Pride Month is here and Oak Park is ready to celebrate! Don’t miss Out in the Burbs, Oak Park’s LGBTQ+ Pride celebration from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 in Downtown Oak Park. This collaborative, all-day event will take place on Marion Street between Lake Street and North Boulevard and aims to provide a joyful and affirming space where everyone is welcome to live, love and celebrate out loud. Live music, drag performances, local vendors, food, drinks and a teen pride zone featuring a gaming truck, face painting, photo booth and more are all part of the fun. Visit www.outintheburbs.com for complete details about the event, which is hosted in partnership by the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Oak Park and the Village of Oak Park.

Oak Park’s Pride celebration gets underway from 5 to 9 p.m. tonight during the first Thursday Night Out of the year in Downtown Oak Park. The special Pride night event will include live entertainment, a community resource fair, bounce houses and other activities for kids in addition to restaurants along Lake and Marion streets offering a variety of drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts on the Thursday Night Out menu, with the option of eating in or carrying out. The Thursday Night Out dine-round series continues every Thursday through Aug. 29.

The Village is rolling out the Make REAL Change, Not Spare Change campaign with the aim of shifting the narrative around panhandling by encouraging meaningful and impactful ways to support those in need. The Village is partnering with the Oak Park - River Forest Chamber of Commerce, which is serving as the initiative’s fiscal agent. As donations are received by the Chamber, money will be given to the Village to purchase hotel and food vouchers to be used to support unhoused residents in the community. Be on the lookout for decals and signs being displayed throughout Oak Park to support the effort.

Keep track of Village of Oak Park job openings at www.oak-park.us/jobs. The latest job postings include Economic Vitality Administrator, Environmental Health Intern, Parking & Mobility Services Manager, Police Officer, Public Health Nurse and Zoning Administrator.

National CPR and AED Awareness Week is June 1-7, and the Oak Park Public Health Department and Oak Park Fire Department are encouraging community members to learn this life-saving skill and feel empowered to act if a loved one, friend or neighbor experiences cardiac arrest. Health officials say that about 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes, meaning if you are ever in a situation to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love. The Fire Department offers CPR and AED trainings all year long. Check out the schedule, fees and how to sign up at www.oak-park.us/cpr.

If someone calls or knocks on your door promising a better deal on electricity, be cautious — you could be misled into switching to a supplier that will cost more. The Village is offering this reminder after recent reports of an unscrupulous solicitor visiting the homes of Oak Park residents. Salespeople who offer to save you money may ask for your account number or to see your bill. Most likely they are selling a low introductory rate or trying to get your account number so they can switch you to a different provider with your permission. Representatives from the Village and its electricity supplier, MC Squared Energy Services, never solicit door-to-door or by telephone. More information, including some basic guidelines to help avoid scams, is available at www.oak-park.us/electricscam.