Last year, the new Evanston Pride Board was planning the first ever pride parade last year in Evanston, a suburb near Chicago.
I actually heard about it from my friend, and talented artist, and board member, Mia Abbot, who also designed the Evanston pride logo, of the Grosse Point lighthouse in the progressive pride flag colors. What we didn’t anticipate was the Covid-19 pandemic and the cancellation of such large in person pride parades. This year, we still cannot have the more traditional parades in Chicagoland, as we are still recovering from the virus, but we are slowly entering a new normal.
So instead of the traditionally parade, there will be a youth car parade at 1 p.m., community picnic at p.m. at James Park and a candlelighting ceremony at 7 p.m. at Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center on June 26.
The parade will involve houses decorated as “floats”, inspired by the New Orleans Mardi Gras 2020 car parade. Pride progress flags, “Proud to Be” signs, and funds gathered by the celebrations will be shared with registered residents of the “house floats”. Financial assistance for decorations will also be provided to those who need it. Youth, families, and anyone interested is invited to drive the route, which will be shared at a later date.
Beverages will be provided at the picnic, but due to do social distancing, bring your own food! There will also be live DJ and a program centering LGBTQ youth.
The candlelight vigil will be honoring LGBTQ lives lost in the fight for equality. Candles will provided. To see more details and RSVP, visit the Evanston Pride site here, https://www.evanstonpride.org/rsvp-for-events.
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