Latest news with #PrideFest


CBS News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Celebrate 2025 Pride Month in Chicago with parades, festivals, and more
Pride month is underway in Chicago, and that means it's time for celebrations throughout the city and suburbs. From parades, to performances, and festivals, check out some of the Pride events happening throughout the month. Chicago Pride Fest From June 21 to June 22, Pride Fest will take over Northalsted on Halsted Street between Addison and Grace streets. The event is free to attend, but a $20 donation is suggested to support performers and festival workers. Performances will be on three stages, with Jesse McCartney, Deborah Cox, and Aluna as this year's headliners. Organizers have not yet announced the day-to-day lineup. Check back for updates. Don't miss the "Best of Chicago" drag performance and the Proud Pet Parade. Pride Fest will dedicate a Teen Pride Space near the Waveland + Broadway entrance for LGBTQ+ teens and allies ages 12-18. 2025 Pride Parade This year's Chicago Pride Parade will step off on Sunday, June 29, at 11 a.m. with thousands expected to attend. The theme of the LGBTQ+ community celebration will be "United in Pride." Organizers said this year's theme is a call to action and "highlights the power of coming together, embracing our diversity, and championing love, and equality." In past years, the parade has started at the intersection of Sheridan and Broadway, with a route traveling about two miles, ending near Diversey and Cannon Drive, at the north end of Lincoln Park. The official map has not yet been released. Dr. Maya Green and Dr. Catherine Creticos will serve as the 2025 Community Grand Marshals. Both are known for serving the LGBTQ+ community by increasing accessibility and advancing health and community wellness. Suburban Pride festivals Buffalo Grove's annual Produce Parade will be held on June 1. The route will start at Buffalo Grove and Thompson Boulevard, continue South on Buffalo Grove Road, and turn West on Deerfield Parkway. A picnic will follow at Mike Rylko Park. Check out Pride in Park Ridge on June 5 at Hodges Park with food trucks, music and a drag show! On June 7, stop by Elgin Pride at 11 a.m. at Festival Park and then Downers Grove PrideFest 2025 at noon in Fishel Park. The Des Plaines Community Pride Celebration will also take place on June 7 at the Christ Church UCC. Aurora Pride will kick off on June 8 downtown with floats, performances, and more! Pride with Cubs and Sox The annual Pride Celebration at Wrigley Field will take place Thursday, June 12, as the cubs take on the Pirates. Tickets come with a special-edition Cubs Pride jersey and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Center on Halsted. The jerseys are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pride at the Park at Rate Field will take place on June 18, as the White Sox play the Cardinals. Each ticket comes with a Pride Night White Sox hat.


CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Philadelphia Pride March and Festival route, street closures and parking restrictions for 2025
New Hope PrideFest unites LGBTQ+ community, allies across Pennsylvania and New Jersey New Hope PrideFest unites LGBTQ+ community, allies across Pennsylvania and New Jersey New Hope PrideFest unites LGBTQ+ community, allies across Pennsylvania and New Jersey Philadelphia's Pride March and Festival is almost here: In 2025, the city will celebrate Pride Month on its first day — Sunday, June 1. We already know the Pride weekend festivities will include the largest Progress Pride flag in the U.S., measuring 600 feet long. That's longer than a Center City block! Within the Pride Festival, there will be several different themed spaces including a sober area, a family-friendly space with drag story time, and places to watch performers and have drinks. There will also be several road closures around Center City to keep vehicles away from the festival and march route. Route unveiled for 2025 Philadelphia Pride March The Philly Pride March starts with participants assembling at 6th and Walnut streets at 10 a.m. Everyone gets moving at 11 a.m., heading down Walnut Street to 10th Street, down 10th Street to Locust Street, and then ending at 11th and Locust. The march is set to finish at 12 p.m. Here is a map of the route: Mapcreator/CBS News Philadelphia Road closures for Philadelphia Pride festival Organizers say the festival following this year's Philadelphia Pride March covers a larger area than in 2024. To keep them clear for the festival, these streets will be closed from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Juniper Street from Walnut Street to Cypress Street Cypress Street from Juniper Street to 12th Street 13th Street from Walnut Street to Pine Street 12th Street from Walnut Street to Pine Street 11th Street from Pine Street to Spruce Street Quince Street from Walnut Street to Pine Street Walnut Street from Broad Street to 11th Street Locust Street from Broad Street to 11th Street Pine Street from Broad Street to 11th Street Spruce Street from Broad Street to 11th Street Chancellor Street from Juniper Street to 12th Street St. James Street from 13th Street to 12th Street S, Camac Street from Walnut Street to Pine Street Irving Street from Juniper Street to 13th Street Schubert Alley from S, Camac Street to 12th Street Manning Street from S. Camac Street to 12th Street Once again, CBS Philadelphia will have a table at the Pride festival! Come see us on Walnut Street and learn more about our 30-minute special, "The Heart of Pride," marking 10 years since the Supreme Court ruled on marriage equality. Parking restrictions for Philadelphia Pride March and Festival All streets listed above will be designated as temporary "no parking" zones between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday. If you are parked in those areas, police will tow and relocate your vehicle. If you believe your car was relocated, the city says to call the police district where your car was parked. The festival and parade area are within the 9th police district.


