The 2024 Chicago Pride Parade will see some changes compared to previous years after organizers said they were informed of “safety and logistical concerns” with this year’s event.
The grand marshals for the 2024 Chicago Pride Parade were announced by organizers Thursday.
Celebrity comedian Fortune Feimster, known for her stand up as well as roles in several notable television shows and movies, including "The Mindy Project," "The L Word: Generation Q," "Office Christmas Party" and more, was named the parade's grand marshal along with her wife Jax Smith. The duo will be joined by community grand marshals Art Johnston, Jose "Pepe" Pena and Myles and Precious Brady-Davis.
Feimster and Smith will lead the 2024 procession, set to step off on June 30.
"We are honored to be named the Grand Marshals for Chicago Pride," Feimster said in a statement. "Chicago holds a special place in our hearts—it's home to a great comedy scene and home to the best audiences. It’s also where Jax and I first met nine years ago, during Pride. As we celebrate our community and our anniversary, it feels like a beautiful full-circle moment."
Feimster and Smith's love story began in 2015 at the Chicago Pride Parade, "just days after the Supreme Court's historic ruling for nationwide marriage equality," organizers said in their release.
"Since then, they have shared a journey of love and commitment, culminating in their marriage in October 2020," the release said.
The 2024 Pride Parade, set to once again travel through Chicago's landmark Lakeview neighborhood, will be the city's 53rd, serving as "the crowning event of Pride Month in Chicago," with more than one million people expected to line the route.
The theme of this year's parade is "Pride is Power," which organizers said is meant to highlight the "fundamental role the Chicago Pride Parade has played in creating visibility and advocating for effective change for the city and region’s LGBTQ+ community for five decades."
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This year's event does come with some changes after organizers said they were informed of "safety and logistical concerns" by the city earlier this year.
The parade will shift its start time from 12 p.m. to 11 a.m. and will now step off from Sheridan and Broadway, marking a new start location for the annual event. It will also feature 150 entries, an increase from the 125 number the city originally gave organizers in March.
The changes made by the city followed recent conversations with the LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, parade organizers, businesses, residents and various city agencies, organizers said.
More information about the 2024 Chicago Pride Parade can be found here.
