Pride in Park Ridge

THIRD ANNUAL PRIDE IN PARK RIDGE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
Equality Illinois CEO Channyn Lynne Parker to Headline June 5 Event

Park Ridge, Illinois — The third annual Pride in Park Ridge Community Celebration will take place Friday, June 5, 2026, from 4–8 p.m. at Hodges Park in Uptown Park Ridge — and this year’s event features a keynote speaker whose work is at the center of Illinois’s LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Channyn Lynne Parker, chief executive officer of Equality Illinois, will speak after Mayor Marty Maloney delivers a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month in Park Ridge. Parker is a nationally recognized human rights advocate with more than two decades of experience advancing LGBTQ+ justice, racial equity and community-based solutions across Illinois. As the first Black transgender woman to lead Equality Illinois — the state’s oldest and largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization — Parker brings a powerful and timely voice to Park Ridge’s celebration of Pride Month.

Pride in Park Ridge is an all-ages, community-led LGBTQ+ celebration — organized by local congregations, community organizations and volunteers, featuring food trucks, children’s activities, drag performances, local vendors and information booths. Groups serving LGBTQ+ individuals will share details about their programs and support networks.

The event opens with family-friendly activities and builds to evening presentations and entertainment:

4–6 p.m. — Kids Zone: Face painting and balloon art by Hardy Party, an inflatable obstacle course, an inflatable slide and do-it-yourself art stations, including friendship bracelet making.
5–8 p.m. — Photo booth with pride and party props — take home a photo strip with the Pride in Park Ridge logo and upload pictures to social media, text and email.
6 p.m. — Line dancing: Firebrand queer/LGBTQ+ country and western dancers get the crowd moving ahead of evening presentations.
6:30 p.m. — Welcome and proclamation: the Rev. Carol Hill, senior minister at Park Ridge Community Church, will offer a welcome. Mayor Marty Maloney will then deliver a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month in Park Ridge. The final speaker will be Channyn Lynne Parker, chief executive officer of Equality Illinois.
7 p.m. — Kiki Queens live-singing performance: The evening closes with the local drag cabaret troupe, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that donates 100 percent of performance proceeds to LGBTQ+ community organizations. Kiki Queens and supporters have raised more than $200,000 for local nonprofits.
DJ Gloria entertainment plays throughout when no live performances are scheduled.

The Rev. Josh Erickson, senior pastor of Park Ridge Presbyterian Church, commented, “Pride in Park Ridge is a powerful reminder that everyone is loved and everyone belongs. We want to be clear — no one should ever have to question their worth or wonder if they have a place in this world.”

A wide selection of local restaurants and food vendors will be on site. Food trucks Americanos, Pinoy Grill, Sernas Grill, Soul & Smoke and Sweet Ride will be joined by Chiquita Scoops, Cuzco’s Café, Nicky C’s Red Hots, Mad Glam Sourdough, October Café, Rita’s Italian Ice and Triple Scoop’d. Patina Wine Bar will serve food and wine, and Beer on the Wall and Illuminated Brew Works will offer beer.

From handmade goods to one-of-a-kind keepsakes, this year’s celebration is packed with ways to shop, support and commemorate the occasion. Designers competed to create the 2026 T-shirt design, and tees featuring the winning graphic will be available for purchase.

Participating organizations include Action Ridge, the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, Free Mom Hugs, The Harbour, The Juniper Center, the Park Ridge Public Library, Spotlight-Elevate-Engage and Vision for Chicago. Local businesses will include Barb’s Custom Rocks, Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Gabriel’s Closet, Kriser’s Natural Pet, Mad Glam Aesthetics, Sociale Dispensary and student vendor Elite Crafts & Bracelets.

The event raffle will feature a hand-crafted quilt, rainbow jewelry, clothing, original artwork, tumblers with gift cards and gift baskets filled with donations from local businesses. Proceeds benefit the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois (TJLP), which provides free, holistic legal services and advocacy for low-income and street-based transgender people across the state.

Local queer author Ron Stempkowski will sign and sell copies of his book “The Luck We Carry,” a collection of personal essays about love, loss and rebuilding after life’s unexpected turns. He wrote the book to honor a promise he made to his late husband, Ken. These honest, tender and sometimes funny essays offer companionship for anyone who has loved deeply and lost painfully.

Advocate Health joined as the event’s first-ever platinum sponsor. Gold-level sponsors include the churches involved in organizing the event: First United Methodist Church of Park Ridge, Park Ridge Community Church, Park Ridge Presbyterian Church and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. Additional gold-level sponsors are Cuzco’s Café, Empowering Women’s Health Network and Ryan-Parke Funeral Home.

Action Ridge, Gabriel’s Closet, Hay Caramba, Kriser’s, Nelson Automotive, Rice Insurance Agency, Sociale Dispensary and Spotlight-Elevate-Engage are silver-level sponsors. Visit PrideInParkRidge.org to view the Bronze and Friend Sponsors.

The event organizers welcome donations and sponsorships, which are available in tiers from $1 to $3,500+. Visit PrideInParkRidge.org for more information.