The Mainichi
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Many U.S. corporations this year stopped supporting Pride events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in budget shortfalls ahead of the summer festivities and raising questions about corporate America's commitment to the cause. The moves come as President Donald Trump has shown antipathy for trans protections and has attempted to roll back some LGBTQ+ friendly federal policies. Experts also note that a growing slice of the public has grown tired of companies taking a stance on social and political issues. San Francisco Pride, the nonprofit that produces one of the country's largest and best-known LGBTQ+ celebrations, is facing a $200,000 budget gap after corporate donors dropped out. In Kansas City, Missouri, KC Pride lost about $200,000 -- roughly half its annual budget. Heritage of Pride, the umbrella organization behind NYC Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in New York City, is fundraising to narrow a $750,000 budget gap after companies withdrew. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, Missouri, its home base, after 30 years, leaving organizers with a $150,000 budget shortfall. In response, many Pride organizations have canceled some dance parties, reduced the number of stages, hired less pricey headliners and no longer give volunteers free food or T-shirts. But the core celebrations will go on. In San Francisco, this year's Pride theme is "Queer Joy is Resistance." In New York, it's "Rise Up: Pride in Protest," and, in Boston, it's "Here to Stay!" "If you come to Pride this year, that's a revolutionary act," said Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride. "You are sending a message to those in Washington that, here in San Francisco, we still have the same values that we've always had -- you can love who you love here. We're not going to retreat from that." Following media coverage of their retreat, some companies changed course but asked that their names not be affiliated with the events, the event organizers said. Corporations rethink Pride sponsorships San Francisco Pride earlier this year lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo, the beverage giant that makes Guinness beer and Smirnoff vodka. "With everything we're facing from the Trump administration, to lose five of your partners within a couple of weeks, it felt like we were being abandoned," Ford said. After the withdrawals drew attention, some corporations said they would donate but only anonymously, Ford said, declining to identify those companies. As of this week, neither Comcast, Anheuser-Busch nor Diageo appeared on the organization's website as sponsors of the June 29 festivities. It was unclear if they donated. Anheuser-Busch and Diageo didn't reply to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. A spokesperson for Comcast also declined to comment but said some of its companies are sponsoring Silicon Valley Pride and Oakland Pride. NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said about 20% of its corporate sponsors either dropped their support or scaled back, including New York-based PepsiCo and Nissan. Kyle Bazemore, Nissan North America's director of corporate communications, said the decision comes as the automaker reviews all of its marketing expenses to lower costs. PepsiCo did not return an email seeking comment. Piedmont said NYC Pride has also received anonymous corporate funding and that he appreciates the unpublicized support. "Writing a check to a nonprofit and supporting a nonprofit with no strings attached is stepping up to the plate," Piedmont said. Companies retreat from 'brand activism' The shift reflects how corporations are adjusting to a changing cultural landscape that began during the pandemic and accelerated with Trump's second term, experts said. "Companies are resourceful, they are clever at identifying trends and studying their environment and their customers' needs, but those needs change and corporations adjust," said Amir Grinstein, a marketing professor at Northeastern University. Corporations' presence in rainbow-filled Pride parades, concerts and dance parties became more ubiquitous after the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, as companies splashed their names on parade floats, rainbow flags and bright plastic bracelets. So-called brand activism reached its peak between 2016 to 2022, a period of social upheaval around the pandemic, police brutality and transgender rights, Grinstein said. But research has since found a growing number of American consumers don't want companies taking positions on such topics, said Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. "There have always been people who said, 'I don't want my toothpaste to have an opinion, I just want to use my toothpaste,' but the tide has shifted, and research shows there are more people that feel that way now," Kahn said. Pride organizers keep their distance from some corporations Meanwhile, Republican-led states have been passing legislation to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, especially the