The push to Pride season has begun in earnest, with 22 Pride events already announced from April to July throughout Iowa and Illinois. Expect the list to grow weekly.
Meanwhile, at least eight Pride groups are already hard at work recruiting vendors, and are also looking for sponsors.
This is a big year for Pride groups everywhere, as it’s the first year that many communities will have a full-fledged, in-person event at its regularly-scheduled time of year since 2019.
Before we list the almost two dozen events already planned to honor LGBTQ+ Pride, here’s a quick peek at the Pride groups currently recruiting businesses and nonprofits to participate in vendor fairs. All of the following are also seeking sponsors; find information about those opportunities at the websites below:
- Springfield PrideFest: $25 and above until April 15, when a $100 fee is applied in addition to other amenities.
- Quad Cities Pride Festivals: $100 for a 12 by 12 vendor spot and two festival admissions (value $15 to $30). Additional amenities available for additional fees.
- Capital City Pride: $250 to $750, featuring table and two chairs, electricity and a 10 by 10 space.
- Iowa City Pride: $100 to $200. Additional Amenities available for additional fees.
- Chicago Pride: $303 to $2600-plus for vending spaces up to 10 by 40.
- Pride Bash at Bass Street Landing and the Pride 5k: $20 to $30. Contact The Project of the Quad Cities.
- CR Pride: $75 to $200,
- SUX Pride: Vendor spots for this June 4 festival are $25 to $65.
Here’s a rundown of all things Pride so far. Use the provided links to get a quick peek at each event’s general features and find links to organizers, venues and event pages, through TRM Events:
April Pride Events
- April 21: Quad Cities Pride in Memory, a new group devoted to LGBTQ+ history, holds its “coming out party” to generate additional support at Mary’s on 2nd. Bring any LGBTQ+ items or memorabilia you have fro the ’80s and ’90s — and a $10 donation, if you can.
- April 28: Clock Inc.’s belated Grand Opening isn’t EXACTLY a Pride event — but it’s close enough. This groundbreaking nonprofit counseling, support and advocacy group welcomes the community to check out its new and expanded headquarters.
- April 30: If you can make it from southern Illinois, head to the Adult Queer Prom, to help raise money for Metro East Pride.
May Pride Events
- May 6: Middle and high schoolers can join together at the Queer Prom, hosted by UP Center of Champaign County in Illinois.
- May 21: Springfield PrideFest in Illinois helps kick off the season with its large street festival and other related events.
- May 30: CR Pride, gearing up for its first-in-person festival since 2019, holds a Volunteer Fair to welcome those who want to serve.
June and July Pride Events
- June 3-4: Quad Cities Pride Festivals is Iowa’s first big Pride festival of the year — and also has moved to the waterfront Schwiebert Park in Rock Island, less than a mile from its former home in Davenport.
- June 4: CR Pride holds a Pride parade for the first time ever. In Western Iowa, Sioux City’s SUX Pride holds its annual festival. And Rockford, Ill., gets into the spirit with a Pride Drag Show at The Office Niteclub.
- June 5: Buffalo Grove, Ill., breaks out the rainbows for its parade.
- June 10: Iowa’s largest Pride event, Capital City Pride, takes place in Des Moines.
- June 12: Head back to the Quad Cities, where you can enjoy the first-ever Pride 5K courtesy of The Project of the Quad Cities. Early-bird, reduced-price registration is open until April 25. Aurora Pride also holds its parade.
- June 18: The Quad Cities gets to partake of a third Pride event: the Pride Bash at Bass Street Landing in Moline. Iowa City Pride takes place. For the first time ever, Tuscola, Ill., will hold a Pride event. And Waukegan, way up north, also holds its annual Pride event.
- June 18-19: Chicago Pride Fest takes place, the first of three Pride events for the Windy City.
- June 25: Burlington Pride gets into the scene, with its traditional gathering at Crapo Park, but with vendors this time.
- June 25-26: the historic Chicago Pride Parade happens again, along with the Pride in the Park music festival June 26.
- July 9: CR Pride holds its traditional CR PrideFest, adding three hours to the day. Please also note the group’s new web address: crprideia.com.
