The spirit of Pride is alive and well in the suburbs and beyond this June. Outside of the city, LGBTQ+ communities are organizing parades, parties and powerful moments of visibility.
Windy City Times, Chicago’s LGBTQ+ publication, rounded up dozens of Pride Month events taking place near Chicago. For the most up-to-date listing, you can also visit their website and browse their Pride Guide.
- Evanston Pride Car Parade: June 1. Festivities and car-decorating starts at 11 a.m. Parade launches at 1 p.m. sharp. Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston.
- Lombard Pride Fest: June 1. Noon-3 p.m. First Church of Lombard UCC, 220 S. Main St., Lombard.
- Buffalo Grove Family-Friendly Pride Parade: June 1 at 11 a.m. Deerfield Parkway from Route 83 to Buffalo Grove Road, and Buffalo Grove Road from Deerfield Parkway to Aptakisic in Buffalo Grove.
- Buffalo Grove Pride Picnic: June 1 from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mike Rylko Community Park, 951 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove.
- St. Charles Pride Fest: June 2 from 4-6 p.m. Municipal Building front parking lot, 2 E. Main St., St. Charles.
- Out at Bobby’s: Pride Month Kick Off Happy Hour: June 5 from 5-8 p.m. Bobby’s Eastside, 7321 Madison St., Forest Park.
- Pride in Park Ridge: June 5 from 5-8 p.m. 505 Butler Place, Park Ridge.
- Highwood Pridefest: Fierce & Fabulous: June 6 from 7-11 p.m. The Toadstool Pub, 327 Waukegan Ave., Highwood.
- Out in the Burbs: June 7 from noon-10 p.m. Downtown Oak Park along Marion Street from Lake to North Boulevard.
- Des Plaines Community Pride Celebration: June 7 from 1-5 p.m. Christ Church UCC – Des Plaines, 1492 Henry Ave., Des Plaines.
- Downers Grove PrideFest: June 7 from noon-3 p.m. Fishel Park, 1036 Grove St., Des Plaines.
- Elgin Pride Parade & Festival: June 7 at 11 a.m. 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin.
- Rockford Area Pride Parade: June 7 at noon. Downtown Rockford State Street.
- Back Alley Party in Rockford: June 7 at 1 p.m. Fran Kral parking lot, 500 block in Downtown Rockford.
- All My Relations: Pride Celebration: 2-7 pm. June 7 at Trickster Cultural Center, 190 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.
- Grayslake Pride Parade: June 8 at noon. Center Street in Downtown Grayslake.
- Evanston Pride Candlelight Vigil & Remembrance Ceremony: June 8 at 7 p.m. Pride Park, Chicago Avenue and Washington Street in Evanston.
- Pride & Power: A Celebration of Legacy, Voice and Visibility: 2:30 p.m. June 8 at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie.
- Aurora Pride Parade: June 8 at noon. Starts at East Benton Street and South Broadway in Aurora.
- Wizard of Oz Sing-Along: 6:30-10:30 p.m. June 13 at Harrer Park, 6520 Dempster St., Morton Grove.
- Rainbow Family Storytime 11 a.m.-noon June 14 at Berwyn Public Library, 2701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn.
- Quad Cities Unity Pride Parade: June 14 at 11 a.m. Downtown Davenport, Iowa, to Rock Island, Illinois.
- Lake County PrideFest: June 14 at noon. Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center, 2007 N. Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach.
- Ottawa Family Pride Festival Parade: June 14 at 10 a.m. Parade starts at Jackson Street, heading down LaSalle to the Jordan Block parking lot in Ottawa.
- Galena Pride Picnic: June 14 from noon-5 p.m. Grant Park, 625 Park Ave., Galena.
- Woodstock Pride Fest: June 15. Parade at 11 a.m. and festival from noon-5 p.m. Woodstock Square, 101 Johnston St., Woodstock.
- Pride Night at the Fox Lake Farmers Market: June 20 from 4-7 p.m. Lakefront Park and Beach, 10 Riverview Ave., Fox Lake.
- Hawthorn Pride: June 21 from 2-5 p.m. Outside near Hawthorn Row and Dave & Buster’s, 424 Hawthorn Center in Vernon Hills.
- Niles Rainbow Walk: June 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Kirk Lane Park, 7000 W. Jonquil Terrace in Niles.
- Celebrating 30 Years of Bungalo+: 6 p.m. June 24. Berwyn Public Library, 2701 S. Harlem Ave.
- Whiting Pride: 3-7 p.m. June 21 at Sheridan Plaza, Sheridan Avenue and 119th Street in Whiting, Indiana.
- Pop Up Pride Fest: June 28 from 2-6 p.m. Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg.
- Elk Grove Village Pride: June 28 at 2 p.m. Prince of Peace United Methodist Church, 1400 S. Arlington Heights Road, Elk Grove Village.
