Once again, this year’s Downers Grove PrideFest will take place at Fishel Park.

This year’s family-friendly event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Fishel Park.

The celebration will include more than 30 exhibitors such as government entities, churches and nonprofits with hands-on activities.

In addition, LGBTQ craft and arts vendors as well as and food trucks will be at the event.

Entertainment will include live music, a DJ and the very popular costume contest.

Awards for best in fest, most colorful, most original, funniest and an honorable mention will be given out to both humans and pets as part of the costume contest.

“We support all types of families in Downers Grove, and we want to have something for everyone at Pridefest,” said Jodi Harap, chairwoman of EQuality Downers Grove’s civic affairs and public policy committee.

EQuality Downers Grove (EQDG) is sponsoring PrideFest.

About 700 people attended the event last year, “and we are expecting even more this year,” Harap said.

In the event of rain, PrideFest will be held at Lincoln Center, 935 Maple Ave.

Recently, several residents have spoken out in public forums asking that the village no longer proclaim June as Pride Month.

The opposition, Harap said, has come from a very small group and “only increased interest in Pride Month this year and Pride activities.”

After those in opposition to Pride Month spoke at a Downers Grove Village Council meeting,“We have had a surge in local businesses and community members who wanted to help with Pride Month,” Harap said.

“If anything, the people who brought up these negative and untrue facts drove more people to embrace Pride Month.”

Downers Grove Mayor Robert Barnett on Tuesday proclaimed June Pride Month in the village.

With more than 30 years’ experience as a licensed clinical psychologist, Harap spoke at the May 19 Village Board to address “the danger of what we are hearing and seeing.”

“LGBTQ people are not an ideology. They are not a theory to be argued into or out of existence. They are human beings. They are our neighbors, our friends, and our family members,” Harap said at the meeting.

As part of Pride Month, Harap said many local businesses are participating in Pride Month Painted Windows, which includes Pride-themed artwork created by artists, art teachers and youth.

This year, participating businesses have extended beyond the downtown area to other parts of Downers Grove including some on Ogden Avenue.

EQuality Downers Grove also sponsors a Story Walk in Constitution Park in collaboration with the Downers Grove Public Library and the Downers Grove Park District.

The walk emphasizes reading, perspective taking, literacy and acceptance, she said.

Harap also coordinates the One Book, One Town communitywide reading initiative in Downers Grove in her volunteer role with EQDG.

Each year, she said, the book gives participants the opportunity to get together and discuss “a good book that espouses ideas of acceptance, perspective taking, kindness, and inclusion.”

Harap first became involved in EQDG after one of her children came out.

“It was no big deal for us,” she said.

However, her daughter experienced bullying at school. In addition, some of her daughter’s friends came from homes that did not accept them.

“Since then, I have been working very hard on changing the attitudes in Downers Grove,” she said.

“Exposure and visibility raise awareness which raises acceptance.”