CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago's North Side won't be the only part of the city celebrating pride this weekend, as the South Side prepares for its first pride celebration in a very long time.
Jared Lewis is the lead organizer of Pride South Side.
"Pride in Chicago actually started in Bronzeville," he said. "This is the first time that this is happening in modern history."
The three-day festival will stretch across five South Side communities and include film screenings, diversity and inclusion training, live music and art displays.
"Folks are saying 'finally.' We have gotten about 8,000 unique views on the website. We've gotten multiple letters of support from various political stakeholders. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive."
Lewis and other organizers originally expected about 3,500 hundred visitors, but he's confident the historic festival will exceed that projection.
"Pride really began because of black bodies, black minds and black spaces in Bronzeville. We're bringing it back and that's huge. It shows the world, it shows Chicago, it shows the South Side that you can have something that's as culturally diverse as any other group, ethnic group, community or neighborhood. You can have that right here on the South Side."
More information on the three-day fest can be found at pridesouthside.org.
