Celebrate Pride: Out in MAPSO Returns This June!

Join us for a month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ identity, visibility, and community in Maplewood and South Orange.

Out in MAPSO Returns: A Month-Long Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Pride

Maplewood, NJ – The vibrant celebration of LGBTQIA+ identity, visibility, and community is back! Out in MAPSO returns this June, promising a month filled with events that honor the spirit of pride and inclusivity in Maplewood and South Orange.

The 2025 calendar is packed with exciting activities, including the annual Equality March, Youth Pride Picnic, Lavender Graduation, Big Queer Youth Prom, and the NJ Pride Festival. Residents can also look forward to family-friendly events like pickleball tournaments and theater performances throughout the month.

The festivities will officially kick off on Sunday, June 1, with the MAPSO Equality March and a Pride flag-raising ceremony at Maplewood Town Hall, followed by the beloved Youth Pride Picnic.

“The opening day march signals the start of our local pride month festivities and is rooted in the resistance and resilience of the LGBTQ+ liberation movement,” said Andrea Teutli, Manager of the Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture.

Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams echoed this sentiment, stating, “Maplewood proudly reaffirms our commitment to equality, inclusion, and the celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community — whose strength and spirit help define who we are. Join us at this year’s events as we stand together in love, pride, and solidarity.”

A coalition of partners, including North Jersey Pride, the South Orange-Maplewood School District, and the NJ Safe Schools Coalition, will host events throughout the month, ensuring a diverse range of activities for all ages.

Township Committee Member Dean Dafis, the first LGBTQ+ elected official in Maplewood, emphasized the importance of unity this year. “It’s especially critical to come together in celebration and protest, with pride and renewed commitment toward LGBTQIA+ inclusion, equality, and safety — here at home and everywhere,” he said.

Former Maplewood-South Orange School Board Member Shannon Cuttle, who made history as the first transgender elected official to serve as a New Jersey delegate to the Democratic convention, praised the Lavender Graduation. “All students deserve welcoming, inclusive, safe schools, where they feel seen, heard, and welcomed,” they said. “Lavender Graduation is a time to celebrate joy, resilience, and milestones. I want all LGBTQIA+ youth to know that — You matter. You are loved. You belong. You are not alone.”

The full lineup of events for Out in MAPSO 2025 includes:

• Sunday, June 1: MAPSO Equality March and Pride flag-raising ceremony
• Friday, June 6: [Event details to be announced]
• Sunday, June 8: [Event details to be announced]
• Tuesday, June 10: [Event details to be announced]
• Friday, June 13: [Event details to be announced]
• Saturday, June 14: [Event details to be announced]
• Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20: [Event details to be announced]

For more information on the events, which will be continually updated, visit Out in MAPSO’s web page.

Join the community this June as Maplewood and South Orange come together to celebrate love, pride, and solidarity in the LGBTQIA+ community!