The greater Naperville area came together in the spirit of inclusivity this weekend during the fourth annual Naper Pride Fest.
The event at Naper Settlement included live music, food trucks, more than 70 merchandise vendors, plus games and activities for kids, all to support the LGBTQ+ community.
“Sometimes the feeling of hate or divisiveness can be really palpable,” said Cristy Kennedy, spokesperson for Naper Pride. “That’s something we really want to say with our pride fest is come on out and show that you stand for love. You stand for inclusivity. You stand for kindness.”
Origins of Naper Pride
The organization behind the festival, Naper Pride, began in 2019 as a grassroots effort among neighbors and has grown into an all-volunteer nonprofit. The group says the event has drawn about 3,000 people of all ages each year for the past four years with this year’s fest being no exception.
Funding for the future
Proceeds are being saved to fund a new community resource center to be built somewhere in the southwest Chicago suburbs, which organizers hope happens within the next five years.
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