>> CATHY: JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH AND LOTS OF CELEBRATIONS ARE PLANNED.

THE SAINT PAUL PRIDE FESTIVAL WILL BE GOING ON ALL DAY TOMORROW IN DOWNTOWN SAINT PAUL.

SATURDAY.

AND LATER THIS MONTH THE THREE-DAY TWIN CITIES PRIDE FESTIVAL WILL TAKE PLACE IN AND AROUND LORING PARK IN MINNEAPOLIS.

BUT THERE IS SOME TALK THAT THE FESTIVAL, WHICH DRAWS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MAY BE LOOKING FOR A BIGGER SPACE TO HOLD THE EVENT IN THE FUTURE.

ANDI OTTO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TWIN CITIES PRIDE.

WELCOME TO "ALMANAC."

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: LORING PARK, GOSH, I MEAN, PRIDE'S BEEN THERE SINCE, WHAT, '72?

DIDN'T IT START AT LORING PARK?

>> IT DID, YEAH.

IT DID.

>> Cathy: SO WHY LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT PLACE?

IT'S BEEN THERE SO LONG.

>> I KNOW.

WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT FACTORS.

AND I WOULD SAY, EVERY YEAR WE LOOK AT IT AND UNDERSTAND LOGISTICALLY HOW THE YEAR PREVIOUSLY WENT.

THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS.

ONE, WE ARE GROWING.

THIS YEAR WE'RE ANTICIPATING ON SEEING OVER 600,000 PEOPLE IN A 34-ACRE PARK.

AND, SO, WE'VE DONE SOME THINGS LIKE EXPAND TO THE SCULPTURE GARDEN ACROSS HE WAY TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON, AND PART OF THAT IS IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A FESTIVAL OR ANY SORT OF EVENT IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS.

>> Cathy: WHY IS THAT?

IS IT SECURITY COSTS?

OR WHAT?

>> IT'S SOME SECURITY COSTS, SOME PERMIT COSTS.

AND THINGS OF THAT THAT JUST KIND OF COME INTO PLAY.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT EVERY PARADE BOARD YOU SEE, EVERY CONE YOU SEE, EVERY HOOD ON A METER, WE PAY OR.

>> Eric: THAT 600 PLUS VENDORS, I THINK, THIS YEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> Eric: WHAT'S NEW?

FOR INSTANCE, THE YOUTH HIDEAWAY, WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> WHEN I BECAME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO FOCUS ON WAS OUR YOUTH.

THEY'RE UP AND COMING, BUT THEY'RE ALSO BEING TARGETED.

AND, SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO WAS CREATE A SPACE WHERE, IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE AT PRIDE.

SO THIS IS A SPACE THAT THEY CAN BE AUTHENTICALLY THEMSELVES.

THAT IS ADULT FREE.

SO THEY HAVE ARTS, CRAFTS, GAMES, ND A LITTLE STAGE TO HAVE THEM DO WHATEVER IT IS THEY WANT TO DO IN A GENDER-AFFIRMING WARDROBE, MAYBE THEY WANT SOMETHING MORE COMFORTABLE TO BE IN.

ALL OF THAT IS FREE TO THEM, IT JUST GIVES THEM A SPACE TO BE AUTHENTIC.

>> Cathy: I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OU THINK ARE GOING TO BE HERE THIS YEAR.

IS THERE A REASON FOR 600,000 PEOPLE AT LEAST?

>> WELL, EVERY YEAR WE GROW.

THAT'S JUST NATURAL KIND OF THING THAT HAPPENS.

THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT FACTORS.

ONE, PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE BECAUSE WE'RE SAFE IN MINNESOTA.

AND WE HAVE -- WE ARE NOW A TRANS REFUGE STATE.

SO THAT IS ONE REASON.

THE OTHER REASON, MISS TAYLOR SWIFT IS IN TOWN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

SO, SHE BRINGS A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH HER.

>> Eric: WHAT'S THE STATUS OF CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT?

YOU KNOW, TARGET GOT NTO SOME CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHERE IT WAS PLACING MERCHANDISE IN ITS STORES AND SO FORTH AND HAS PULLED BACK.

ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE A PRESENCE, FOR INSTANCE?

>> YOU KNOW, I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH THE C LEVEL EXECS AT TARGET AND I GAVE THEM THE OPTION TO BAIL OUT.

TARGET HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD PARTNER FOR US FOR MANY MANY YEARS AND THEY ASKED ME MY OPINION.

AND MY OPINION WAS, I THINK YOU SHOULD COME AND FACE THE COMMUNITY THAT RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR ACTIONS.

AND, SO, TARGET, LIKE THE TRUE PARTNER THAT THEY ARE, AGREED TO DO.

THAT AND, SO, TARGET WILL BE THERE.

THEY'RE READY TO HEAR THE BACK STORY OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THE COMMUNITY FEELS.

BUT WE'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN MINNESOTA, RIGHT?

EVERYBODY KNOWS EITHER SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT TARGET OR THEY'VE WORKED AT THAT ARE GET THEMSELVES.

SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE, WHY WE'RE DISAPPOINTED IN TARGET'S ACTIONS, WE STILL HAVE A LOVE OF TARGET.

>> Cathy: SO LET'S GO BACK TO POSSIBLY MOVING PRIDE MAYBE NEXT YEAR, WHENEVER.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

I MEAN, STATE FAIRGROUNDS, WHERE WOULD BE A LARGER AREA WHERE YOU COULD SPREAD OUT?

>> I KNOW, ISN'T THAT THE QUESTION?

SO, YES, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS, MULTIPLE TIMES.

IT'S A UNIQUE VENUE WHERE THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY THERE.

AND PREPARED.

AND WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

>> Cathy: AND PARKING.

>> AND PARKING, YES.

WE ALL KNOW PARKING, BEST THING ABOUT PARKING IN LORING IS THAT IF YOU GRAB A BUS, YOU CAN RIDE IT FREE DOWNTOWN TO LORING PARK.

>> Eric: AND DECISION ON THAT WILL BE MADE, I SUPPOSE, WHAT, EARLY NEXT YEAR, END OF THIS YEAR?

>> DECEMBER, JANUARY IS WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.

>> Eric: APPRECIATE YOU