In 1985 the attendance rate for Chicago’s Pride Parade was estimated to be around 35,000 people. These attendance rates grew exponentially by 2013, which had about 1,000,000 people in attendance.
Breaking all prior attendance rates, the Pride Parade saw its greatest success in 2013. That same year, the state of Illinois legalized gay marriage in November. This policy-change was a catalyst for public support of LGBTQ+ events- such as the Pride Parade. Prior to the law change, the attendance rate was 150,000 less people in 2012 with an 850,000 turn out.
The Pride Parade is known for its inclusivity as it is free of admission/ attendance fees. All people are welcome to celebrate the freedom of gender and sexuality identification. The inclusivity does not stop there, the parades main page, Go Pride, encourages to bring out all your loved ones- even your pets!
CBS writes about the 21 block experience of the Pride Parade and the record breaking attendance rates. Becoming the 3rd largest Pride Parade in the United States, Chicago’s estimated attendance rate for Pride Parade 2020 on June 28th is over 1 million people!
Ale Hermosillo Data Journalism 