Visitors might be forgiven for thinking Friday night’s Pride Fest at Irwin Park was a longstanding community tradition.
With bands including Beyond the Blonde — the Midwest’s only Lady Gaga and P!nk tribute act — kids’ activities, throngs of families and friends spread across the lawn, food trucks, beer and beverage tents and a slew of other community group tents, the evening seemed closer to a longtime tradition rather than an event in its second year.
But, with a little something for everyone, the celebration’s sophomore effort, organized by the villages of Homewood and Flossmoor, and the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, shined bright, bringing out locals who said they were thrilled to have an excuse to get out, enjoy a cool summer evening and show their support of LGBTQ folks.
Carlie and Sam Rummel, with their dog Hughbert, said they moved to the Homewood area several years ago and said Pride events are an important means to ensure everyone feels welcome and a part of the town.
“It’s important for the community to show up and show support,” said Sam, who said the fest seemed to have grown in the last year. “We love seeing all the folks from the neighborhood. And Hughbert loves it.”
That the event brings together such traditionally conservative groups, notably Scouting America, which just last month changed its name from Boy Scouts of America though it had admitted girls for years, speaks to ongoing efforts of inclusion.
Until 2013, the Scouts had forbidden LGBTQ members from joining the ranks and some troops had kicked out boys over the issue. But Friday, Troop 41, specifically created to foster inclusivity, had its tent set up in front of a food truck and next to the Flossmoor Community Church, another community organization that focuses on inclusivity.
“Troop 41 was founded to be a safe troop in March, to provide nonbinary Scouts and Scouts that identify as LGBTQ a safe space to continue scouting,” said Jason Daihl, the scoutmaster for the Mokena-based troop.
Their tent gave away stickers and provided beads for children to decorate bracelets and attracted a line of interested people, as did the church tent next door.
“Why not,” said Dawn Pirani Brumfield, one of the pastors at the church. Pirani Brumfield said she’s a queer minister and though relatively new at that church, has been a pastor for 28 years.
“We support the event because we believe in diversity and we’re open and affirming,” she explained. “We love everybody in this church.”
And, of course, the event drew the hometown people like Shelly Marks, who just enjoy a nice summer music event on a green lawn surrounded by friends. Marks and her crew were settled in lawn chairs with an ice chest and a broad spread of sliced cheeses, grapes and other snacks.
“We are professional festival-goers,” Marks admitted.
But, she said, she particularly liked Pride Fest.
“I love anything in Homewood that brings Homewood together,” Marks said, decked out in a rainbow cowboy hat and strings of costume pearls. “It’s great to see the community come out and support this.”
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
