Hancock – Pride Market

The 1st Annual Pride Market will be held at The Orpheum Theater in Hancock, MI, June 29th, 1pm-6pm. Market-goers will find things from the practical to the fanciful, such as soaps, fresh produce, stickers, crochet plushies, art prints, books, baskets, garments, and more. Everything at Pride Market was drawn, grown, sewn, crocheted, designed, written, or otherwise made by vendors, and features a full lineup of LGBTQIA+ makers and small businesses.

Pride Market is an expansion of successful past events organized by local artist Gray Kotila. Prior events, such as the 2021 Queer Artists Market held in the Rozsa Center on Michigan Tech University’s campus during the 41 North Film Festival and the Queer Pop-Up Shops held at Black Ice Comics & Books in Houghton each week during June of 2024, focused on uplifting and supporting queer creatives from the Upper Peninsula.

Organized this year by Gray Kotila and Sophie Hansen, Pride Market has expanded to nearly twenty vendors and welcomed many new creators, plus three farms, to the vendor lineup.

Kotila says of the event, “I’m so excited with the variety of what our amazing local vendors are bringing! Paired with the cool vibes of the Orpheum Theater and what 5th & Elm has to offer, this market feels like it’ll be a great outing for folks!” Hansen adds, “It’s exciting to see members of our community so ecstatic for Pride Market! It has been an absolute joy and honor to put together Pride Market with Gray, and I hope that everyone will have a great time! So what are you waiting for? Come say hi June 29th!”

All are invited to celebrate expressions of queer joy and experience what the local queer creators and small businesses bring to our community at large.