Thousands gather to celebrate Woodstock Pride

Mike DeCicco held up a “Free Dad Hugs” sign at the Woodstock PrideFest on Sunday.

The Woodstock Pride Parade and PrideFest coincided with Father’s Day this year, which Woodstock Pride board member Melissa McMahon thought might have led to a slightly smaller crowd.

DeCicco said he has attended PrideFest multiple times, but was with family and friends Sunday. He estimated before noon that he had given out about 10 hugs but recognized it was early in the day.

“Be cool to everyone and rock on,” DeCicco said.

DeCicco’s daughter, Hayley DeCicco, said, “In this time, we need a lot of love.”

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Harlow Steinburg, 6, of Woodstock, and Ryan Niven, right, speak to a unicorn during the Woodstock PrideFest June 15, 2025. (Claire O'Brien)

Melissa DeCicco, Mike’s wife, said she was “happy to see so many people come out” to PrideFest, especially given Sunday was Father’s Day.

Patti Vasquez, who hosts a radio show on WCPT-AM 820 was the “celebrity grand marshal” in this year’s parade.

Vasquez said she is a “huge fan of this community,” referring to the local Woodstock community and the LGBTQ+ community.

She said she had been to Woodstock before for two comedy shows, but Sunday was the first time she had been a grand marshal at any parade, saying she was “honored” to do so.

Vasquez noted Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” protests, saying people fought “tyranny” Saturday and supported love Sunday. In McHenry, an estimated 5,000 people showed up to a protest Saturday.

“Celebrating Pride is a form of protest,” Vasquez said.

She also noted the national trend of Pride sponsors bowing out, and said the Woodstock Pride sponsors showed they weren’t backing down. Nationally, many corporations have stopped their financial support of Pride, according to the Associated Press.

McMahon said most Woodstock Pride sponsors, which are smaller, local enterprises and few of which are corporations, stuck with the organization.

“It touched us” that the sponsors didn’t abandon the organization, McMahon said.

The Rev. Scott Zaucha, pastor at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Woodstock, said the congregation was a founding sponsor of Woodstock Pride.

He said caring for the LGBTQ+ community was a “core part” of the congregation’s mission, and was “heartened” to see more churches participating in PrideFest.

Zaucha noted the political climate, saying congregants, especially queer and trans parishioners, are “feeling anxiety,” and events such as PrideFest are more important to show people there’s a community that supports LGBTQ+ people.

The parade stepped off at 11 a.m., featuring floats from businesses, churches and community organizations.

The parade made its way to Woodstock Square about 11:12 a.m. and wrapped up around 11:35 a.m.

After the parade, officials including U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D- Naperville, and Woodstock City Council member Darrin Flynn addressed the crowd. McMahon also sits on the council.

McMahon told the Woodstock Pride crowd, “It’s been a scary world since November, but right now we need each other more than ever.”

Protestors weren’t spotted Sunday, and nobody objected to the City Council declaring June Pride Month earlier in the month. However, McHenry County voters went for President Donald Trump last November, as well as Foster’s Republican opponent. While the crowd cheered when the Democratic Party of McHenry County float made its way around the Square, the GOP holds all countywide elected offices and enjoys a 15-3 supermajority on the County Board.

The pride parade had two grand marshals, Vasquez and “hometown hero” Joe Weyland.

Weyland is a LGBTQ+ activist and longtime Woodstock resident, according to a Woodstock Pride news release.

“As an HIV+ gay man living and thriving in Woodstock, I could not be prouder to be a part of PrideFest and to help bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt to McHenry County to honor and remember all those lost to this disease,” Weyland said in the release.

Part of the AIDS Memorial Quilt was on display at Unity Spiritual Center of Woodstock over the weekend. Woodstock Pride officials said in a news release that it was the first time any part of the quilt was on display in Woodstock or McHenry County.

The Rev. Tom Wendt, a minister at Unity Spiritual Center, expressed hope that hosting the quilt would make a difference Sunday and in the future.