Celebrate Pride month in Chicago

Chicago knows how to celebrate LGBTQ Pride!  A majority of the Pride month events take place in the Northalsted neighborhood (commonly referred to as "Boystown"), the first official gay neighborhood in the country, but celebrations - from street festivals, concerts, and parties to the annual parade - take place all over the city.
 
A complete list of events is below. 

Chicago Pride Fest - June 17 & 18, 2023

Organized by the Northalsted Business Alliance (northalsted.com), the annual two-day pride festival takes over Chicago's Northalsted neighborhood every June. Each year, nearly 60,000 revelers flock to the historic gay neighborhood commonly referred to as "Boystown" to take part in the celebration that includes three music stages featuring popular music headliners, more than 100 arts and crafts vendors, food from local restaurants, drag shows, DJs, dancing, and much more. ($15 suggested donation at the gate.)
 
Pride Fest Line-Up: Saturday, June 17 | Sunday, June 18
 
2022 Chicago Pride Fest, photos by Steven Koch for GoPride.com

Pride in the Park Chicago -  June 23 & 24, 2023

Pride in the Park Chicago, one of the largest LGBTQ outdoor music festivals in the nation, celebrates equity, diversity and good times in Grant Park each June. Previous years lineups have included Chaka Kahn, Tiesto, Steve Aoki, Betty Who and more.
 
The premiering headliners for 2023 are Grammy-winner DJ, Zedd; Grammy-nominated rap star, Saweetie; queer icon, Years & Years; internationally acclaimed singer, Zara Larsson.
 
Tickets are required, more information at prideintheparkchi.com.  
 
2019 Pride in the Park photo by Steven Koch for GoPride.com

Chicago Pride Parade -  June 25, 2023

The 52nd annual Chicago Pride Parade, organized by PRIDEChicago, is one of the oldest and largest parades in the country. The parade traditionally concludes the city’s month-long pride celebrations.
 
Again this year, the parade starts at Noon from Broadway and Montrose, proceeds south on Broadway; then south on Halsted; then east on Belmont; then south on Broadway; then east on Diversey to Cannon Drive. The four-mile parade route travels through the Northalsted, Uptown, Lakeview and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. 
 
2022 Chicago Pride Parade, photo by Steven Koch for GoPride.com

Check out these events happening Pride Month 2023 in Chicago:

Chicago Red Stars Pride Night (November 10)
SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, IL

Out Of The Office 2023 (May 31)
The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, 127 West Huron

Writing Queer Museum Tour (June 1)
American Writers Museum, 180 N Michigan Ave

Milwaukee PrideFest (June 1)
Summerfest Grounds, 200 N Harbor (Milwaukee)

Shedd Pride Night (June 1)
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr

Milwaukee PrideFest (June 2)
Summerfest Grounds, 200 N Harbor (Milwaukee)

Highwood Pride Fest (June 2)
28 Mile Distilling Co, 454 Sheridan, Highwood

Milwaukee PrideFest (June 3)
Summerfest Grounds, 200 N Harbor (Milwaukee)

Big Gay Brunch (June 3)
Splash Chicago

Buffalo Grove Pride Parade & Picnic (June 4)
Lasalle & Buffalo Grove Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL

2023 Pride Bruch Kick-Off (June 4)
Venue West, 221 N Paulina

Evanston Pride Youth Car Parade (June 4)
ETHS Dodge Ave parking

Wil's Workshop: True Colors (June 7)
Meeting House Tavern

Drag Conquers Hate: HRC Chicago Pride Kick-off (June 8)
Guthries Tavern, 1300 W Addison

Andersonville Midsommarfest (June 9)
Clark St. from Foster to Gregory

Queer Maker's Market (June 10)
Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave, Evanston

Andersonville Midsommarfest (June 10)
Clark St. from Foster to Gregory

Lake County PrideFest 2023 (June 10)
2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach, IL

Pride Bar Crawl 2023 (June 10)
The North End

Queer Prom: A Starry Night (June 10)
Center on Halsted

Chicago Fire FC Pride Night (June 10)
Soldier Field, 1410 Special Olympics Dr

Turn Up The Love Tour - Chicago (June 10)
AT&T Store, 600 N Michigan Ave

Dive Into Pride Pool Party (June 10)
Hotel InterContinental

Pride Skate Party (June 10)
MLK Skate Rink, 219 W. 76th St.

