Parade History
The Chicago Pride Parade commemorates the Stonewall uprising 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.
Inspired by the revolutionary events of Stonewall a year earlier, the first Gay Liberation March was held on Saturday, June 27, 1970, making Chicago the first city to hold such a march, followed by New York City and San Francisco on Sunday, June 28, 1970.
The event bore almost no resemblance to what it is today. The size and scope of Chicago Pride Parade has grown from its original first year crowd of 150 people to more than one million spectators.
Chicagoans love the Chicago Pride Parade – and it shows!
Who We Are
PRIDEChicago is a vibrant and dynamic volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ+ community since 1974. We are proud to have produced the iconic Chicago Pride Parade for over 50 years.
Our Mission
Founded in 1974 by Richard Pfeiffer, our mission remains steadfast to inspire, educate, and commemorate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities in Chicago, while celebrating our diverse culture.
Our Vision
We are proud of our history and excited about the work we are doing to create a brighter future for all. We are committed to creating a world where all people can live authentically, and unapologetically.
Our Values
We expect all parade participants, volunteers, and spectators to support the LGBTQ+ community and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with our values of respect, kindness, integrity, and positivity.
Our Leadership Team
Our continued success is due in part to our dedicated all-volunteer leadership team and parade coordinators. Our team brings a wealth of experience and expertise so we can continue making the Chicago Pride Parade a celebration that our community can be proud of.
PRIDEChicago is a proud member of Interpride and the United States Association of Prides.
PRIDEChicago is a proud 2021 inductee into The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.
Our Story
The annual Chicago Pride Parade commemorates 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.
PRIDEChicago has organized the parade for half a century. Today, it’s one of the nation’s biggest Pride parades in the country and one of the world’s largest neighborhood parades.
The annual Chicago Pride Parade commemorates 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.
PRIDEChicago has organized the parade for half a century. Today, it’s one of the nation’s biggest Pride parades in the country and one of the world’s largest neighborhood parades.
The 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City were largely ignored by Chicago's newspapers.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Chicagoan's continued to face harassment and arrests.
The first Chicago Gay Rights March was held with 100 to 150 people.
The march, organized by the Chicago Gay Liberation, was the first in the U.S. to recognize the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.
Photo: Windy City Times
In 1974 when Chicago Gay Liberation and Chicago Gay Alliance dissolved, Rich Pfeiffer took over management and planning of the annual Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.
Photo: Eunice Hundseth Militante, Newberry
The 1977 Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade saw a large uptick in numbers from previous years, with an estimated 3,000 people in attendance.
The catalyst was a protest again Anita Bryant, an anti-gay activist, singer, and spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission.
Photo: queermusicheritage.com
The 12th annual Parade in 1981 took one of the longest route's ever.
It was also the first year that Mayor Jane M. Byrne designated the day "Gay Pride Parade Day in Chicago."
In 1984, after losing re-election, Byrne participated in the parade.
Photo: Alan Light
Mayor Harold Washington spoke at the Chicago Pride rally after the parade in 1986, becoming the first Chicago mayor to address a gay rights rally.
Washington made significant contributions to the cause of LGBTQ equality, including the appointment of the first mayoral liaison to the LGBTQ community.
Photo: Alan Light
In 1989, Richard M. Daley became the first sitting mayor to join the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.
When asked why he participated, Daley replied: "I am the Mayor for all Chicago."
The crowd was estimated at 100,000.
Photo: Windy City Times
The 24th annual Chicago Pride Parade - with 165,000 celebrants - was rescheduled from the traditional last Sunday in June to the first weekend to accommodate those traveling to NYC to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Thousands marched past the newly opened Center on Halsted, an impressive glass edifice symbolizing a new era in what used to be called “The Gay Ghetto.”
An estimated 450,000 people attended the Chicago Pride Parade in 2007.
Spectators provided a deafening roar of welcome to the Stanley Cup and ex-Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel at the 41st annual parade.
It was the first time it, or any other major sports trophy, has been in a pride parade.
"I hope it raised some awareness," said Sopel.
After crowds doubled over the previous three years, the 2012 route was lengthened by 5 blocks to allow more space for spectators to view the parade.
2013 again saw record crowds as an estimated 1 million people came out in support of LGBTQ equality.
Photo: Jay Shaff
In 2014, marriage equality took center stage at the 45th annual Chicago Pride Parade.
The festive parade was the first since Illinois' marriage equality law was enacted on June 1.
Gov. Pat Quinn, who signed the bill into law, was among the more than 200 entries.
The 47th annual Chicago Pride Parade was a mix of emotions: joy, pride and pain.
The opening of the parade included a moving tribute to the 49 slain victims of the June 12, 2016 tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
An estimated crowd of one million people attended.
The 2019 Chicago Pride Parade is remembered as the 50th milestone edition cut short by Mother Nature.
In October, parade coordinator Richard Pfeiffer passed away at 70. Pfeiffer coordinated the parade since 1974.
Photo: Steven Koch
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chicago Pride Parade returned to much fanfare in 2022.
The parade was cut short due to inclement weather in 2019 and canceled in 2020 and 2021 —marking a first in its 50-year history.
Photo: GoPride.com
The 2024 Chicago Pride Parade marched under the theme of “Pride is Power,” highlighting the parade’s role in creating visibility and change for LGBTQ+ people since its first march in 1970.
PRIDEChicago achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status paving the way for expanded community initiatives and ensuring longevity of the annual Pride parade.
Richard Pfeiffer
Richard William Pfeiffer, long-time coordinator of the annual Chicago Pride Parade since 1974 and a member of Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, died Sunday, October 6, 2019. He was 70.
“One of our earliest and longest-serving activists, Rich Pfeiffer made history as he gave our community decades of committed, effective service,” said Art Johnston, Sidetrack co-owner and co-founder of Equality Illinois.
“Under Rich’s year-round consistent leadership, Chicago’s Gay Pride Parade grew from a few hundred participants and observers to thousands of marchers and over a million viewers, reflecting the amazing growth of our communities,” Johnston added.
Pfeiffer watched Chicago’s first-ever parade in 1970, was a volunteer marshal at the second, third and fourth parades, and he volunteered to be the coordinator at the fifth parade in 1974. He held the title of Parade Coordinator through 2019.
Pfeiffer’s husband of nearly 48 years, Tim Frye, assumed leadership of the parade and continues as co-coordinator and PRIDEChicago Vice Chair.
Thanks to Pfeiffer and Frye’s dedicated service, PRIDEChicago was inducted into The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2021.
It is a tribute to Rich that our parade has thrived with very little of the controversies which have marked so many other parades across our country.
ART JOHNSTON
Words on Pride
When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.
You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights.
Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.
Fears are not facts.
Faces of Pride
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.