At least four schools are back in the Chicago Pride Parade lineup after they were previously told they wouldn't be able to march in this year's celebration due to new limitations enforced by the city.
They are among six schools from the 2023 parade that were informed in a March 26 email from event organizers that they would not be included in this year's celebration due to a newly enforced cap on the parade's number of entries.
But the parade's organizers—Tim Frye, Ron Thomas and Steve Long—announced in a statement Thursday they found a way for all six schools to still be included by grouping them together as one entry.
"Engaging in open communication and collaboration with all stakeholders, including Ald. Bennett Lawson's office [44th Ward], we're excited to announce that we've been able to come up with a creative solution that ensures the spirit of inclusivity and celebration continues," the organizers said in a joint statement.
Lawson did not immediately return a request for comment about the schools' inclusion.
The Nettelhorst School, part of Chicago Public Schools and the first school to march in the Chicago Pride Parade, will serve as the group's coordinator, Lawson said in a statement. Nettelhorst was among the six schools emailed in March, but placed on a waitlist to still be included this year.
"I'm thrilled our schools have joined forces to participate together in the 2024 Pride Parade," Lawson said. "I'm committed to continuing work with the parade organizers, CPD, city partners and local organizations to ensure a safe and successful event in June."
So far, three of the other five schools have agreed to march in the new parade contingent, including Catherine Cook School, Francis W. Parker School and Near North Montessori School, parade organizers said. Efforts are underway to finalize the involvement of the last two schools, which include Rogers Park Montessori School and Lycée Francais de Chicago.
Karen Liszka, a teacher at Francis W. Parker, said in a statement to Windy City Times that parade organizers contacted her on Wednesday to see if the groups would be interested in marching together under the "supportive schools" umbrella.
Additionally, the organizers waived the group's entrance fee for them, and all schools will share the cost of one slot in years to come, Liszka said.
This will be Francis W. Parker's fifth year participating in the Chicago Pride Parade, Liszka previously told Windy City Times.
"This is something our school has looked forward to participating in for years," Liszka said.
The schools were among nearly 100 groups on the waitlist to be included in this year's parade after city officials told organizers in mid-March they'd be capping entries at 125 groups, Long previously said. That's about a 37% decrease from the 199 groups that marched in 2023.
Parade coordinators have said they're adjusting to the new limits by prioritizing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ organizations, groups, businesses and employee resource groups. They're also consolidating the inclusion of politicians in the parade and involvement from corporations.
The entry cap is among a few changes the city is imposing on the Pride Parade in an effort to better manage its staffing and resources throughout the day, including shifting the parade's start time up to 11 a.m. instead of noon, organizers said.
The parade, which draws nearly 1 million people to the North Side every year, is known for lasting hours, with the 2023 parade wrapping four-and-a-half hours after its start. Although, the celebration had a 15- to 20-minute rain delay in 2023.
Erica Schroeder, director of public information for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), previously told Windy City Times the entry cap is to ensure the parade complies with city ordinances restricting all parades to two hours and 15 minutes.
Parade permits are reviewed by multiple departments to identify potential conflicts, safety issues and the availability of resources, Schroeder said. This year's Pride Parade, set for June 30, happens the week of Fourth of July and the weekend before NASCAR's Chicago Street Race.
Lawson, whose ward is one of three that the parade passes through, previously said the changes came down to limited police staffing and other resources. The earlier start time will also better align with the police department's shift changes, allowing for an easier transition after the parade and again in the late-night hours, he said.
Since the parade returned in 2022 from its pandemic-related hiatus, the surrounding area has seen street takeovers in the late-night hours after the parade. There was also a shooting and a stabbing in Lakeview after 2022's parade.
In addition to making changes to the Pride Parade, city officials are also exploring whether a post-parade street festival would be possible to help better manage crowds after the event, Lawson said. But local business leaders said they're still discussing with the city how and if such an event would happen.
"There is a need to keep the community safe all day," Lawson said. "The parade has its own atmosphere and footprint, and then there's the time immediately after the parade and different things happening late at night."
