Marriage, youth and religion were but a few of the themes that were present in Chicago's 45th annual Pride Parade June 29.
According to Chicago Police, more than a million people attended and marched in the parade, which extended from Uptown, through Lakeview and ended in Lincoln Park at Diversey. Openly gay athlete and music artist Will Sheridan served as Grand Marshal.
Parade organizer Richard Pfeiffer said that the event transpired with few hitches. "We didn't see anything major. It was a celebratory day, seeing so many couples together in the parade, holding hands."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel led the parade, high-fiving the crowd along the way. Governor Pat Quinn did the same shortly after.
Numerous local politicians had entries. Legislators who played prominent roles in the fight for marriage equality in the state took part, among them state Reps. Greg Harris and Kelly Cassidy and State Sens. Heather Steans and John Cullerton. State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, draped in a Pride flag and "No Bruce Rauner" t-shirt, tossed beads to the crowd. County Clerk David Orr escorted David Wilk and Charlie Gurion, who were the first couple to wed in the Clerk's Office after a federal judge said that same-sex marriages could begin in Cook County last February.
Other politicians taking part included Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Ald. Deb Mell, who marched with him; U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley; Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka; state Attorney General Lisa Madigan; Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (who is running for Comptroller); Sen. Mike Frerichs (who is running for state treasurer); there was a contingent for Rep. Tom Cross, who is also running for treasurer; Sheriff Tom Dart; City Clerk Susana Mendoza (as well as her opponent in the upcoming election, activist Marc Loveless); and Alds. Tom Tunney, James Cappleman, Scott Waguespack, Bob Fioretti, Joe Moore, Danny Solis and Roberto Maldanado. State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's office also had a large float. Debra Shore, openly lesbian commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, rode in a float with other district representatives.
Young people played an important part in this year's parade, as students and staff from Nettelhorst Elementary School marched close to the front of the parade. They walked around a buggy inscribed with, "Love as 'easy as ABC,'" and were followed by students from Chicago Waldorf School. The PFLAG contingent was strong and well supported with chants and cheers.
Crowds also warmly welcomed contingents of LGBT veterans; when members of American Veterans for Equal Rights passed by, carrying a large American flag, onlookers began to chant, "U.S.A."
Dozen of local churches and religious organizations took part as well. Some were just represented by a few members carrying placards; others had marching contingents or elaborate floats. Among those represented were Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Temple Sholom, Dignity/Chicago, Congregation Or Chadash, Saint Clement Church, Achurch4me Metropolitan Community Church and Bethany United Church of Christ.
The plentiful number of churches stood in powerful contrast to the number of anti-gay protestors, of which there were about ten. They stood in their usual spot at Diversey Parkway and Pine Grove Avenue, surrounded by police and counter-protestors. Their placards this year contained not only anti-gay slogans, but slogans praising female subservience as well.
Many LGBT and friendly sports teams also took part, including the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bulls, plus roller derby women's teams, Chicago Gay Hockey Association, the Dragons gay rugby team, Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association, and the Athletic Alliance of Chicago (their float broke down at the start).
There were lots of "dykes on bikes," with two continents, one from Dykes on Bikes, the other Organized Chaos. The bars were represented as well, including from Sidetrack, Roscoe's, Baton Show Lounge, and the new Phoenix nightclub.
Corporate America continued to enthusiastically partake in the Pride festivities. Among the companies represented were Sears, which celebrated gay weddings; BP, whose representatives wore colorful, Carnival-style balloons; Google, who clothed its Android mascots in wedding garb; American Airlines, represented once again by its miniature airliner; and Orbitz with a large balloon. Among the TV stations represented were WGN, whose iconic character, Bozo the Clown, was front and center on its float, and weatherman Tom Skilling was enthusiastically on board.
Among local and national organizations also taking part were Gay Liberation Network, Asians and Friends, Chicago Prime Timers, Gerber/Hart Library, Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus, Equality Illinois, The Civil Rights Agenda, and Chicago Gay Men's Chorus. Lambda Legal and the ACLU, which both played critical roles in the marriage fight, had strong contingents, with Lambda featuring many of the couples who sued for the right to marry. There was also a unity float and contingent featuring several groups, among them Center on Halsted, Affinity and Test Positive Aware Network.
Members of Lakeside Pride Freedom Marching Band wore bright t-shirts reminding onlookers that they need new uniformsthe band is currently trying to raise $25,000 to get members new uniforms.
Police issued a statement that "there were only a handful of issues, including eight arrests, one of which was for criminal damage to a police vehicle." Video footage of that vandalism, which took place at the corner of Halsted and Aldine streets, was posted online.
Despite the police's low arrest figures, sirens and emergency vehicles were frequently seen and heard throughout the parade. Pfeiffer said most of the medical cases were heat-related. At one point, Chicago Fire Department officials were letting overheated marchers cool off in a fire hydrant that had been opened at Surf Street and Broadway.
Montrose Beach was closed in the early evening after two women were shot nearby, according to Chicago Sun-Times. The area has been for many years the location of the Montrose Rocks post-parade celebration, which hadofficially, at leastbeen cancelled this year. Nevertheless, thousands of people gathered there anyway once the parade began to wind down.
Chicago Sun-Times reported that the shooting happened at about 6:04 p.m. in the 4500 block of North Simonds Drive, and that the women were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Chicago Pride's post on the Aldine vandalism is at: chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/59210721 .
Chicago Sun-Times' article is at: bit.ly/1nX3vkR .
Main gallery of additional photos, by Kat Fitgerald, at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/photospreadthumbs.php .
More photos by Tracy Baim at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/photospreadthumbs.php .
Even more photos by Matt Simonette at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/photospreadthumbs.php .
Videos by Tracy Baim/Windy City Times:
1. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 1 www.youtube.com/watch .
2. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 2 www.youtube.com/watch .
3. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 3 www.youtube.com/watch .
4. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 4 www.youtube.com/watch .
5. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 5 www.youtube.com/watch .
6. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 6 www.youtube.com/watch .
7. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 7 www.youtube.com/watch .
8. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 8 www.youtube.com/watch .
9. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 9 www.youtube.com/watch .
10. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 10 www.youtube.com/watch .
11. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 11 www.youtube.com/watch .
12. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 12 www.youtube.com/watch .
13. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 13 www.youtube.com/watch .
14. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 14 www.youtube.com/watch .
15. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 15 www.youtube.com/watch .
16. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 16 www.youtube.com/watch .
17. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 17 www.youtube.com/watch .
18. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 18 www.youtube.com/watch .
19. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 19 www.youtube.com/watch .
20. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 20 www.youtube.com/watch .
21. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 21 www.youtube.com/watch .
22. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 22 www.youtube.com/watch .
23. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 23 www.youtube.com/watch .
24. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 24 www.youtube.com/watch .
25. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 25 www.youtube.com/watch .
26. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 26 www.youtube.com/watch .
27. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 27 www.youtube.com/watch .
28. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 28 www.youtube.com/watch .
29. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 29 www.youtube.com/watch .
30. Windy City Times 2014 Pride Parade Part 30 www.youtube.com/watch .
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