Chicago Pride Fest officially moved to weekend before annual parade
Fri. March 22, 2013 11:22 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
chicago pride parade, the last sunday in june
Pride Fest Chicago: Sat., June 22 - Sun., June 23, 2013
Chicago, IL -
The Northalsted Business Alliance (NHBA), organizers of Chicago's Pride Fest, have received approval from the City of Chicago to move the two-day street festival to Sat., June 22 and Sun., June 23, the weekend before the annual Pride Parade.
"We are thrilled as a community to have the amazing support of the aldermen and the neighbors for this festival," Sean Kotwa, Hydrate general manager and co-chair of the organizing committee, told ChicagoPride.com.
Rumors of splitting the festival and parade to separate weekends circulated earlier this year. In early February, Jen Gordon, a spokesperson for NHBA, said the group was in the process of obtaining approvals to change the date, which includes meeting with community groups and city officials.
NHBA officially confirmed the new dates for Pride Fest to ChicagoPride.com after receiving support and approval from Alderman Tom Tunney (44th Ward) and Alderman James Cappleman (46th Ward) on Friday. The festival spans both wards along North Halsted St. from Addison to Waveland Ave. in the Lakeview neighborhood.
Pride Fest had traditionally been a prelude to the Chicago Pride Parade, which is scheduled for Sun., June 30, 2013. The parade is coordinated by Richard Pfeiffer of PRIDEChicago, who confirmed the parade will travel the same route as last year.
Organizers believe the change will help alleviate congestion in Lakeview during June by allowing a "Pride Week" instead of weekend. Last year's Pride Parade drew over 850,000 people to the neighborhood.
"The expanded weekend will allow us to really grow Pride Fest in Chicago," said Kotwa. "We hope that people will make Chicago a week-long destination for pride - from Pride Fest to the Parade."
Entertainment announcements and schedules have not yet been made.
Related: Wilson Phillips announced for Market Days 2013 lineup
"We are thrilled as a community to have the amazing support of the aldermen and the neighbors for this festival," Sean Kotwa, Hydrate general manager and co-chair of the organizing committee, told ChicagoPride.com.
Rumors of splitting the festival and parade to separate weekends circulated earlier this year. In early February, Jen Gordon, a spokesperson for NHBA, said the group was in the process of obtaining approvals to change the date, which includes meeting with community groups and city officials.
NHBA officially confirmed the new dates for Pride Fest to ChicagoPride.com after receiving support and approval from Alderman Tom Tunney (44th Ward) and Alderman James Cappleman (46th Ward) on Friday. The festival spans both wards along North Halsted St. from Addison to Waveland Ave. in the Lakeview neighborhood.
Pride Fest had traditionally been a prelude to the Chicago Pride Parade, which is scheduled for Sun., June 30, 2013. The parade is coordinated by Richard Pfeiffer of PRIDEChicago, who confirmed the parade will travel the same route as last year.
Organizers believe the change will help alleviate congestion in Lakeview during June by allowing a "Pride Week" instead of weekend. Last year's Pride Parade drew over 850,000 people to the neighborhood.
"The expanded weekend will allow us to really grow Pride Fest in Chicago," said Kotwa. "We hope that people will make Chicago a week-long destination for pride - from Pride Fest to the Parade."
Entertainment announcements and schedules have not yet been made.
Related: Wilson Phillips announced for Market Days 2013 lineup