Parade History
The Chicago Pride Parade commemorate the Stonewall rebellion that took place on June 28, 1969 when patrons of a New York City gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, fought back during a raid by police.
At that time gay bars were frequently raided across the country. That night, bar patrons fought back and street demonstrations continued for several days. During that week gay liberation groups were formed, thus giving birth to the modern day LGBT rights movement.
Pride parades are staged in over 150 cities worldwide with more than 90 of them in the United States and at least 12 taking place on the last weekend of June each year. The annual Chicago Pride Parade has been coordinated by PRIDEChicago for over 5 decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunday, June 30th, 2024. The parade begins at 12 noon at Montrose and Broadway and continues south along Broadway, then Halsted, east along Belmont to Broadway, then south to Diversey.
The parade, organized features nearly 200 registered entries. You’ll see celebratory floats, festively-outfitted vehicles, a variety of performance groups, a marching band, and many revelers on foot. Parade participants will represent community organizations, businesses, governmental officials and individual community members, all gathered to commemorate the history and celebrate the legacy of the fight for LGBTQ rights.
Parade day is usually hot and sunny so be prepared. Wear sunscreen and bring more to reapply if necessary. Bring plenty of water. You might want a hat or other head covering, as the best parade-viewing spots are not in the shade.
Whatever you want! You’ll see people in costume, decked out in rainbows, covered in glitter, and showing plenty of skin. Just keep in mind the sun and heat, and don’t forget sunscreen.
The busiest section for parade viewing is along the Northalsted entertainment corridor (Halsted between Belmont and Addison). If you want a spot up close, you’ll want to get there early. If you don’t, you might not have the best view of the parade itself, but you’ll be surrounded by energetic revelers.
You may want to try other spots along the route for a better view of the parade. The section along Broadway from Montrose to Irving Park is a great place to settle in with your friends and watch the parade participants near the beginning of the route.
You won’t be able to see much from the parade assembly area north of Montrose. That area is closed for staging.
The area along Diversey has been a great spot for those with limited mobility or other physical challenges. It is one of the lessor populated areas of the route, and it is where the accessible portable restrooms are located. Arrive early to secure the best spot.
Lots of people do! But keep in mind that the parade route is crowded, noisy, and full of colorful and glittery distractions. If you have a nervous pup, probably best to leave them safe at home.
Open alcohol containers are prohibited. Police and additional security teams will be enforcing this policy and fines can be up to $1000 dollars or more.
Street parking is limited and the area will be very crowded. If you drive, consider car-pooling, and be prepared to park far away and walk to the parade route.
Public transportation offers many options. The following CTA train stops are on or near the parade route:
- Red line: Wilson (near the parade’s start point), Addison, Belmont (the most crowded stop!)
- Brown line: Belmont (the most crowded stop!), Wellington, Diversey (near the parade’s end point)
CTA buses may be re-routed on parade day. Visit transitchicago.com for route-planning tools and route updates.
Ride-share apps like Uber or Lyft may be an option, though keep in mind street traffic will likely be congested. Pick a drop-off location several blocks from the parade route and walk over to the parade route.
Parking is limited, and street closures will make driving right up to the route very difficult.
Public transportion is highly recommended. Visit transitchicago.com for route-planning tools and route updates.
Streets will be closed for both the assembly area and the parade route. The assembly area will close at 10:30 a.m., and includes:
- Broadway between Wilson and Clark
- Sunnyside between Broadway and Sheridan
- Sheridan between Wilson and Clark
- Montrose between Clark and Broadway
Street closures along the parade route will be rolling, beginning at 12 noon and proceeding south in advance of the parade. Parade route closures include:
- Broadway from Montrose to Halsted
- Halsted from Broadway to Belmont
- Belmont from Halsted to Broadway
- Broadway from Belmont to Diversey
- Diversey from Broadway to Cannon Drive
Pedestrian crossings will be set up at the following intersections:
- Montrose at Broadway
- Irving Park at Broadway
- Grace at Halsted
- Addison at Halsted
- Roscoe at Halsted
- Wellington at Broadway
- Aldine at Halsted
- Cornelia at Halsted
- Oakdale at Broadway
There will be portable restrooms located all along the parade route. Accessible restrooms for those who are physically challenged will be set up on the sidewalks around 600 W. Diversey.
