festival + Juneteenth Weekend Celebrate

Hi all. I'm here with your fresh copy of the Lansing-East Lansing Patch newsletter, full of all the local information you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Sunny and pleasant. High: 81 Low: 54.
• Sunday: Warm with plenty of sunshine. High: 85 Low: 59.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories in Lansing-East Lansing today:

1. For the second year in a row and the second time since its creation in 2021, local non-profit Lansing Pride will be putting on its annual Pride Festival celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to the 100+ vendors in the crowd, there will also be a drag show, drag queen story time, and a family area for kids' dance instructions. The festival is scheduled for today (Saturday, Jun. 17) from 1:00-10:00 p.m. in Old Town Lansing. (WKAR)
2. Another family has filed an intent to sue months following the tragic and deadly shooting that occurred at Michigan State University this past February. The family of Alexandria Verner joined other families that target the security on campus and especially in the building the shooting took place. According to paperwork and claims, the wooden doors in Berkley Hall where the shooting occurred did not properly lock, and the key card system to enter the building was deactivated before the shooting; there also have been complaints made that the university failed to remotely lock all the doors in the Hall and the Union. Deputy Spokesperson Dan Olsen stated his apologies once again for all those impacted by the incident, and that the university will continue to support the families of those affected. (WWMT-TV)
3. Both in Michigan and around the country, Thursday kicked off Juneteenth weekend and the celebration of history and freedom for African Americans. Lansing had its 30th annual Juneteenth celebration at Lansing Community College — just hours after the state governor signed the CROWN Act, which outlaws discrimination of natural hairstyles and textures. Thursday night also served as recognition for some future leaders, as nine students had their essays selected by the Juneteenth committee and received a shared $1,700 in scholarships and other prizes. (WLNS)

Today and tomorrow in Lansing-East Lansing:

Saturday, June 17

• Potter Park Zoo Volunteer Day At Potter Park Zoo (10:00 AM)
• 2023 Lansing Pride Festival At Old Town Lansing (1:00 PM)
• Live Music With Be Kind Rewind At Lansing Brewing Company (7:00 PM)

Sunday, June 18

• East Lansing Farmers Market At Valley Court Park (10:00 AM)
• Juneteenth All Community March & Celebration In East Lansing (11:00 AM)
• Sunday Makebreak: Woodburned Father's Day Keychain At Frandor Center (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• East Lansing Public Schools celebrated the amazing district principals who dedicated all their time and efforts to making sure the 2022-2023 school year was successful, and that the schools were both a safe space and a place of growth for students and staff. (ELPS via Facebook)
• The Lansing Parks and Recreation summer staff is finishing up the training and team bonding needed for a successful summer of work. The staff is excited to meet the first week of campers this coming Tuesday. (Lansing Parks and Recreation via Facebook)
• The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival is now only a week away! You can follow the link here for more information on the two-day festival, as well as who is included in the all-star lineup coming to downtown Lansing. (The City of East Lansing via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Building Wealth in Your 40s Webinar (June 26)

You're all caught up for today! I'll be in your inbox soon with a new update.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.