Hundreds celebrate 'joy, love, togetherness' at Buffalo Grove Pride Parade

Annual Buffalo Grove Pride Parade kicks off this weekend

Buffalo Grove?s Pride Parade is back this Sunday. It started with one family and now hundreds show up to march.

What we know:

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. - On Sunday, hundreds celebrated the start of Pride Month at the 7th annual Buffalo Grove Pride Parade.

The event, co-presented by the company responsible for "RuPaul's Drag Race" World of Wonder Presents Plus, hosted their biggest parade to date.

Hosts of WCPT's 820's Out Chicago, Scott Duff and Ellen Miller, were grand marshals of this year's event and broadcast their program live from the parade route. 

This year’s parade featured performances by Kamora Hall from "RuPaul’s Drag Race," along with music, pins, and a celebration of community. 

"Joy, love, togetherness, and highlighting families—that’s what we want people to feel," founder Carolyn Pinta said.

The backstory:

The parade began in 2018 after the Pinta family—Carolyn, Bob, and their then-12-year-old daughter— started their own local march after being inspired by attending another suburban Pride event. 

"We went with our daughter to another suburban parade, and she asked why we couldn’t do the same in our town," said Carolyn Pinta. "We said, ‘Sure, if you’ll come out and tell the world who you are.’ She did—and hundreds followed."

Carolyn Pinta said she’s been overwhelmed with messages from newcomers eager to participate. 

"I’m getting all kinds of emails," she said. "‘I’ve never been to a Pride before—where do I park? What do I expect?’ People are looking for a place to belong."

The Pintas’ daughter, now in college, remains involved—though with a lighter touch. 

"She was really into it the first few years," Bob Pinta said. "Now she’s proud of what it’s become, but she doesn’t need it the way others do, because she has a supportive home. We do it for the people who don’t have that."

Beyond the parade, the Pintas are also known for their "Cards from Allies" project, which sends supportive messages year-round to LGBTQ+ individuals who feel isolated. The campaign has grown from a holiday effort into a national network of volunteers writing letters for birthdays and other occasions. "It’s so powerful," Carolyn Pinta said. "People just need to know someone cares."

What they're saying:

"It’s so important for us to support local Pride parades," said Fenton Bailey, World of Wonder co-founder. "Visibility on the local level is what changes hearts and minds."