[UPDATE April 18]
According to local NBC, plans for the Aurora Pride Parade have been reinstated and the event will go forward. See www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/aurora-pride-parade-back-on-after-huge-fundraising-push-508717301.html .
Original 2019-04-12 item:
After an audacious inaugural Pride Parade in Aurora last year, the suburb's event has been cancelled for this year because of finances.
A press release from Indivisible Aurora that Windy City Times received read, in part, "At the beginning of April, we were told, after months of planning, that our costs for the parade alone were to increase four-fold over last year due to a new city ordinance. That we were told 66 days before the kickoff of festival activities was problematic. Our fundraising model was designed with last year's economics in mind. While we anticipated an increase we never imagined, nor was it ever suggested, that it would be 4X.
"Our Board of Directors carefully considered options. We reached out to sponsors and partners. We discussed cutting back where we could. We looked at every line item with renewed vigor. We worked closely with Mayor Irvin and his staff to identify additional savings. All of this in the hopes of saving the festival. In the end we could not find a fiscally responsible way forward. Quite simply, the new economics make it impossible for us to ensure that we can stage the kind of Pride Festival that would make Aurora, the LGBTQ+ community we support, and us proud.
"As you can imagine, we are heartbroken and disappointed for the Fox Valley LGBTQ+ community, our partners and sponsors, and our enthusiastic supporters and volunteers. We'd like to thank them all for their steadfast support. We'd also like to thank the city's Special Events team, the Aurora Police Department ( specifically, Lt. Matt Thomas and his staff ), the Aurora Fire Department, EMS staff, Downtown Aurora, the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Mayor's Office for their diligent partnerships this past year."
People can visit AuroraPride.org for additional information and refund details for sponsors, donors and participants.
Pride Festival details are slated to be discussed at the group's April public meeting at 1 E. Benton St. in Aurora on Saturday, April 13.
Aurora held its first Pride Parade June 17, 2018, drawing thousands.