The fourth annual Elk Grove Village Pride Celebration will take place on Sunday, June 11 from 2-5 PM at Prince of Peace United Methodist Church, located at 1400 S. Arlington Heights Rd. Prince of Peace is a welcoming church where “Believing in God’s inclusive love, we welcome all into full participation in the congregation, regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, faith background, family configuration, or socioeconomic status.”
The organizers of this event, Autumn Carney and Mel Budreck, are two Queer individuals raised in Elk Grove Village. In an attempt to cultivate a safe space for LGBTQ+ members of their community, they decided to follow the lead of other towns in the area who celebrate Pride month in June and plan their own event. Originally created as a safe alternative to the Pride parade in Chicago that was cancelled due to Covid-19 in 2020, residents of Elk Grove were encouraged by Mel and Autumn to decorate their homes to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, the first EGV Pride Celebration event took place at Prince of Peace United Methodist Church.
This year’s family-friendly event will entail a multitude of fun activities, such as a craft table and a raffle to benefit Trevor Project and The Transgender Law Center. Also, we will be accepting donations for Out of The Closet, a clothing donation and pop-up shop that brings free clothing to the local transgender and gender non-conforming community. There will also be an exciting line-up of speakers coming to discuss local LGBTQ+ issues/experiences and resources available to those seeking support for LGBTQ+ related needs.