Organizers in Golden Valley hope to bring the first Pride Festival to the suburbs in 2016. City resident Peter Knaeble, City Council member Larry Fonnest, and a group of about a dozen have been working since last July to organize the event, the Sun-Post reports.

Knaeble believes the event will show that Golden Valley is not only welcoming but embracing.
Inspired to get the ball rolling, Knaeble took to social media.
He shared his idea on the city’s Facebook page hoping to find out if any of the site’s followers were interested in helping.
The first to respond?
Councilmember Larry Fonnest.

The planning committee has already gotten the blessing of the city’s Human Rights Commission as well as support from Twin Cities Pride. According to the human rights commission’s meeting minutes from December, organizers are shooting for an event at Brookview Park on June 12.

Golden Valley has the highest percentage of same-sex couples in the state, according to 2010 census data.

The Golden Valley Gay Pride Festival will add to a robust series of celebrations in Minnesota that include events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Rochester, Mankato, Pine City, St. Cloud, and Fargo-Moorhead.