Community Corner

Pride Parade 2013: Everything You Need to Know

Heading to Chicago's Annual Pride Parade? Everything you need to know, like parking, transportation, a map of the route and even restroom availability is listed here.

Chicago's annual Pride Parade is back this Sunday, bringing the thumping music, glamorous outfits and over-the-top floats to the North Side.

Kicking off at Broadway Street and Montrose Avenue, the parade starts at noon in Uptown and features 200 different floats, decorated vehicles, performance groups, a marching band and walking contingents. The entire production is expected to last two and a half hours.

From the starting point in Uptown, the parade proceeds south on Broadway, then south on Halsted Street, east on Belmont Avenue, south on Broadway, and east on Diversey to Cannon Drive. Public toilets will be set up along the route for those far from home.

Parking will be prohibited on these roads, as well as many others listed here, starting at 5 a.m. Sunday. Cars remaining will be towed. 

Pedestrians will only be allowed to cross the route at the following streets:

  • Montrose Avenue
  • Irving Park Road
  • Addison Street
  • Grace Street 
  • Roscoe Street 
  • Wellington Avenue

Unlike previous years, Ald. Tom Tunney says there will no longer be a buffer time where the parade route becomes pedestrian friendly after the event ends. Street sweepers will be following the last float, and regular traffic will resume after everything is cleaned. 

Also new this year is Chicago's new ordinance tightening down penalties for public drinking near the route, as well as public indecency. The ordinance increases the punishment of those found in violation within 200 feet of a parade route. It will apply to all parades within the city. 

  • Drinking on the public way increases from a minimum of $100 and maximum of $500, to a minimum of $500 and maximum of $1,000.
  • Intoxication by a minor rises from $25 for the first violation and $100 for subsequent violations to $500 or 25 hours of community service.
  • Public urination or defecation will increase from a minimum of $100 and maximum of $500, to $500 and $1,000 respectively.

Public Transportation

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Regarding those who take the Red Line, the Wilson, Sheridan and Addison stations all provide convenient access via a short walk to the parade route. From the Brown Line, the Wellington and Diversey stations provide convenient access as well. 

The following bus routes will be rerouted:

Find out what's happening in Lakeviewwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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