46th annual Pride parade
CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC 7 Chicago was the only station in the city to broadcast "The 46th Annual Pride Parade" on Sunday. Hosted by ABC 7's Janet Davies and Terrell Brown along with WXRT radio personality Terri Hemmert, this is the 12th year ABC 7 Chicago has covered the parade. The parade kicked off at Noon on Sunday, June 28th.
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 1
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 2
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 3
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 4
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 5
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 6
VIDEO: 46th Annual Pride Parade - Part 7
The 2015 parade theme, "Color Our World with Pride," was used in Chicago and other cities around the world.
"I am very proud of the fact that ABC 7 is the first and only television station in Chicago to broadcast the Pride Parade" said John Idler, President & General Manager, ABC 7 Chicago. "Chicago has a vibrant and thriving LGBT community and we think this is a great way to showcase a community that has contributed so much to our city."
This year, ABC 7's Tanja Babich, Steve Dolinsky, Leah Hope, Eric Horng, Karen Jordan, Jason Knowles, Ron Magers, and Linda Yu appeared in the parade via ABC 7 Chicago's float.
Ty Herndon, an openly gay country star, was the Grand Marshall for this year's festivities. Herndon recently released a new single on iTunes titled "Story of My Life" along with his colleagues Andy Griggs and Jamie O'Neal with whom he is currently on tour across North America. He is set to release another album later this year, which will be a first not only for Herndon as an out-and-proud homosexual, but as a landmark for country music at large.
The 46th Annual Pride Parade, which commenced from Montrose Avenue and Broadway in Uptown, experienced a change of route to accommodate for its record-breaking attendance. It featured floats, decorated vehicles, marching bands, and walkers representing community businesses, organizations, and elected government officials and religious leaders. It concluded near Diversey and Sheridan in Lincoln Park. As Chicago's second largest parade, the city estimated there were 1 million spectators with streets lined 12 people deep.
.
The parade originally started to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the most important event in the history of the gay rights movement.
Last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a proclamation naming June as Pride Month in Chicago. The Pride Parade festivities support the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities.
