CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago’s North Side was bustling with activity on Sunday as massive crowds and roadblocks took over for the 55th annual Pride Parade.
The festivities kicked off at 11 a.m., starting at the corner of Grace Street and Broadway. The parade route traveled south along Broadway, continued on Halsted Street, then east along Belmont Avenue. From there, it headed south again to Diversey Parkway, concluding eastward on Cannon Drive.
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Residents and parade-goers were advised to expect street closures beginning at 7:30 a.m. for staging areas, with the parade route shutting down as early as 8:30 a.m., adjusted according to crowd conditions. The closures affected primary streets such as Irving Park Road and Wellington Avenue at Broadway and Addison Street, along with Grace and Roscoe Street at Halsted. Roads were slated to reopen fully by 4 p.m. or as soon as safety allowed.
Designated pedestrian crossings during the event included locations at Addison and Halsted, Cornelia Street and Halsted, Buckingham Place and Halsted, Briar Place and Broadway, and Wellington and Broadway.
Strict parking restrictions were enforced, beginning at 2 a.m. Sunday, both in the parade assembly area at Sheridan and Broadway, and along the entire parade route. For those whose cars were towed, assistance was available through the city’s 311 service.
Cooling buses, if needed, will be available at Addison west of Halsted, Roscoe west of Halsted, Belmont east of Broadway, Wilton Avenue north of Belmont, Waveland between Broadway and Halsted and Belmont westbound between Halsted and Clark Street.
Drones without Federal Aviation Administration waivers will not be allowed in the area.
The 2026 theme is “Free to be Proud.”
Organizers say the theme affirms “that the freedom to live openly, love authentically, and exist safely is neither abstract nor guaranteed.”
Tracy Baim, Mona Noriega, Evette Cardona and The Alliance of Illinois Judges were announced as the 2026 community grand marshals.
SEE ALSO: Chicago police, organizers prepare for large crowds, heightened security for 2026 Pride Parade
The parade features colorful floats, decorated vehicles, musical talent, walking contingents and local government officials all in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The annual parade celebration commemorates the Stonewall Riots, which occurred June 28, 1969, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Chicago’s Pride Parade takes place the same weekend in the summer, replacing what was once a fight for civil rights with dazzling displays of hope and perseverance.
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ABC7’s Val Warner and Hosea Sanders hosted the Chicago Pride Parade broadcast with Jason Knowles, capturing all the action live from the street. LGBTQIA+ community advocates will join the festivities, including Cody LaGrow (Emmy Award-winning journalist) and Kim Hunt (LGBT Hall of Fame and senior director of AIDS Initiative Chicago).
“ABC7 Chicago is proud of our decades-long commitment to pride, and we are thrilled to be the only Chicago station presenting two hours of live parade coverage on multiple platforms,” said John Idler, president and general manager of ABC7 Chicago. “The station commitment extends well beyond the June celebration, and we look forward to great storytelling all year.
Watch the full parade below:
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