Chicago ramps up security as millions expected downtown this weekend for Pride Parade, events

CHICAGO - Massive crowds will descend on Chicago for this weekend's Pride Parade.

It's the first since 2019, and more than a million people are expected to participate.

The huge crowds will come with street closures and a lot of traffic in the city. But for local leaders, safety is also top of mind.

The 51st annual Pride Parade will kick off on Sunday at noon at Broadway and Montrose and will travel through the city's Lake View and Uptown neighborhoods.

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With larger crowds than ever before, the Office of Emergency Management is increasing safety for this year's celebrations — including displaying pole marker signs along the route to help paradegoers easily report their location in the event they need to call 911.

The Chicago Police Department is stepping up patrols of both uniformed and undercover officers.

In addition to Sunday’s parade, "Pride in the Park" is also back, taking place Saturday and Sunday in Grant Park.

"We’ve been planning and preparing, and we’ve been communicating and over-communicating our plan and asking for feedback from all the stakeholders, and we’ve conducted a city-wide agency tabletop exercise to prepare even more. We’ve added more resources to this year’s Pride Parade than we have in the past, as well as increase our intelligence coordination and organizers than we have in the past," said Chicago Police Supt. David Brown.

Also taking place this weekend is Little Village's Taste of Chicago, the Food Truck Fest in the South Loop, and the Logan Square Arts Festival.

In addition to pumping up service on the CTA, police will also be staffing CTA platforms.