Lake County is set to kick off its fourth annual PrideFest June 8, with an expected attendance of 5,000, far surpassing previous years as the suburban festival becomes a staple of northern Illinois.
Launched amid severe COVID-19 restrictions, the event has grown immensely over its short history. The festival is geared towards inclusivity for not just LGBTQ+ adults, but queer people and allies of all ages, executive director Kristen Larson said.
“We want to make sure we have an environment that doesn’t just tend toward adults,” Larson added. “We want everyone to feel comfortable coming and playing in a bounce house, playing on a rock wall, and just being around the people that they live and work with.”
The festival, which will run from 2-10 p.m. at the Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center, will not only feature magicians, musical artists and other performances, but also provide resources for LGBTQ+ attendees, such as HIV testing and substance recovery programs. Local drag performers will be there too, among them local icon Auntie Heroine. Waukegan-based reggaeton artist Mamy Zaddy will perform just a day before she does a set at D.C. Pride. Another headliner is Libertyville band Charlie Foxtrot.
This will be the festival’s second year at the Round Lake Beach location, where attendance surpassed 3,000 people last year. Lake County Pride Fest is the largest fundraiser for the local LGBTQ+ center, Larson said, and provides a majority of their funding. Having grown up in the area, Larson said she’s seen a major change in the county in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance over her lifetime.
The team were intentional not to schedule the festival the same weekend as Chicago’s official Pride weekend; rather, they see their event as an accompaniment. Whether people live in Highland Park, Waukegan, or even Milwaukee and Chicago, Larson encouraged attendance to support local vendors. The team is encouraging $5 suggested donations, as well, although the festival is free to attend.
“It’s always this great place to just meet up with friends from all across the county that you may not see on a regular basis because of how spread apart we are,” Larson ensured. “You can, literally, if you’re in Chicago, hop on the Metra train and the train drops you off in the parking lot.”
Amid an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and culture war attacks, the festival preparation team is also geared up with safety precautions, with private security at the venue, as well as the local police department, and have been in contact with the regional FBI office in case there are any legitimate threats.
Another big difference for the festival versus Chicago’s offering is that Lake County simply doesn’t have a plethora of LGBTQ bars and businesses. But the festivities won’t end after the 8th, either, as Lake County has a “Drinks & Drag” show set for June 14, with live drag performances, brunch and an open bar.
“Lake County is kind of a desert. So, some of this is awareness and showing that acceptance and showing that there is a community here that needs this,” she said.
“This entertainment is just a gateway to doing all the really hard work that needs to be done up here in the suburbs, to really make this a safe and pleasant environment for queer folks and their families,” Larson added.