Tue. January 1, 2019
The 49th annual Chicago Pride Parade experienced near perfect weather, as spectators crowded the streets, rooftops and balconies from Uptown to Lincoln Park to celebrate the LGTBQ community on Sunday, June 24.
Riding in a convertible near the front of the parade procession, Orlando "El Fenomeno" Cruz, the first openly gay active professional boxer, served as Grand Marshal.
Balloons By Tommy had one of the strongest showings of any again this year. With about 40,000 balloons, the company spelled out its 2018 theme, "Harmony."
Another favorite each year is Sidetrack's unique and creative float featuring Dixie Lynn Cartwright and plenty of sex men and women. Sidetrack's theme was "Lead with Love."
The parade ran 2 hours and 46 minutes from step-off until the last entry crossed, that's 17 minutes longer than last year. An official crowd estimate has not yet been released by the city, but some suggest nearly one million people moved in and out of the Lakeview and Uptown neighborhoods throughout the day.
The annual Chicago Pride Parade, one of the largest in the country, is coordinated by PRIDEChicago.
Photos from the 2018 Chicago Pride Parade
By Ken Brown: Gallery One | Gallery Two | Gallery Three
By Steven Koch: Gallery One | Gallery Two
By Anthony Meade: Gallery One | Gallery Two
Pride Month Highlights by Clinton Bigelow
ChicagoPride.com publishes thousands of photos each year from Boystown and beyond. Check out our extensive photo gallery.
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Head to the local LGBTQ news, events, directory and people network at ChicagoPride.com