Q-Quest

Q-Quest is an event for Queer & Trans and Allied youth across Minnesota and our neighboring states. It is an opportunity for LGBTQIA2S+ youth to enjoy workshops, activities, conversation, and art with other youth in community. While we have hosted Q-Quest for years and years, the locations, details, and turnout have changed drastically over time. We have outgrown many of the previous spaces that we used, and are how hosting it annually at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The growth that we have seen in this event, which now provides programming to over 1,000 youth each year, provides us not only with tremendous pride, but also assures us of the needs of our events and others like it. We hope you can join us!

Q-Quest 2024 was a smashing success! This year we welcomed over 1,000 participants to our event over 2 days. We hosted workshops, affinity spaces, and hours of entertainment. Students visited tables of various organizations throughout the community, and were able to connect with students from all over the state.

Visit us again soon to get more details about Q-Quest 2025!

Q-Quest 2024

Volunteer

Q-Quest is coordinated by a team of people who work for many different LGBTQIA2+ youth serving organizations in Minnesota. Volunteers are needed to coordinate the event, present workshops, host workshops, and participate as vendors representing their organizations. 

Tabling and Sponsorship

Q-Quest is made possible by tabling fees and sponsorships from generous allied organizations. These funds go toward event space rental, paying our entertainers, as well as providing safety and accessibility at the event.

Workshops

As a youth conference, workshops are one of the main purposes of the day. We rely on youth workers, educators, community organizations, and local artists to present on topics that our youth are most craving information about.

Frequently Asked Questions About Q-Quest

  • Q-Quest is a conference for young people that offers entertainment, education, and community building opportunities for everyone. Attendees can anticipate talented entertainers like drag performers, DJs, and more. Attendees will also have numerous opportunities to attend workshops on topics varying from interactive art experiences, to information surrounding gender transition, to healthy relationships lessons. Here is a short list of workshops that have been offered at the event in the past.

    Note that this list may not be representative of actual offerings at the next event, but is rather an example of the style of workshops that we provide: Sex Education Q&A, HMong Hand-tying Blessing Ceremony, From the Inside Out: Spotlight on Mental Health, Creating Consent Culture, The Love Yourself Workshop, Real Talk (with other people’ s parents), Movement to Embody your Power!, Queer Science! Learn About Being Queer in STEM, LGBTQIA+ History, Navigating Relationships: Healthy and Unhealthy Signs, Scrolling Safely, Mindfulness & Centering

    Finally, the conference has no shortage of opportunities to connect with other young people. Throughout the day, students are welcomed and encouraged to connect with their peers during lunch, at workshops, and while exploring resource tables.

  • Registration is done using an online form that you can find in our Get Ready for Q-Quest section once registration opens. You do not need to supply the names of the students attending, simply the number of students and chaperones that you believe will come to the event. You can always register another round of students if more show interest. Please keep in mind that there is a maximum number of students that can attend, as well as a student:chaperone ratio that is enforced.

  • Students are required to be chaperoned during the event. They may either register with their participating school, or they can come with a parent or other guardian. Although students may attend workshops without their chaperone, students may not be present at the event without an adult.

  • Absolutely! Although we’d love for your group to stay the entire time, we understand that bussing schedules and other barriers can get in the way. We’d always prefer for you to come to part of the event than none at all. Your group can feel free to arrive whenever you can in the morning/leave whenever you need at the end of the day. Please note however, that people are not welcomed to come and go freely during the event.

  • The event has a suggested donation price each year. However, scholarship tickets are always available, and can be selected for any reason. The event is funded through a combination of ticket fees, donations, fundraising, tabling fees, and grants.

  • Safety is MNSOC’s highest priority when it comes to planning events for our LGBTQIA+ young people. We take very seriously that LGBTQIA+ young people have an increased risk of harassment and violence, and we do everything in our power to ensure the safety of participants at our events. Below are a few examples of actions that we take to increase safety at our events:

    The Convention Center has a security team present at the event

    A maximum student:chaperone ratio is enforced during registration

    Students are not permitted to leave the event during the day

    All volunteers at the event undergo a background check

    All adults present at the event are accounted for during check-in

    Photography that includes the faces of minors is prohibited

Thank you to our 2024 Q-Quest Sponsors!