Organizers for Harvard Milk Days said they “do not condone” profane apparel at its family-friendly event after the former owner of a controversial Lake in the Hills bakery, who is a township trustee, wore an anti-ICE shirt to the annual event.
The board of directors for Harvard Milk Days said their 85th annual event held earlier this month was a “tremendous success.”
The celebration has brought together generations of families, volunteers, businesses, organizations and visitors to honor the “heritage, traditions and community spirit that make Harvard such a special place.”
“We are incredibly proud of what Milk Days represents and the thousands of people who continue to support and preserve this longstanding tradition,” the board said in a statement.
The statement said organizers became aware of concerns and online comments regarding apparel worn by individuals associated with one of the parade entrants.
“We want to be clear that Harvard Milk Days does not condone profanity or explicit language at any of our family-friendly events. We never have, and we never will!” the board said.
Harvard Milk Days organizers say they were not aware of the shirts in question prior to or during the parade. “Had the issue been brought to our attention at the time, it would have been addressed.”
“While we believed it was generally understood that inappropriate language and imagery have no place in a family-oriented community event, we recognize the importance of clearly stating expectations,” the statement said.
Grafton Township Board Trustee Corinna Sac was spotted wearing a shirt that said “Sugar and spice. F— ICE.”
Sac was the founder of UpRising Bakery in Lake in the Hills, an “inclusive” bakery which shut down in May 2023.
“Closing our doors is the direct result of the horrific attacks, endless harassment, and unrelenting negative misinformation about our establishment in the last eight months,” Sac said in 2023.
Sac said her business, once known as “an award-winning bakery that donates to local organizations and supports diversity and inclusion,” had been rebranded by misinformation as “gay only” and “pedophiles.”
Sac said local customers no longer patronized her business because of the “perceived threat” that tarnished the name.
UpRising Bakery and Cafe announced in July 2022 that it was planning on hosting a family-friendly drag show, which led to in-person and online threats.
UpRising Bakery sustained significant damage early in the morning on July 23, 2022, which was the day of the scheduled drag show. The vandalism forced the business to cancel the event that day.
Protesters and counter-protesters gathered at the business following the hate crime and drag show, causing the Lake in the Hills police to stand by at the business.
“A campaign was initiated to discredit, damage and defame Ms. Sac, her staff, her food, and her patrons. Protesters spent more than 120 consecutive days on the property, creating disturbances, inciting violence, photographing license plates of patrons, and harassing them on social media and online,” the business said.
After the shirt incident earlier this month, Harvard Milk Days said the event’s parade application and participation guidelines will be updated moving forward to prohibit apparel, signage or displays containing profanity or other inappropriate content.
“We appreciate the feedback we have received and remain committed to ensuring that Harvard Milk Days continues to be an event that families can enjoy for generations to come. Thank you to everyone who attended. volunteered, sponsored, participated in, and supported this year’s celebration,” the board said in the statement.
The board of directors says they are already planning the 86th Annual event. “We look forward to building on this year’s success and making next year’s celebration even bigger, better, and more memorable for our entire community.”