ability of transgender young people to participate in sports or receive gender-affirming care. Trump signed executive orders on his first day in office that rolled back protections for transgender people and terminated federal DEI programs. Some companies followed suit by eliminating their DEI goals, prompting Pride organizations to sever ties. San Francisco's organizers cut ties with Meta after the parent company of Facebook and Instagram terminated its DEI goals and content moderation policies. Twin Cities Pride ended its relationship with Target over the Minneapolis-based retailer's curtailing of its DEI initiatives following a backlash from conservatives and the White House. The company's retreat from DEI policies led to a counter-boycott by civil rights advocates. Target announced in May that sales fell more than expected in the first quarter due to customer boycotts, tariffs and other economic factors. The company now offers only some Pride products at a few stores and online. Still, Rick Gomez, Target's chief commercial officer, told reporters in May that it's important to celebrate Heritage Months, which highlight different groups from Latinos to Asian Americans to the LGBTQ+ community. "They drive sales growth for us," he said. Asking the community for financial support First-time donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses have increased following corporate America's retreat. In Minneapolis, a crowdfunding campaign by Twin Cities Pride to fill a $50,000 funding gap raised more than $89,000. In San Francisco, two local foundations donated $55,000 combined. "This isn't the first year that there's been an inflammatory climate around Pride," said James Moran, a spokesperson for KC Pride, in Kansas City, Missouri. "We know that our community is looking for spaces that are meant for us, where we can celebrate but also process what's going on and build our own support networks."

3 days ago
- Entertainment
Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
SAN FRANCISCO -- Many U.S. corporations this year stopped supporting Pride events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in budget shortfalls ahead of the summer festivities and raising questions about corporate America's commitment to the cause. The moves come as President Donald Trump has shown antipathy for trans protections and has attempted to roll back some LGBTQ+ friendly federal policies. Experts also note that a growing slice of the public has grown tired of companies taking a stance on social and political issues. San Francisco Pride, the nonprofit that produces one of the country's largest and best-known LGBTQ+ celebrations, is facing a $200,000 budget gap after corporate donors dropped out. In Kansas City, Missouri, KC Pride lost about $200,000 — roughly half its annual budget. Heritage of Pride, the umbrella organization behind NYC Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in New York City, is fundraising to narrow a $750,000 budget gap after companies withdrew. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, Missouri, its home base, after 30 years, leaving organizers with a $150,000 budget shortfall. In response, many Pride organizations have canceled some dance parties, reduced the number of stages, hired less pricey headliners and no longer give volunteers free food or T-shirts. But the core celebrations will go on. In San Francisco, this year's Pride theme is 'Queer Joy is Resistance.' In New York, it's 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest,' and, in Boston, it's 'Here to Stay!' 'If you come to Pride this year, that's a revolutionary act,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride. 'You are sending a message to those in Washington that, here in San Francisco, we still have the same values that we've always had — you can love who you love here. We're not going to retreat from that.' Following media coverage of their retreat, some companies changed course but asked that their names not be affiliated with the events, the event organizers said. San Francisco Pride earlier this year lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo, the beverage giant that makes Guinness beer and Smirnoff vodka. 'With everything we're facing from the Trump administration, to lose five of your partners within a couple of weeks, it felt like we were being abandoned,' Ford said. After the withdrawals drew attention, some corporations said they would donate but only anonymously, Ford said, declining to identify those companies. As of this week, neither Comcast, Anheuser-Busch nor Diageo appeared on the organization's website as sponsors of the June 29 festivities. It was unclear if they donated. Anheuser-Busch and Diageo didn't reply to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. A spokesperson for Comcast also declined to comment but said some of its companies are sponsoring Silicon Valley Pride and Oakland Pride. NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said about 20% of its corporate sponsors either dropped their support or scaled back, including New York-based PepsiCo and Nissan. Kyle Bazemore, Nissan North America's director of corporate communications, said the decision comes as the automaker reviews all of its marketing expenses to lower costs. PepsiCo did not return an email seeking comment. Piedmont said NYC Pride has also received anonymous corporate funding and that he appreciates the unpublicized support. 