CHICAGO'S NORTH SIDE (WBBM Newsradio) -- Organizers of Chicago's PrideFest street festival say they're marking a milestone year with popular performers, and a consistent message.
"It started as a very small festival with a very small number of headliners," recalled Mark Liberson from the Northalsted Business Alliance about the first PrideFest, which originally was a day-and-a-half of events and activities scheduled on the same weekend as the city's official LGBTQ+ Pride Parade before moving one weekend earlier as a way to extend the celebration.
Now in its 25th year, the street festival set for June 20 and 21 will fill Halsted Street from Addison to Grace with shopping, food and entertainment across three stages.
"It brings in the LGBTQ community, for sure, but it also brings in the straight community," said Liberson, who noted the importance of allies as lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and neighboring states roll back protections for members of the community, in particular transfolk: "What we're working to do is keep our allies close."
The plan also includes keeping them, and everyone else, entertained, with a lineup that extends from stage performers like Broadway veteran Anthony Rapp, to drag divas including Chicago's The Vixen and Heidi N. Closet, to street festival staples Sixteen Candles.
2-day festival promises dancing, divas
2-day festival promises dancing, divas
