LGBTQ+ Pride Month is a commemoration of the LGBTQ+ community celebrated in June of every year.
While many celebrate Pride Month in Lake and McHenry counties, the largest events take place June 8 and 9 in Woodstock and June 8 in Round Lake Beach. Here are the details:
Lake County Pridefest: The fourth annual Lake County PrideFest celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month will take place on Saturday, June 8th at the Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center from 2p.m. until 10 p.m. This free, family-friendly outdoor festival will feature a full-day lineup of music and performances, food trucks, a beer and beverage tent, craft and artisan vendors, a resource fair, games and entertainment for children, drag performers, dancing and more! This year’s Presenting Sponsors are Old National Bank, ComEd, and Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS).
Lake County PrideFest will kick off at 2 p.m. with a resource fair, craft and artisan market and family-friendly entertainment including a display by Maui Bubbles, stage and street magic by Magic Dave, an inflatable soccer field and more! Later in the day, there will be a drag variety show by Auntie Heroine & friends, local reggaeton artist and DJ Mamy Zaddy and returning to headline this year is local Libertyville band Charlie Foxtrot. For more information, check out the website here.
Woodstock Pridefest: An annual family-friendly event celebrating the LGTBQIA+ Community will take place ont he Woodstock Square June 8 and June 9. This is the 6th anniversary of Pridefest and features a weekend full of activities. The main event is the parade on Sunday, June 9th, starting with an extended parade at 11 a.m. and a festival on the square from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. with food, entertainment and vendors. There will be an LGBT artist reception starting Friday, June 7th in the Woodstock Opera House. The Pride Promenade will take place on June 8th & 9th from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. The Woodstock PrideFest Rainbow Run on June 8 at 9 a.m. the Woodstock PrideFest Pub Crawl at 6 p.m. on June 8. For exact details, check out the website here.
Other events:
Grayslake PFLAG Better Together Pride Parade on Sunday, June 9, at noon in historic downtown Grayslake. For more information, click here.
Hawthorn in Vernon Hills (Formerly Hawthorn Mall) announced it will host an event to celebrate Pride month from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The event will showcase over 20 LGBTQIA+ vendors (artisans, crafts, and face painters) and LGBTQIA+ resources including “Out of the Closet Charity” who will provide free clothing, jewelry, beauty products, shoes and other items for trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals. The event will also include food trucks, live music and performances and feature drag performances. Drag performances will take place from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. The first 120 people to visit the Hawthorn table will receive free Pride swag and a mystery gift card (valued at $5 to $20). The event is free and open to the public, no pre-registration is required. For more information, click here.
Duke’s Pride Ride: Join us for a special Pride Month celebration as we host a bike ride event between Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen and Duke’s Inferno. Embrace the spirit of inclusivity and community as we ride together to show our support for LGBTQ+ individuals. Enjoy a scenic journey between our two locations while promoting equality and acceptance. Let’s come together to celebrate diversity and spread love this Pride Month. See you at the bike ride event! On June 22nd, the ride will leave at 10:30 a.m. from Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen to Duke’s Inferno and back. Tickets Include: 3 Drink Tickets to be used at either location, Drinks and Fun at Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen from 10:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., 35-45 minute ride from Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen to Duke’s Inferno, Drinks, Pizza, and Salad at Duke’s Inferno accompanied by the Duke’s Doll Haus Drag Queens, then a 35 to 45 minute ride back to Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen, Desserts and Heady Cup Coffee upstairs at Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen, Commemorative Pride Ride Shirt, 50/50 Raffle benefiting the Trevor Project. To book tickets, click here.