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Every year GLBT Pride is celebrated around the world in many different formats. Some cities have parades, others have festivals, while still others have major dances. Many cities also have concerts, picnics, parties, and countless other events as well. Regardless of how Pride is celebrated, these events bring together millions of people worldwide.
This year, the 39th Annual Pride Parade is scheduled for Sunday, June 29 at 12 Noon., stepping off from the intersection of Halsted Street & Belmont Avenue. Presented by the PRIDEChicago organization, the Parade route will proceed north on Halsted to Broadway, turn right and head south on Broadway to Diversey, and then turn left and head east on Diversey before concluding in Lincoln Park at Cannon Drive. Each year, Parade entrants, as well as groups sponsoring Pride Month events, have the option of using an international theme or a theme of their own choosing. The theme for this year's Pride Celebration is "Live, Love, Be Proud!" The Grand Marshal of this year's 39th Chicago Pride Parade is Eric Alva, an openly gay ex-Marine and activist. Considered to be the first American wounded in the Iraq War (near the city of Basra in 2003), Alva is best known for coming out in 2007 and joining Congressman Martin Meehan in introducing the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill designed to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. A resident of San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his partner Darrell, Alva served as a Grand Marshal of San Francisco's Pride Parade in 2007. PRIDEChicago, in addition to organizing the Chicago Annual Pride Parade, also compiles and publicizes the June Pride Month Calendar of events via a web site, ChicagoPrideCalendar.org; in the Pride Guide; in mass mailings and in ads placed in community publications. The Calendar features Pride events whose coordinators have sent a listing form or press release to PRIDEChicago for inclusion. Parade day is capped off each year with ABC 7 Chicago's one-hour show presenting taped highlights of that year's parade. Hosts include Janet Davies and Lou Canellis. Special guest, WXRT's Terri Hemmert is on hand, as well as Pride Parade Coordinator Richard Pfeiffer. For the fifth year in a row ABC 7 Chicago is planning to air a taped version of the parade on the same night of the parade, Sunday, June 29 at 11:35 pm. To verify contact ABC7Chicago.com. For more information about the
Chicago Pride Parade and Grand Marshal Eric Alva go to the PRIDEChicago
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In
Chicago, Pride has been celebrated for 39 years, during which
time it has grown into the whole month of calendar events that
exist today. There are more than 100 events scheduled in June
sponsored by various community organizations and individuals.
The calendar contains social, cultural, athletic, and political
events such as dances, choral concerts, theater presentations,
dinners, receptions, book readings & autograph sessions,
fundraisers, workshops, picnics, a competitive run, the Dyke
March, and Chicago Pride Fest. Of course the month culminates
with the annual Parade, which is expected to draw up to 450,000
people.