People attending an annual event in Park Ridge to mark Pride Month in June will have more time for the festivities.
The Rev. Amanda Joria, a Pride in Park Ridge planning team member, told Pioneer Press the LGBTQIA+ community celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. June 5 at Hodges Park, 101 Courtland Avenue, is an hour longer due to feedback from some of the nearly 1,000 attendees in 2025.
“It’s really important to celebrate Pride in a way that is starting with joy and starting with everybody’s inherent goodness,” said Joria, associate pastor for children, youth, missions and outreach at Park Ridge Presbyterian Church.
Joria said the inaugural Pride in Park Ridge was in 2024 at Park Ridge Community Church after LGBTQ students involved with that congregation wanted to do something local for Pride.
According to Joria, First United Methodist Church of Park Ridge, Park Ridge Community Church, Park Ridge Presbyterian Church, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, community organizations including Action Ridge, and community members are planning the 2026 event.
“It’s a really important part of our work as church leaders in our community, so people know they have a place to belong and there’s nothing people should feel they have to hide about who they are and who they choose to love,” said Joria, a Park Ridge resident.
The third annual celebration in Uptown Park Ridge features a Kids Zone including face painting and balloon art by A Hardy Party from 4 to 6 p.m. and line dancing with Firebrand, which is billed as Chicago’s premier LGBTQ+ country dance performance group, at 6 p.m.
Pride in Park Ridge also features speakers, including the Rev. Carol Hill, senior minister at Park Ridge Community Church, doing the welcome, and Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney delivering a proclamation at 6:30 p.m.
A 7 p.m. live-singing drag performance by Kiki Queens, a registered 501(c)(3) with a mission to raise awareness and funds for Chicago-area nonprofits doing services in the LGBTQ+ community, concludes the event.
“We’re this collection of community members, largely volunteers, that put this all together,” said Joria about Pride in Park Ridge. “One of the greatest things about it is it just looks like it belongs in our community.”
Other Pride in Park Ridge offerings include student vendors such as Beveridge Soaps and Elite Crafts & Bracelets, groups providing details about programs and support networks serving LGBTQ+ individuals, and Ron Stempkowski signing his debut memoir, “The Luck We Carry.”
Event raffle proceeds benefit the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois, which self-describes as providing support, advocacy, and free, holistic legal services to poor and street-based transgender people in the state.
Food and drink vendors include Americanos, Nicky C’s Red Hots, October Café, Patina Wine Bar, Pinoy Grill, Rita’s Italian Ice, Sernas Grill, Soul & Smoke and Triple Scoop’d.
“Everyone is going to have a great experience,” Joria said.
Sponsorships range from $1 to $3,500-plus with higher-level sponsors by April 25 featured on the event T-shirt.
More information is at prideinparkridge.org.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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