The state Capitol steps have been the site of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride events for more than 15 years, but Pride Weekend organizers anticipate this year's festivities will be extra special.
Michigan Pride spokeswoman Sarah Mieras expects at least 15,000 people - a 50-percent jump from last year - to attend a rally and commitment ceremony on Saturday, in addition to other events this weekend. The nonprofit organization hosts Lansing's festivities every year.
"Gay and lesbian marriage has been in the news a lot nationally - you can't get away from it," Mieras said. "It's fresh in people's minds."
The number of people pre-registered for the ceremony, which resembles a wedding, increased this year because of the attention drawn from the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, Mieras said. Pre-registration is not required for couples to participate, but is beneficial in planning.
The events begin on Friday with a comedy show at The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave., in Lansing. The celebration continues Saturday with an all-day festival at Riverfront Park, 300 Grand River Ave., in Lansing, featuring gay and lesbian musicians, more than 100 vendors and free HIV testing.
A march, rally and commitment ceremony will occur at the Capitol during the festival. After the festival, a dance party in the streets begins on the corner of Turner Street and Grand River Avenue in Lansing's Old Town.
As the lead singer of Millenary, a Lansing-based, indie-rock band playing at the festival, it will be Sarah Stollak's first time there as more than just a festivalgoer. She and another band member are lesbians, but the other group members are straight.
"I like to say we're more than a lesbian band - we're a gay-straight alliance," Stollak said.
Inspired when she attended pride events a few years ago, in Lansing, Stollak wrote a song about her experience in the crowd.
"It reminds me of the first day of summer - always warm, great weather, positive energy and lots of smiles," Stollak said. "It's a vacation because you're going somewhere and doing something fun with new people."
Besides meeting new people and celebrating their commonalties, volunteers of Michigan Pride and Michigan Equality, a nonprofit advocacy group, will be passing out cards which ask festivalgoers to address their concerns.
The cards ask people to put a check mark next to what he or she considers to be the most important issue: work place treatment, marriage rights, second parent adoption, school safety, housing discrimination, hate crime protection, domestic partner benefits or stopping anti-gay legislation.
The cards, with names and addresses, will be delivered to state legislators according to district.
"We knew we wanted to somehow harness the energy of our pride into a political action," said Penny Gardner, executive assistant of Michigan Equality. "Even being there - out and open - is political action, but this is taking it one step further - for people to be in touch with legislators."
Many are unaware of what they can and cannot do and what rights they are entitled, Mieras said.
"I've been fielding e-mails for the past week, and many do not have a clue that this isn't a legal marriage ceremony," Mieras said.
The state does not recognize same-sex marriages.
"The purpose of the rally is to educate the gay and lesbian community - make them active participants in the fight."
