'This Is So Long Overdue:' Downers Grove Celebrates Pride Month

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — During the month of June, rainbows, hearts, and pro-LGBTQ+ messages will emblazon storefronts in downtown Downers Grove, embracing Pride month in a celebration that's "so long overdue," Mary Blanchard of EQuality Downers Grove told Patch.

The celebration, the first of its scale in the village, includes local shops offering Pride-themed cookies, rainbow popcorn, rainbow dog treats, Pride Picnics To-Go and other items in support of the month-long festivities. The Downers Grove Public Library also has a host of Pride-themed activities slated throughout the month.

"The community is ready for this, and celebrating Pride for the first time in [Downers Grove] history is exciting for everyone," Blanchard said.

At Tuesday's village board meeting, Mayor Robert Barnett officially proclaimed June Pride Month in Downers Grove.

"Members of the LGBTQ+ community have faced discrimination and mistreatment," Barnett said in his proclamation.

Barnett continued, "As long as the promise for equality remains unfulfilled, all Americans are negatively affected."

The festivities include Pride in the Parking Lot at First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Ave., on June 6 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include:

• Tie-dyeing: bring an item to get tie-dyed!
• Clothing swap table
• Rock painting
• Pronoun pin craft
• Photo booth
• Jam session

LGBTQ+ information and resources will also be available.

Blanchard told Patch EQuality Downers Grove started planning the Pride activities in February 2020, and the support has been "overwhelming."

Blanchard said of the initial meeting's turnout, “If there were 10 people, we would have been thrilled, but there were 50, so we knew the community was ready for this.”

Though the pandemic prevented a Downers Grove Pride celebration in 2020, things were set into motion in January 2021, when EQuality Downers Grove hosted a Zoom call to brainstorm activities with local businesses.

"[T]he support of the businesses, the artists and the rest of the community has been so overwhelmingly positive," Blanchard said.

A total of 20 businesses signed on to have their windows painted with Pride images by local artists.

Blanchard said Todd Davies, who owns Cadence Kitchen and The Foxtail, came up with the idea of Pride Picnics To-Go. The picnic kits include food and drinks, along with Pride-related literature and swag.

Pride Picnics To-Go can be purchased at Cadence Kitchen, The Foxtail and Pierce Tavern. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Youth Outlook, a non-profit agency that offers social services and support to LGBTQ+ youth. Youth Outlook is planning to open a drop-in center to serve LGBTQ+ children in Downers Grove in fall 2021, Blanchard said.

Naperville-Based Center Helping LGBTQ Teens Amid Coronavirus

Downers Grove Public Library is also offering a number of take-home projects and activities to celebrate Pride month. The library and Anderson's Bookshop have curated reading lists for Pride month that features books for children and adults on gender, sexuality and queer history. Pride events at Downers Grove Public Library include:

• June 5: PRIDE All About Me Craft
• June 9: PRIDE Scrabble Tile Craft
• June 12: PRIDE All About Me Craft
• June 14: Maker Mondays 2 Go PRIDE Rainbow Keychain Craft
• June 18: Have PRIDE in Your Hands Craft
• June 19: Maker Mondays 2 Go PRIDE Rainbow Keychain Craft
• June 21: Maker Mondays 2 Go PRIDE Create Like Keith Haring
• June 26: Maker Mondays 2 Go PRIDE Create Like Keith Haring

Pride-inspired products or discounts will also be available at Louisa’s & Millie's, Fair Game, Anderson's Bookshop, Happy Dog Barkery, Peak Running, Wells Street Popcorn, Charlie & Grace and other downtown businesses.

“I’m so excited for the community as a whole and how validating I hope that this feels," Blanchard said, "[T]he community knows that this is important. We have to show that.”