Pride season has arrived in Portland, and HighNorth Mystique of Maine is celebrating in two ways this June: by sitting right in the middle of all the festivities, and by giving back to the community that makes this city so vibrant.
Right in the Heart of the Parade Route
This year’s Pride Portland! parade and festival take place on Saturday, June 20th, with the parade marching down Congress Street and the celebration continuing afterward at the historic Deering Oaks Park. If you’re heading downtown for the parade, a stop at HighNorth is easier than you think.Our Congress Street location (685 Congress St, Portland) sits directly along the parade corridor, making it the perfect stop before the floats roll through or right after the last one passes. Need to swing by closer to the festival grounds instead? Our Forest Avenue location (745 Forest Ave, Portland) is just minutes from Deering Oaks Park, putting it within easy reach of the post-parade festivities, live music, and vendor booths. Both stores are open their regular hours all weekend, so whether you’re marching, watching from the sidewalk, or settling in at the park for the afternoon, HighNorth has you covered before and after the celebration.Pair that with our South Portland location on Western Avenue, and the greater Portland area has multiple convenient HighNorth stops no matter where Pride takes you this weekend.Giving Back All Month Long: Our Round-Up Initiative
Convenience is only part of the story this June. For the entire month, every HighNorth Mystique of Maine location is offering customers the option to round up their transaction at checkout, with 100% of the proceeds donated directly to EqualityMaine.EqualityMaine is the state’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to building a fair and just society for LGBTQIA+ Mainers, working year-round on advocacy, education, and community programs that extend far beyond Pride Month itself. By rounding up your purchase, even by a few cents, you’re contributing directly to that ongoing work, and you don’t have to do anything extra. Just say yes when our team asks at checkout, and your spare change becomes part of something bigger.It’s a simple idea with real impact. Small contributions add up quickly across our locations, and every dollar raised goes toward EqualityMaine’s mission of creating equity and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ individuals and families across the state.How to Get Involved
There’s no extra planning required. If you’re already coming through Portland for the parade or festival, just make HighNorth part of your route. Round up at the register, grab what you need before heading to Congress Street or Deering Oaks Park, and know that your visit is doing double duty: supporting your day out and supporting a cause that matters.Want to make a direct donation instead, or learn more about EqualityMaine’s work? You can visit equalitymaine.org/donate any time. And if you’re still planning your Pride Portland weekend, head to prideportland.org for parade details, accessibility information, and the full festival schedule.From all of us at HighNorth Mystique of Maine: Happy Pride Month! We’re proud to be part of this community, proud to be a few steps from the parade route, and proud to give back all June long. Stop by our Portland locations this weekend, and let’s celebrate together.