First aid stations will be located at:
- 901 W. Addison St.
- 765 W. Roscoe St.
- 3165 N. Halsted St.
- 561 W. Surf St.
- 802 W. Roscoe St.
Cooling buses will be located at:
- Halsted, south of Belmont
- Addison, west of Halsted
- Belmont, east of Broadway
- Wilton, north of Belmont
- Buena, west of Broadway
Halsted, south of Belmont
Addison, west of Halsted
Belmont, east of Broadway
Wilton, north of Belmont
Buena, west of Broadway
Some might! But keep in mind that participants are not supposed to throw things out to the crowd. Likewise, spectators should never throw items at the parade participants.
There will be barriers set up along the route separating the spectator area from the street. Spectators won’t be able to run into the street to retrieve goodies. If parade participants are handing out items, they will walk over to the spectator area to do so.
Parade Route
The parade steps off at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2024 from the corner of Broadway and Montrose. The parade, featuring nearly 200 colorful entries, will then travel the 21-block parade route south on Broadway; then south on Halsted; then east on Belmont; then south on Broadway; then east on Diversey to Cannon Drive.
Parade Facts
The Chicago Pride Parade continued to grow in the ’70s and ’80s, promoting visibility for the LGBTQ+ community and eventually gaining the support of many local politicians and businesses.
Today, one of the largest contingencies in the Parade is the Chicago Council of Welcoming Churches.
Over 95% of the corporate entries in the Parade are represented by the company’s LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group or Employee Resource Group.
And, all of Chicago’s major sports teams have appeared in the Parade, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Fire, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago White Sox.
PRIDEChicago has hosted numerous grand marshals from the world of sports, music, film, and TV, including Eric Alva, Billy Bean, Alexandra Billings, Orlando Cruz, Wilson Cruz, Lea Delaria, Wade Davis, Ty Herndon Greg Louganis, Chuck Panozzo, Will Sheridan, George Takei, Chely Wright, and many others.
In 2019, PRIDEChicago announced changes to the grand marshal selection. For the first time there was an Honorary Grand Marshal, plus a Youth Grand Marshal, several Legacy Grand Marshals and an Organizational Grand Marshal.
When Chicago Gay Liberation organized its first-ever march on Saturday, June 27, 1970, about 150 people marched from Clark and Walton Streets to the Daley Center (then known as the Civic Center).
By 2015, the year the U.S. Supreme Court declared marriage equality throughout the country, an estimated 1 million people watched the Chicago Pride Parade. The crowd estimates (provided by the City of Chicago) have remained at 1,000,000 since 2015.
Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne, the first woman elected mayor in Chicago, proclaimed the first Gay Pride Parade Day in the city in 1981.
After Byrne lost her reelection bid in 1983, she decided to thank the LGBTQ community for its support. When word got out that she was going to be in the Parade, elected officials began contacting PRIDEChicago in large numbers to register to participate, continuing a tradition that lasts through today.
In 1989, Richard M. Daley became the first sitting Chicago mayor to participate in the Chicago Pride Parade.
“I think it is important for me to take part in this parade to show my support of the gay community, which I believe has contributed to a better quality of life in this city,” Daley told the Chicago Sun-Times.
In 1997, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley declared the six-block stretch of Halsted from Grace to Belmont the first official gay neighborhood in America.
The first gay bar on Halsted Street, Little Jim’s, opened in 1975, and others soon followed, among them the Loading Dock (now Kit Kat Lounge), Christopher Street (now Hydrate), and Sidetrack (opened in 1982 and is still in business).
Boystown was adopted into mainstream use after Daley’s announcement, but it has since been renamed Northalsted in an effort to be more inclusive.
Through the years, the Chicago Pride Parade has addressed such significant issues as the HIV/AIDS crisis, same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ discrimination.
In the early 1980s, the HIV/AIDS pandemic was beginning to emerge, and it had a significant impact on the LGBTQ+ community. The Chicago Pride Parade provided a venue for education and activism.
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