Crystal Lake celebrates 1st pride event downtown: ‘We need to promote love’

More than 100 people gathered Sunday in downtown Crystal Lake to celebrate the city’s first gay pride event with music, food, a vendor market and karaoke.

People of all ages with rainbow pride flags, balloons and attire walked from the intersection of Crystal Lake Avenue and Williams Street to downtown’s Depot Park for the Downtown Crystal Lake/Main Street Pride Walk & Social.

Downtown Crystal Lake/Main Street Executive Director Joy Neal said she felt “flooded with emotion” during the walk.

“The energy is just so spot on,” she said. “Everyone feels excited to be part of this.”

Mayor Haig Haleblian kicked off the walk with words of support for the LGBTQIA+ community and said “love always beats hate.”

“I’m honored and so proud to be a part of this historical event,” he said. “Frankly, without diversity, life would be pretty [darn] boring.”

The goal is to make this an annual event but not necessarily create another pride parade similar to Woodstock’s, Neal said. She wants to see it grow organically into something that is “uniquely Crystal Lake.”

Event organizers focused on educational and social aspects to share resources available to the LGBTQIA+ community as well as to educate the public, Cantina 52 owner and event chair member Jim Tomasek said. Local businesses and organizations such as Cheshire Cakes, Habitat for Humanity, the Crystal Lake Public Library and the National Alliance on Mental Illness of McHenry County were at the event.

Tomasek said he has been playing with the idea of hosting a pride event in Crystal Lake for two years. He started with selling pride pins at the Flag Store last year with proceeds going to the PFLAG McHenry County chapter. The inventory of about 500 pins sold out within 10 days, he said. A new 2024 version of the pins will be for sale at Downtown Crystal Lake/Main Street’s vendor booth.

“We have queer-owned businesses in downtown Crystal Lake. We have queer members of our community that want to celebrate the way that surrounding communities do,” Tomasek said.

Sponsorship proceeds and pride pin sales will be distributed to various local organizations and nonprofits by the PFLAG McHenry County chapter. The goal is to put the money back into the community, President Toni Weaver said.

The First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake set up a booth with pride stickers and pins. The church has been supporting same-sex marriages and LGBTQIA+ pastors for more than 20 years, member Jill Kuhns said.

“We need to promote love, and if not love, tolerance,” she said. “Just have respect for each other.”

Cary residents Zach and Brianna Johnson attended the event after going to Woodstock’s pride parade for the past couple of years. They hope Crystal Lake’s inclusion will inspire neighboring communities to create their own pride events.

“I like when communities take pride in their residents of all stripes,” Zach Johnson said.