Bi Visibility Day, celebrated annually on September 23rd, is an international awareness day to recognize, celebrate, and raise visibility for bisexual people and the broader bisexual+ (bi, pan, fluid, etc.) community, combating bi-erasure and stigma by highlighting their history, culture, and unique challenges. Started in 1999 by US activists Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven […]
Forget everything you know about your grandma’s bingo hall. No rolling cages, no dusty daubers, and definitely no silence. Every first Thursday of the month, Critical Grind transforms into a battlefield of beats and rhythms for Game of Tones Musical Bingo! If you’ve got a “critical hit” ear for music and a competitive streak, this is […]
National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an annual LGBTQ+ awareness day on October 11th, celebrating the act of "coming out" (sharing one's sexual orientation or gender identity) as a courageous step toward authenticity and visibility, raising awareness for LGBTQ+ rights and promoting acceptance for those still struggling to be open, a tradition that began in […]
October 12th is widely recognized as a day to remember Matthew Shepard, the date he died in 1998 from injuries sustained in a brutal anti-gay hate crime in Laramie, Wyoming, prompting major advocacy for federal hate crime legislation. Organizations like the Matthew Shepard Foundation encourage reflection and action on this day to combat hate and promote acceptance, […]
Monthly board meeting.
International Pronouns Day, held annually on the third Wednesday of October (October 15, 2025), is a global observance to normalize sharing, respecting, and educating about personal pronouns, affirming basic human dignity and creating inclusive spaces for everyone, especially transgender and gender nonconforming individuals who are disproportionately affected by misgendering. It encourages people to share their […]
The Joliet Pride Network hosts a regular “gayme” night at the Critical Grind Board Game Cafe in Shorewood, IL on the third Thursday of the month from 7-11pm. The “gayme” night is an event designed to promote inclusion, dignity, and acceptance by providing a safe and friendly environment for the local LGBTQ+ community and its […]
Spirit Day is an annual observance, held on the third Thursday of October, where millions wear purple to stand against bullying and show support for LGBTQ youth, especially transgender and nonbinary youth, who face harassment and discrimination. Started in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan after a wave of bullying-related suicides, it's a major anti-bullying movement […]
Joliet Pride Network is Proud to sponsor Wallyball every third Saturday of the month from 11am – 1pm at the Annerino Community Center in Bolingbrook. The event is free to attend, it isn’t a competitive game, and is just a lot of fun! Join us to meet new friends, create community, and play wallyball! Similar […]
Intersex Awareness Day, celebrated annually on October 26, is a global day for grassroots activism to end shame, secrecy, and non-consensual surgeries on intersex people, advocating for bodily autonomy, physical integrity, and self-determination. It marks the anniversary of the first public protest by intersex activists in Boston in 1996, who demanded respect from the medical […]
Don't forget to turn out an vote!
Forget everything you know about your grandma’s bingo hall. No rolling cages, no dusty daubers, and definitely no silence. Every first Thursday of the month, Critical Grind transforms into a battlefield of beats and rhythms for Game of Tones Musical Bingo! If you’ve got a “critical hit” ear for music and a competitive streak, this is […]
