Parade Primer

Some things to know about Sunday's Pride Parade taking place in our front yard:

• It starts early! The parade kicks off at noon from Broadway and Montrose, but floats and participants start arriving early to the staging areas. Expect music (lots of music!) and a party atmosphere beginning around 8am, when streets close and the floats begin to arrive.
• Uptown retailers will be open! Stop by Uptown Arcade, Satellite Cafe, Jake's, Fat Cat, Provisions Uptown, My Buddy's, Tattoo Factory, Uptown Lounge, Baton Show Lounge... etc., etc., etc.! Show your #UptownPride.
• Getting around will be rough. Expect lots of people, and lots of vehicular traffic, especially on the arterial streets.
• Buses will be rerouted. Public transportation is your best bet - CTA will be putting extra trains on the Red Line, and several bus lines will be rerouted: #8 Halsted; #22 Clark; #36 Broadway; 76 Diversey; 77 Belmont; 78 Montrose; 80 Irving Park; 151 Sheridan; and #152 Addison. CTA has a really informative page on the logistics of getting around Sunday here.
• Public drinking is highly discouraged. Police will be stationed in the crowd and there is a possible $1000 fine for drinking on the public way.
• Restrooms and cooling buses. There will be port-a-potties scattered along the parade route and along the staging areas. There will be several places where cooling buses are available. In Uptown, it's on Buena between Sheridan and Broadway.

The Parade's very detailed information page is here.