For their 4th annual event, Trans Joy Fest brought the community together across the twin ports to create some joy. Trans Joy Fest invited over 70 businesses and community resources to Park Point to celebrate the transgender community. Trans Northland hosts the event as it grows each year.

Throughout the day on Park Point, a full lineup of different performances by people who are transgender entertained people as they walked from booth to booth. The event focused on, as Sean Hayes, the co-founder of Trans Northland, said, “highlighting the wonderful contributions that transgender and non-binary and two-spirit folks bring here to the Northland.”

One of these booths was Free Mom Hugs. A nationwide organization that had volunteers from Superior and Duluth show some love to the attendees of the festival with hugs and high fives. One of the volunteers from the twin ports, Sheryl Filby Willaims, shared on what she was seeing as they embraced people for who they are.

“I mean, there’s some people that come in, they get a really big hug, they get teary,” Sheryl said. “Everybody needs a hug once in a while. And it’s something that’s free to give. It’s so easy to just show people that you, that you care about them.”

Despite a few showers throughout the day, the event continued as a celebration of all the diversity we have in our community with people just being themselves. For businesses or volunteers interested in joining the festival in 2026, you can get in contact with Trans Northland on their website.