Pride Night at the Shakespeare Festival, Drag N’ Paint Pride Brunch, ‘Good Trouble’ protest: Central Illinois Dailies for 7-18-26

BLOOMINGTON —  A Shakespeare tale that is centered around same-sex, platonic bonding headlines this year’s Pride Night at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival Sunday. “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” about two male friends and their dalliances with women, takes place at 7:30 p.m. during an event that will also feature  Central Illinois LGBTQ+ organizations including Prairie Pride Coalition and Illinois State University’s Queer Coalition. The groups will be set up by 5:30 pm., and festival artistic director Robert Quinlan will talk with audience members at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $31 online with the promo code ARTSPRIDE and can be found here, or $50 at the door. Pride Night happens at Ewing Theatre, 48 Sunset Rd.

PEORIA — A beloved drag tradition returns to Peoria Proud Sunday, when Drag N’ Paint’s holds its annual Pride Brunch tradition returns Sunday at 11 a.m. The late morning event features Peoria area drag performers strutting their stuff while attendees enjoy drinks and create original paintings based on sketches by artist and Drag N’ Paint founder Megan Couri. Drag queen and co-host Miss Flo NoMo’ will lead the fun, which will feature  performances by special guest DiDa Ritz of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Central Illinois drag performers Artemisia Vanho, Decevia Mann, Y-Kiki Mickey Mini, Victor VonVicious and Phoenix Viper Soul. Drag N’ Paint is sponsored by Peoria Proud. Tickets are $39.19 and can be found here. Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, 21 Blackjack Blvd.