One of the most-anticipated floats in the 2025 Chicago Pride Parade is Asians and Friends Chicago (AFC), which brings a “Wicked/Wizard of Oz” mashup to the south-bound parade route.

AFC is combining the two motion pictures to coincide with the Chicago Pride Parade’s theme, “United in Pride,” and its marchers and parade riders will wear costumes inspired by the two films … with the sequel to the movie “Wicked” set to be released in the fall.

“The Chicago Pride Parade represents an unending fight to secure our rights as an LGBTQ+ community. We all know in this current administration that the rights we’ve won are in flux,” said Angel Abcede, secretary of the AFC board of directors.

 Founding members of AFC marched in the first Chicago Gay Pride Parade in 1970, at risk to their jobs and relationships with family and friends. “They told us year after year to always participate,” Abcede said. “A lot of those guys have passed away, but their message remains with us. Many people forget and minimize the parade as frivolous, but it stands as an open, safe opportunity to be brave and express (oneself) beyond rigid, gender norms.

“As a small organization, we fight every year to raise the money to get into the parade, rent a float and purchase decorations. And while we’ve faced internal criticism for putting so much effort into a parade, it has become a way to generate energy, creativity and pride. It’s like Gay Christmas, where our members feel connected to AFC because we are connected – after 25 years of consistent participation – to the parade.”

Abcede said many AFC members thoroughly enjoyed Wicked when it came out last year. The group then had a thorough, idea-vetting process for the parade that included multiple emails and an online survey. “Typically, we must act before the Pride Committee decides on its overall theme, but when we heard it was ‘United in Pride,’ we felt that combining the two movies matched up exactly. So, this year, our people on the float are dressing in characters from both films, uniting the two worlds,” he said.

So, expect to see Glindas, Elphabas, cowardly lions, scarecrows, tin men, flying monkeys 

and all the characters from the beloved movies. 

AFC will deliver a fantastical mashup of all the iconic elements of Oz: The Yellow Brick Road, fields of poppies, silhouettes of Dorothy and her friends, all pointing up to the face of a larger-than-life Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. 

Even brighter and more colorful than the float itself will be AFC’s float riders and marchers. Everyone on the float is creating an individual costume based on characters from both films.

“AFC has become known as one of the last grassroots, social organizations who put the time and energy into building a Pride float,” Abcede said. “We try to be as whimsical and fabulous as our budget will allow. While some years we’re more successful than others, we definitely try every parade.”

Asians and Friends Chicago (AFC) is filled with LGBTQ+ people from all parts of Asia, including the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and beyond, including Mexico, Puerto Rico plus African and European countries.

“Being in Chicago, we tend to embrace anything from that part of the world as being who we are. We delight and participate in all of it,” said John McInteer, president of the AFC board of directors.

AFC will have about 15 people on the float and about 40 people marching, including some from other Asian-centric groups (the Asian comedy group, Stir Friday Night and the Filipino theater company, Circa Pintig). 

“The theme and costumes will differ from past years, but our enthusiasm and creativity will match or surpass past year’s efforts. Also, people watching will have a greater connection to the ‘Wicked/Oz’ theme than what we’ve done in the past,” Abcede said. “Wicked was a box office hit and people are looking forward to the release of Wicked: For Good in the fall. Of course, we’re not affiliated with any official marketing for the movie … we’re just big fans picking an iconic story to play with.”

AFC will be passing out “wands” to its marchers with colorful ribbons.

After the parade, AFC will host an appreciation party at Holiday Club (4000 N. Sheridan Road) in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. The festivities will begin at 2 p.m.

Since its founding in 1984, AFC has served the LGBTQ+ Asian community and its allies by offering members a social opportunity to celebrate Asian cultures and meet people of similar backgrounds and interests. AFC is an inductee into the Chicago Gay and 

Lesbian Hall of Fame, a two-time winner for Best Organization in the Chicago Gay Pride Parade, hosts of IFCON 2016 Chicago and recipients of Chapter of the Year 2022 from the International Friendship Association.

“Building community among LGBTQ+ people of Asian descent here in Chicago is not easy. A lot of barriers exist in terms of language, self-esteem and social competitiveness,” Abcede said. “It’s a difficult dynamic to create bonds. But we’ve been doing it for decades, one new friendship at a time, growing to our largest size since I joined in 2003.”

Written by Ross Forman