Chicago’s Pride Parade turns 50 this year, and the theme of Sunday’s edition is “Stonewall 50: Millions of Moments of Pride.”
That’s because this also marks the 50th anniversary of a pivotal moment for LGBTQ rights — the 1969 riots sparked by a police raid at New York City’s Stonewall Inn.
Here’s your everything guide to this year’s Chicago Pride Parade:
When
It kicks off at noon Sunday and is expected to last at least 2 1/2 hours, with 150 groups registered to take part, with floats, buses, trolleys and marchers.
Where
It starts at Broadway and Montrose Avenue, then heads south on Broadway, south on Halsted Street, east on Belmont Avenue, south on Broadway and east on Diversey Avenue to Cannon Drive, ending near the lake.
Pedestrians can cross the route at Grace Street, Addison Street, Cornelia Street, Roscoe Street, Aldine Street, Wellington Avenue and Oakdale Avenue.
How to get there
Public transportation, public transportation, public transportation because of the traffic, street closings, parking restrictions, ticketing and towing.
But you’ll probably want to get off somewhere other than the Belmont stop on the Red and Brown lines to avoid the biggest crush of parade-going commuters.
The other nearest L stops: Wilson, Sheridan or Addison on the Red Line and the Diversey and Wellington Brown Line stations.
By bus: The No. 146 (Inner Drive/Michigan Express) or the No. 151 (Sheridan) will get you to the east side of the parade route from the north and from downtown.
These bus lines will be running but will be rerouted because of the parade: No. 8 (Halsted), No. 22 (Clark), No. 36 (Broadway), No. 76 (Diversey), No. 77 (Belmont), No. 78 (Montrose), No. 80 (Irving Park), No. 151 (Sheridan) and No. 152 (Addison).
Several CTA train stops are near the Pride Parade route. Pedestrians are allowed to cross the route at Grace, Addison, Cornelia, Roscoe, Aldine, Wellington and Oakdale.
Chicago Sun-Times
Weather
Sunday’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies in Lake View with afternoon thunderstorms likely, according to the National Weather Service. A high temperature near 80 degrees is expected with a 60% chance of rain between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Grand marshals
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the city’s first openly gay mayor, is one of seven grand marshals — the first time there have been more than one. And she’ll ride a float — a first for a mayor.
The other grand marshals: Molly Pinta, 13, who lives in Buffalo Grove, where she organized her own pride parade; Joel Hall, founder of the Joel Hall Dance Company; Jim Flint, owner of the Baton Show Lounge; Marge Summit, owner of the His ‘n Hers bar; and Chuck Adams and Gwyn Ciesla of Indivisible Aurora.
Street closings
They’ll start at noon, with streets reopened behind the procession. Last year, the police had all streets reopened by 7 p.m.
