Pride event will be a drive this year in Buffalo Grove

The second edition of the Buffalo Grove Pride Parade will be held in June like last year's inaugural march.

But it will have a new name — the BG Pride Drive — and because of the need for social distancing, it will be markedly different from last year's parade that attracted 2,000 marchers and 5,000 spectators, said parade organizer Carolyn Pinta.

Instead of a march down crowded Buffalo Grove streets, the June 7 celebration will offer the next-best thing: Spectators will drive through the village checking out decorated lawns and homes and waving hello to fellow participants.

“We're doing what's called a Pride Drive, like a reverse parade,” Pinta said.

Pinta said interested Buffalo Grove residents were asked to sign up to be included on the parade route, a map of which will be released online June 1 at www.pintaprideproject.com/pridedrive.

“There will be 70 different places that people could go to visit,” she said.

The parade is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m., when giveaways will be offered, but since it is taking place at people's homes, there is basically no time limit.

Many are turning the opportunity into a learning experience. One home, Pinta said, will display different Pride flags and explaining their meaning.

“We're providing a little starter kit and then giving (participants) ideas of what they might do,” she added.

One thing that remains is the collaboration with Balloons by Tommy, which created the balloons for last year's parade. This year, the company has devised a couple of special pieces that people can buy.

“They do the Chicago parade every year. so it's great to be able to give them some business,” Pinta said.

Two Cook County Board commissioners, Kevin Morrison and Scott Britton, will be working to tie the event to the 2020 census.

“So they are doing rainbow balloons from Tommy that say 'Census,'” Pinta said.

For more information, visit pintaprideproject.com/pridedrive or email thepintaprideproject@gmail.com.