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BUCHANAN — June is Pride month and a local organization is getting ready to celebrate.

The Buchanan Area Senior Center Pride Committee is hosting the first Pride Event at The Common in Buchanan from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 25.

Presented by Cannavista Wellness, the concert event is free and open to all ages. The Pride Committee encourages readers to come and enjoy the music and the offerings of participating businesses. The program features the following musical performances:

• 5 pm: Wolf Ticket | Punk, alternative
• 6:30 pm: Ultrafab | Pop, dance
• 8:30 pm: DJ Chuck Fry | House, electronic

Buchanan Area Senior Center, a non-profit charitable organization, is a community focal point on  aging. The BASC offers programs and services that promote physical, social, and mental well-being, including exercise, recreation, crafts, Senior Nutrition Services, transport to medical appointments, food commodities, a Senior Community Garden and more. During the pandemic, older adults suffered isolation. According to the BASC, studies found that LGBTQ+ seniors suffered greater isolation as they are twice as likely to live alone, so it started a monthly LGBTQ+ social to build social connections and support. The group has grown and is organizing Buchanan’s first Pride event on The Common. 

The event aims to celebrate the historic achievements supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Buchanan and Michigan:

• In 2019, the cities of Saint Joseph and Buchanan were the first municipalities in Berrien County to add protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to their non-discrimination ordinance, in March and June respectively.
• In July, 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the protections, rights and freedoms afforded  to all Michiganders under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  
• In March, 2023, Governor Whitmer signed bi-partisan legislation that added sexual orientation and gender identity protections to the ELCRA. 

The concert event is presented by Cannavista Wellness, produced by the Buchanan Area Senior Center and sponsored by High Profile, Honor Credit Union, Pinnacle and Zen Leaf. There are also several participating businesses: Gustavsen Café, Union Coffeehouse, Blue Paw Pet Spa and Front Street Glassworks. 

In addition to Pride on The Common, more is happening in Buchanan to celebrate Pride this June: 

• Tin Shop Theater will be featuring a production of Larry Kramer’s play “The Normal Heart” June 9 through June 17, with more info at www.tinshoptheatre.org.  
• Café Italiano at the Sweet Shop, 205 E. Front Street, Buchanan, will be hosting a fundraiser for the  OutCenter from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 3. It will donate its profits from restaurant  sales for the day to the OutCenter in Benton Harbor. For more information, call (269) 406-8186 or  visit @BuchananSweetShop on Facebook. 

For more details on the event, sponsors, participating businesses and more, follow Buchanan Pride on Instagram and Facebook: @buchananmipride.