Andersonville Midsommarfest (June 11)
Clark St. from Foster to Gregory

Aurora Pride Parade (June 11)
Downtown Aurora, IL

Evanston Pride Candle Lighting Ceremony (June 11)
St. Paul Park, Evanston

Trans Ice Cream Social (June 12)
Center on Halsted

The Belmont Rocks: A Talk with Owen Keehnen (June 12)
Merlo Branch Library, 644 W Belmont Ave

Get Lit: Pride Night (June 13)
American Writers Museum, 180 N Michigan Ave

Chicago Cubs Pride Celebration (June 13)
Wrigley Field, 1060 W Addison

Queer Elder History Panel (June 15)
Dorothy

Burlesque Royale - Pride Edition (June 15)
Baton Show Lounge

Front Right Speaker: The Pride Edition (June 15)
Beauty Bar, 1444 W Chicago Ave

WNDR After Dark: Pride Night (June 16)
WNDR Chicago, 1130 W Monroe

Rated X: Pride Fest Weekend (June 16)
Splash Chicago

GRRR: Beary Proud (June 16)
The Sofo Tap

Candyland: Taste The Rainbow (June 16)
D.S. Tequila Co.

Chicago Pride Fest 2023 (Saturday) (June 17)
Halsted from Addison to Grace (Northaslted)

A Night Full of Stars: A WCPA Pride Concert (June 17)
Gannon Concert Hall (DePaul), 2330 N Halsted

DJ Paulo Fragoso (June 17)

Chicago Pride Fest 2023 (Sunday) (June 18)
Halsted from Addison to Grace (Northaslted)

Sweet Spot (June 18)

Pride Bearaoke w/Pat Da Bear (June 18)
The Sofo Tap

LGBTQ+ Comic Creator Panel (June 20)
CPL Logan Square, 3030 W Fullerton

Art and Pep Film Viewing Party (June 20)
Sidetrack

Professionals Do Pride 2023 (June 21)
Sidetrack

ProudBear Trivia (June 21)
The Sofo Tap

DayLong Film + Video Festival (June 22)
Dorothy

Cram's Pride Kickoff Party (June 22)
Cram Fashion, 3331 N Broadway

Pride Bowl 2023 (June 23)
Montrose Beach, Cricket Hill fields

Downtown LGBTQ Stories Walking Tour (June 23)
11 E Ida B. Wells Dr

Pride in the Park Chicago 2023 (June 23)
Grant Park (Downtown)

Chicago Is A Dollhouse Festival (June 23)
Cheetah Gym Parking, 5248 N Clark

Stand-Up With Pride Comedy Show (June 23)
The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave

Pride Flannel Friday (June 23)
Whiskey Girl Tavern

Very That! Presents: Very PRIDE! (June 23)
D.S. Tequila Co.

Rated X: Pride Parade Weekend (June 23)
Splash Chicago

"Descent" (Beat Lab) (June 23)
Passport Bar Room, 1601 W Grand Ave

South Side LGBTQ Stories by Bus (June 24)
The DuSable Black History Museum

Big Gay Pride Drag Brunch (June 24)
Joy District

Navy Pier Pride 2023 (June 24)
Navy Pier

Pride North Chicago 2023 (June 24)
Morse and Glenwood (Rogers Park)

Back Lot Bash 2023 (June 24)
5238 N Clark (Andersonville)

Pride Bowl 2023 (June 24)
Montrose Beach, Cricket Hill fields

Evanston Pride Queer Maker's Market (June 24)
Raymond Park, Evanston

Pride Drag Brunch (June 24)
Nobody's Darling

Pride Drag Brunch with Robyn Banks (June 24)
Splash Chicago

Pride in the Park Chicago 2023 (June 24)
Grant Park (Downtown)

North Side LGBTQ Stories Walking Tour (June 24)
CTA - Belmont Stop

Love Revolution (June 24)
House of Blues

ELEVATE: Pride in the Park After-Party (June 24)
Virgin Hotel Chicago, 203 N Wabash Ave

Joe Gauthreaux (June 24)

FURBALL Chicago Pride (June 24)
Metro

Pride Parade Patio Brunch 2023 (June 25)
D.S. Tequila Co.

Pride Parade Sunday Funday (June 25)
Sidetrack

Chicago Pride Parade 2023 (June 25)
Broadway and Montrose

Pride North Chicago 2023 (June 25)
Morse and Glenwood (Rogers Park)

Bear NecessiTEA: Furtastic Pride (June 25)
Jackhammer

Afters at Atmosphere (June 25)
Atmosphere Bar

Pride Queen! (June 25)
Smart Bar Chicago

OUT at CHM | Supportive Space for Trans Joy (June 28)
Chicago History Museum

Amplify Queer Joy (June 28)
Dorothy

Living Out Loud: A Fundraiser in Defense of Drag (June 28)
Meeting House Tavern

Pride South Side (July 1)
DuSable Museum, 740 E 56th Pl

Chicago's LGBTQ Calendar is on GoPride.com

2022 Chicago Pride Parade, photo by Steven Koch for GoPride.com