The 2025 Chicago Pride Parade happens this Sunday, June 29, serving as a grand finale to the Pride Month festivities across the city and suburbs.
This year’s celebration—the parade’s 54th—is expected to bring about 800,000 spectators to Lakeview to watch more than 151 groups march in the city’s largest Pride celebration.
To help everyone plan for a fun and safe celebration, Windy City Times rounded up logistical details and other important information about this year’s parade. Continue reading for everything on the parade’s route and start time to nearby CTA stops and more.
Visit the Pride Parade’s website for more information.
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Parade start time and route
This year’s parade steps off at 11 a.m. from the intersection of West Sheridan Road and Broadway, heading south on Broadway and then Halsted.
From Halsted, the parade eventually heads east on Belmont Avenue to Broadway, and then south on along Broadway to Diversey Parkway.
The corner of Sheridan and Broadway will be closed for the parade’s staging, and the viewing area begins at Grace Street and Broadway.
A map of the 2025 Chicago Pride Parade. Provided by PRIDEChicago
The most popular area for watching the parade is along the Northalsted entertainment corner, which spans Halsted Street from Addison Street to Belmont Avenue. Anyone wishing to watch the parade from there is encouraged to arrive early.
Some areas that tend to be less crowded include Broadway from Belmont to Oakdale and Belmont from Halsted to Broadway, according to parade organizers.
For those looking for an accessible viewing area, the section of the route along Diversey near Clark Street is one of the less populated areas. There will be an accessible viewing area and accessible portable restrooms near 600 W. Diversey. Other public restrooms will be located nearby throughout the parade’s route
Crossing the parade can be difficult, but it’s possible at the following crossover locations:
- Addison and Halsted
- Cornelia and Halsted
- Buckingham and Halsted
- Briar and Broadway
- Wellington & Broadway
Medical areas and cooling buses
A number of health and safety stations will be available along the parade route for anyone in need of help.
Medical areas will be at:
- Addison east of Halsted
- Roscoe east of Halsted
- Aldine east of Halsted
- Surf west of Broadway
Cooling buses will be available at:
- Addison west of Halsted
- Roscoe west of Halsted
- Belmont east of Broadway
- Wilton north of Belmont
- Waveland between Broadway and Halsted
- Belmont westbound between Halsted and Clark
Parking and transportation
A map of the parking restrictions surrounding the 2025 Chicago Pride Parade. Provided by 44th Ward website
Street parking will be very limited and the area will be crowded due to the parade and its various street closures (more on that below). Anyone driving to the parade is encouraged to carpool and be prepared to park far away and walk to the parade’s route.
However, people are encouraged to take public transportation if they can. The following Red Line CTA stops are near the parade route:
- Wilson, one mile north of the parade’s start point
- Addison
- Belmont, which is the most crowded stop
The following Brown Line CTA stops are near the route:
- Belmont, which is the most crowded stop
- Wellington
- Diversey, near the parade’s end point
CTA buses are also available, but they may be rerouted on parade day. Check transitchicago.com for the latest on route updates.
What to bring and wear
Prepare for hot and sunny weather by dressing light and comfortably, whether that’s in costumes, decked out in rainbows or covered in glitter.
Wear sunscreen and bring extra so you can reapply throughout the day. Water and snacks might also be wise to bring and enjoy while watching the parade.
Many parade viewing spots are not in the shade, so hats or other head coverings might also come in handy.
Other important things to bring include your wallet with an ID and cash for emergency purchases and a fully charged cell phone.
There are a number of prohibited items, including:
- alcohol
- bicycles and scooters
- coolers
- drones
- fireworks
- folding chairs
- propane and propane tanks
- tents, canopies and structures
- tripods, monopods and selfie sticks
- weapons
Open alcohol containers are strictly prohibited, and offenders can be fined up to $1,000 or more.
Pets are not allowed in the parade, but people can bring them as spectators. Just keep in mind that the parade route is crowded, noisy and full of colorful and glittery distractions.
Other safety tips
Black and white pole markers will have codes to make it easier to share your location. Photo provided by PRIDEChicago
The Office of Emergency Management and Communications provided the following tips:
- Report suspicious activity to 9-1-1
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Have a meeting spot in case you get separated from your group
- Know your location
- Stay hydrated
Throughout the parade route will be black and white pole markers/location identifiers with unique letter-and-number codes that can be used to notify others of your location in case of an emergency or if you’re separated from your family and friends.
Street closures and parking bans
The following areas will have no parking from 1 a.m.-8 p.m. on parade day:
- Both sides of Broadway from Irving Park to Waveland
- Both sides of Halsted from Sheridan to Waveland
- Both sides of Broadway from Melrose to Diversey
- Both sides of Diversey from Broadway 100ft west of Clark to Cannon Drive
- Both sides of Waveland from Halsted to Broadway
- Both sides of Racine from Wellington to Belmont
- Both sides of Grace from Pine Grove to Fremont
- West side of Wilton from Belmont to 3245 N Wilton
- South side of Cuyler from Clarendon to Broadway
- Both sides of Sheridan from Sheffield to Inner LSD
- Both sides of Clarendon from Broadway to Bittersweet
- West side of Clarendon from Bittersweet to Buena
- Both sides of Fremont from Irving Park to Sheridan
A map of the street closures for the 2025 Chicago Pride Parade. Provided by 44th Ward website
The following areas will be posted for no parking from 1 a.m.-9 p.m. on parade day:
- Both sides of LSD West from Cannon Drive to Diversey
- Both sides of Cannon Drive from Diversey to Fullerton
- Both sides of Diversey from Sheridan to Lake Shore Drive
The following areas will have no parking from 2 a.m. June 29 through 7 a.m. June 30:
- Both sides of Halsted from Waveland to Wellington (and at intersection – 200ft in each direction)
- Both sides of Belmont from 200ft east of Broadway to Racine
- Both sides of Sheffield from School to Wellington
- Both sides of Clark from Roscoe to Halsted
- Both sides of Roscoe from Clark to Elaine
- Both sides of Wellington from Sheffield to Halsted
- Both sides of Addison from Broadway to Sheffield
- Both sides of Aldine from Clark to the east alley of Halsted (720-759 W Aldine)
Parking restrictions for the assembly area and parade route will go into effect at 5 a.m. June 29, while street closures begin as early as 8 a.m.
Drivers are urged to carefully read nearby signs before parking.
Anyone who needs to locate a towed vehicle can call 3-1-1 or visit this website.
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