Plainfield Pride's First Fest Will Happen Sunday Despite Opposition

PLAINFIELD, IL — A year after its creation, Plainfield Pride is hosting its first official event, Pride at PARC, on Sunday despite opposition from some.

The organization, with the goal to create a safe space and support the local LGBTQ community, will gather from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Plainfield Park District's Prairie Activity and Recreation Center. The event will feature musicians, a family-friendly drag story hour, touch-a-trucks and words from politicians, including Reps. Lauren Underwood and Bill Foster.

"It's great [the politicians are] showing their support very openly," Jes McIlvain, executive director of Plainfield Pride, said but added, "it's been hard to get people to publicly show their support for our community."

During the planning process, which included getting approval from the park district's Board of Commissioners to use PARC, Plainfield Pride was faced with hostility from some in the community. Organizers were called "groomers, pedophiles and mentally unfit," McIlvain told Patch.

"The amount of hate and bigotry has really increased since we started this ... in the past few months," she said. "It's very scary to see that happening and to see the way they're trying to push a narrative and [harass] a marginalized community."

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Board meetings that included Plainfield Pride's event on the agenda — one in September and another Wednesday — became contentious, according to McIlvain.

"It left us feeling ... not as cared about by certain people in the community as when we first started," McIlvain said. "While we're still excited, we know it's going to be a great event ... it makes you paranoid."

Following the most recent meeting, park district officials said they would honor the contractual agreement to license PARC after fest organizers threatened to sue over the inclusion of the Drag Queen Story Hour for children, according to a statement issued late Wednesday.

Officials explained their reasoning: "This decision was based on the Board's consideration of all relevant factors, including but not limited to the possibility of costly litigation, which would be a detriment to the Park District as a whole. In making this decision and in making all decisions, the Board of Commissioners always seek to do what is best for the Park District and its residents. We understand that not all residents are happy with this decision, but it is our sincere hope that the community can come together and heal."

While the Plainfield Park District had no role in developing the event, the Board of Commissioners "considers itself an ally to Plainfield Pride and generally supported the Pride Fest," the statement said.

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Despite the hardships, McIlvain said she has appreciated the outpouring of support not only from others in the community but also from her own team at Plainfield Pride.

"A lot of local businesses and families [reached] out saying they never thought they'd see [a Pride event] in Plainfield," she said. "Overwhelmingly, we have a lot of support from the community, and I'm really grateful for that, we all are."

Among supporters of Plainfield Pride is the Village of Plainfield, whose involvement in Sunday's event was minimal — it only approved a liquor license for the event.

"We believe and will uphold equality — and we will uphold the law — in the Village of Plainfield," Mayor John Argoudelis told Patch. "We will not pick and choose and discriminate among groups that we like and don't like. Pride group is a part of Plainfield, they are a part of our community, and if they want to have an event, they have every right to do so. We as a village will stand by them and any other group that wants to have an event, so long as it complies with the law."

Invited to speak Sunday, Argoudelis said he won't be able to attend due to conflicting schedules but will be submitting a letter of support to be read at the event.

Roadblocks or not, Plainfield Pride will continue to be a presence in the community by offering a safe space for marginalized members.

"We will put on a fest next year," she said. "[Protestors] treating us this way it isn't going to derail us. All they really did was light a fire under us to show why this is more important than we even realized."