Badger pride on display at picnic

Students, faculty members and others gathered at the Pride Picnic on Library Mall on June 26 to spin a wheel for pride-themed prizes, pose for photos in rainbow-colored Terrace chairs and enjoy tasty boxed lunches. But most of all, they gathered to talk with friends and feel the strength and support of the LGBTQ+ community on campus. The event was coordinated by the Gender & Sexuality Campus Center, Wisconsin Alumni Association and their Rainbow Affinity Group.

A sign advertises the Pride Picnic as people walk in the background.

Participants enjoyed activities such as watercolor painting with Wheelhouse Studios, spinning a wheel for prizes and a boxed lunch. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Attendees Olivia Kossel, Melissa Heilman, Katie Peters and Jill Heilman (front left to back right) enjoy watercolor painting with Wheelhouse Studios. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Pete Buscaino, advisor with Outdoor UW, enjoys watercolor painting. Photo by: Bryce Richter

People sit on a sunny lawn, eat and talk. It's a picnic.

Attendees enjoy a sunny afternoon sitting outside during the annual Pride Picnic. Photo by: Bryce Richter

A man in front of a colorful spinning wheel hands out prizes.

Pasha Thao, program manager with the UW Alumni Association, hands out prizes to attendees at the WAA: Rainbow Affinity Group booth. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Two women sit in two chairs in a row of colorfully painted chairs.

Dean of Students Christina Olstad (left) and Fernie Rodriquez (right), associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs, relax in rainbow-painted Memorial Union Terrace chairs. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Makenzie McBryde , customer relations coordinator with the Wisconsin Alumni Association, hands out prizes such as t-shirts to attendees at the WAA: Rainbow Affinity Group booth. Photo by: Bryce Richter

Three people lounge on rainbow colored chairs.

GSCC staff member Alberto Santiago Ferreiras, Warren Scherer and Katherine Charek Briggs take a break to pose for a photo at the Pride Picnic. Photo by Eric Baillies

Two people sit on colorful chairs, and hug each other arm in arm.

Lucas Lee (left) and Eric Haag (right) have a photo taken while sitting in a row of rainbow-painted Memorial Union Terrace chairs. Photo by: Bryce Richter