Plan for emergencies, cell phones, surge pricing, preventing heat stroke, and more
Master the logistics and the layout
The parade starts at 11 a.m. at West Sheridan Road and Broadway. The route goes south down Broadway, turns onto Halsted Street, continues onto Belmont Avenue, heads back to Broadway, and finally goes down Diversey Parkway to Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park.
If you want to be where the crowd is biggest and loudest, the Northalsted area between Addison Street and Belmont Avenue is the place to be. For a quieter spot with more room, try setting up toward the end of the route along Diversey Parkway. No matter where you choose to stand, try to arrive by 9:30 a.m. to get a good view.
Ditch the car and trust transit
Do not try to drive anywhere near the parade on Sunday. Streets start closing as early as 2 a.m., and parking is almost impossible to find.
Taking the train or bus is your best option. The Chicago Transit Authority will run extra trains on the Red, Brown and Purple lines to help with the crowds. The Belmont, Wellington and Diversey stations will drop you off near the middle and end of the route. The Addison and Sheridan stops are closest to the start. Metra is also adding extra Sunday trains on the Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines so people coming from the suburbs can skip highway traffic.
If you plan to use Uber or Lyft, be ready for high prices and long waits. Prices usually go up a lot right before the parade starts and for a few hours after it ends because so many people are trying to get a ride at the same time. Traffic will also be stuck. To get a cheaper fare and a faster pickup, walk a few blocks away from the parade area, like west of Ashland Avenue or south of Fullerton Avenue, before you order your ride.
Pack for comfort and changing weather
The weather forecast for Sunday calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 82°F and a low of 71°F. Humidity will be high at 81%, and a light wind will blow from the southeast at 9 mph. There is only a small 15% chance of rain.
Because of the high humidity, the air will feel thick and much hotter than 82°F. In the past, many parade watchers have gotten sick from heat exhaustion or heat stroke because they underestimated the hot sun, the concrete streets, and the thick crowds.
You can protect yourself by choosing your clothes and gear carefully. Wear comfortable sneakers that you have worn before. Do not wear brand-new shoes, because you will be standing or walking for hours. Drink plenty of water all day, and do not wait until you feel thirsty to start. Bring a water bottle you can refill. Drinking sports drinks alongside water can also help keep your energy up. Sun protection is necessary because the sun will be strong. Put on sunscreen before you leave home, bring the bottle with you to put on more later, and wear a hat and sunglasses.
Keep an eye on your friends and the people around you. Dizziness, heavy sweating, nausea, a fast heartbeat or a sudden headache are signs that someone is getting too hot. Finally, use a small bag or a fanny pack to keep your hands free and your items safe in the crowd.
Know where to go in an emergency
If you or someone else gets sick or needs help, you can find medical aid stations along the route. The Chicago Fire Department sets these up at Addison Street just west of Halsted Street, Roscoe Street on both sides of Halsted Street, Aldine Street west of Halsted Street, and Surf Street east of Broadway. There is also a safety command center on Belmont Avenue between Clark Street and Halsted Street. If you just need a place to cool down from the heat, look for the city cooling buses parked near intersections like Waveland Avenue, Addison Street, Roscoe Street, and Belmont Avenue.
If you have an emergency and need to call 911, look up at the light poles before you call. The city puts up black signs with white letters and numbers on the poles along the route. Tell the 911 operator the exact code on the closest pole. This helps police or firefighters find you much faster in the big crowd. You can also walk up to any police officer, fire department member, or parade marshal on the street to ask for help.
Plan your post-parade strategy
When the parade finishes, the day is not over, but thousands of people will all look for food, bathrooms and rides at the same time. Restaurants and bars on Halsted Street and Broadway will be completely packed. If you want to eat in the area, expect long lines, or make a reservation ahead of time at a place far away from the parade route.
Cell phone networks often slow down or stop working when too many people use them at once. On top of that, many people run out of phone battery by the afternoon because they take so many photos and videos. There are almost no public places to charge your phone along the route, and local businesses will be too busy to let you plug in. Bring a fully charged portable power bank with you so your phone does not die.
Because phones might lose service or run out of power, pick a specific, easy-to-find spot to meet your group before the parade starts. That way, you know where to go if you get separated. Be patient with the crowds, look out for one another, and have a fun day. Happy Pride, Chicago.
