Abigail's Pride

Abigail's Pride is a small-town Pride festival in the Ortonville and Brandon Township area, started in 2022 by a Brandon High School student. The first event was held in downtown Ortonville, and later editions moved to a nearby park.

Abigail's Pride was founded by Abigail Rowe, who came out to her friends and family in late 2020 and started the organization in April 2021. At 14 she wanted to go to a Pride festival, but the big-city events were too far away, so she decided to bring one to Ortonville instead. Planning that first event turned Abigail's Pride into an official nonprofit, and it has since organized several events in town. Rowe graduated from Brandon High School in 2024 and continues to run the group while studying theater and public administration at Saginaw Valley State University.

The mission centers on LGBTQ+ youth and families in small, conservative towns. Organizers want young people to have a safe and healthy place to feel comfortable in who they are, and they aim to offer a fun, educational experience for neighbors who are still learning about the LGBTQ+ community. Early on, it became clear that many Ortonville families were looking for a family-focused Pride.

Looking ahead, the group hopes to keep hosting Pride events in Ortonville and to bring similar events to other small Michigan towns. A longer-term goal is an LGBTQ+ center where youth and teens could relax and find peer counseling and professional mental health care.

Youth Pride events are made for LGBTQ+ young people and their families, usually alcohol-free, with activities, performers and supportive community groups.

Abigail's Pride has included festival.

Abigail's Pride was first held in 2022.

The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet. The 2026 edition was cancelled. It usually falls june.