This browser does not support the Video element.
CHICAGO - PRIDEChicago has announced the theme for the 2026 Chicago Pride Parade: "Free to Be Proud," along with its 2026 Community Grand Marshals.
What we know:
"Free to Be Proud" will serve as the official theme of the 55th annual Chicago Pride Parade, set for 11 a.m. Sunday, June 28, 2026 in the city’s Northalsted neighborhood.
Organizers say the theme reclaims Pride’s founding purpose – affirming that the freedom to live openly, love authentically and exist safely is not guaranteed.
The 2026 Community Grand Marshals are:
- Tracy Baim, a journalist and historian who has documented LGBTQ+ life and activism in Chicago for decades. She is the executive director of Press Forward Chicago and co-founder and owner of Windy City Times.
- Mona Noriega, a longtime civil rights advocate who serves on the board of Equality Illinois and previously chaired the Illinois Commission on Human Rights.
- Evette Cardona, a retired vice president of programs at the Polk Bros. Foundation and a longtime community leader and co-founder of several advocacy organizations.
- The Alliance of Illinois Judges, recognized for promoting judicial independence and respect and unbiased treatment for LGBTQ+ individuals within the legal system.
- The group’s current president, Jill Rose Quimm, is Illinois’ first openly transgender judge and elected official.
RELATED STORY: Chicago's first luxury gay hotel is coming to Northalsted
What's next:
PRIDEChicago says "Free to Be Proud" will extend beyond parade day as a yearlong campaign, inviting supporters to define what freedom means to them.
The 55th annual Chicago Pride Parade steps off at 11 a.m. June 28, 2026.
More information can be found at pridechicago.org.
The Source: This article contains information from PRIDEChicago.