The spirit of Pride is alive and well in the suburbs and beyond this June. Across Chicagoland, LGBTQ+ communities are organizing parades, parties and powerful moments of visibility.
From parades and festivals to family picnics, film screenings and drag brunches, LGBTQ+ communities across the area are turning out in full force to celebrate Pride. Whether you’re in Aurora, Evanston, Oak Park or Whiting, Indiana, there’s something for everyone.
We’ve rounded up dozens of Pride Month events taking place in near Chicago to help you plan a joyful and affirming June.
Please note: While this list is packed, it’s not exhaustive. For weekly updates, sign up for our Chicago Social Butterflies newsletter. You can also visit our Chicago Social Butterflies website for more LGBTQ+ events across Chicagoland.
To submit an event to our calendar, fill out this Google Form or email a link to your event’s web page to Jake Wittich, managing editor of Windy City Times, at wittichjake@gmail.com.
- 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.