Crowds flock to East Lakeview for 54th annual Chicago Pride Parade
The 54th annual Chicago Pride Parade — one of the oldest and largest in the country — made its way past cheering crowds in Chicago's East Lakeview neighborhood Sunday.
There was a little rain for the occasion, but it hardly stopped the crowds from turning out.
The parade started at Broadway and West Sheridan Road at 3900 North, and made its way south on Broadway and then Halsted Street, east on Belmont Avenue, south on Broadway again, and east on Diversey Parkway to Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park.
A total of 151 entries took to the route. Among the highlights this year was the presented by Asians and Friends Chicago — with marchers and float riders wearing costumes inspired by the two films. Asians and Friends Chicago first took part in the Chicago Pride Parade in 1970, Pride Chicago noted.
treated the crowd to country dancing, and the motorcycle group also turned out as usual — honoring the legacy of founder and Chicago trailblazer Antonia "Tata" Flores. Pride Chicago noted that the group started when Flores and two friends rode their Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the Chicago Pride Parade in 1987.
The West Town neighborhood bar , one of Chicago's only lesbian bars, made its debut at the Pride Parade this year, Pride Chicago noted.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also took part as usual, and Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias poked fun at a viral moment during the Chicago Pride Parade two years ago — in which he found himself marching in a wet white T-shirt after it rained. "Can't believe it's starting to drizzle……," Giannoulias wrote on X as he
A variety of other enticing entries were also part of the parade — from cheerleaders performing acrobatic feats for the Chicago Bulls to a giant red bag rolling down the street for DoorDash.
CBS Chicago also took part as usual this year — with Darius Johnson, Albert Ramon, Marissa Perlman, Marie Saavedra, and Jackie Kostek among those waving to the crowd with colorful fans in hand.
The theme for this year's parade was "United in Pride." The theme was meant to be taken as a call to action, and "an opportunity to come together, embrace diversity, and continue the fight for equality," according to organizers.
"I go every year—it's so fun when I go with my friends and stuff like that. It's like an amazing event—amazing vibes, amazing people," said Elizabeth Mays.
"It's so fun. There's so much going on, and just everyone was so nice," said Marc McIsaac. "It was amazing."
The Chicago Pride Parade started on June 27, 1970, as a march from Bughouse Square at Dearborn and Walton streets to what is now the Daley Center downtown. It was intended to commemorate the uprising at the Stonewall Inn tavern in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood a year earlier.
The parade was not officially recognized by the city until Mayor Jane Byrne officially declared the first Gay Pride Parade Day in 1981.
The route has changed many times over the years, but the East Lakeview area has at least been part of it since the second parade in 1971. The parade was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has been back strong as ever since 2022.