'Writing a check to a nonprofit and supporting a nonprofit with no strings attached is stepping up to the plate,' Piedmont said. The shift reflects how corporations are adjusting to a changing cultural landscape that began during the pandemic and accelerated with Trump's second term, experts said. 'Companies are resourceful, they are clever at identifying trends and studying their environment and their customers' needs, but those needs change and corporations adjust,' said Amir Grinstein, a marketing professor at Northeastern University. Corporations' presence in rainbow-filled Pride parades, concerts and dance parties became more ubiquitous after the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, as companies splashed their names on parade floats, rainbow flags and bright plastic bracelets. So-called brand activism reached its peak between 2016 to 2022, a period of social upheaval around the pandemic, police brutality and transgender rights, Grinstein said. But research has since found a growing number of American consumers don't want companies taking positions on such topics, said Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. 'There have always been people who said, 'I don't want my toothpaste to have an opinion, I just want to use my toothpaste,' but the tide has shifted, and research shows there are more people that feel that way now," Kahn said. Meanwhile, Republican-led states have been passing legislation to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, especially the ability of transgender young people to participate in sports or receive gender-affirming care. Trump signed executive orders on his first day in office that rolled back protections for transgender people and terminated federal DEI programs. Some companies followed suit by eliminating their DEI goals, prompting Pride organizations to sever ties. San Francisco's organizers cut ties with Meta after the parent company of Facebook and Instagram terminated its DEI goals and content moderation policies. Twin Cities Pride ended its relationship with Target over the Minneapolis-based retailer's curtailing of its DEI initiatives following a backlash from conservatives and the White House. The company's retreat from DEI policies led to a counter-boycott by civil rights advocates. Target announced in May that sales fell more than expected in the first quarter due to customer boycotts, tariffs and other economic factors. The company now offers only some Pride products at a few stores and online. Still, Rick Gomez, Target's chief commercial officer, told reporters in May that it's important to celebrate Heritage Months, which highlight different groups from Latinos to Asian Americans to the LGBTQ+ community. "They drive sales growth for us,' he said. First-time donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses have increased following corporate America's retreat. In Minneapolis, a crowdfunding campaign by Twin Cities Pride to fill a $50,000 funding gap raised more than $89,000. In San Francisco, two local foundations donated $55,000 combined. 'This isn't the first year that there's been an inflammatory climate around Pride,' said James Moran, a spokesperson for KC Pride, in Kansas City, Missouri. 'We know that our community is looking for spaces that are meant for us, where we can celebrate but also process what's going on and build our own support networks.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Many U.S. corporations this year stopped supporting Pride events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in budget shortfalls ahead of the summer festivities and raising questions about corporate America's commitment to the cause. The moves come as President Donald Trump has shown antipathy for trans protections and has attempted to roll back some LGBTQ+ friendly federal policies. Experts also note that a growing slice of the public has grown tired of companies taking a stance on social and political issues. San Francisco Pride, the nonprofit that produces one of the country's largest and best-known LGBTQ+ celebrations, is facing a $200,000 budget gap after corporate donors dropped out. In Kansas City, Missouri, KC Pride lost about $200,000 — roughly half its annual budget. Heritage of Pride, the umbrella organization behind NYC Pride and other LGBTQ+ events in New York City, is fundraising to narrow a $750,000 budget gap after companies withdrew. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch ended its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis, Missouri, its home base, after 30 years, leaving organizers with a $150,000 budget shortfall. In response, many Pride organizations have canceled some dance parties, reduced the number of stages, hired less pricey headliners and no longer give volunteers free food or T-shirts. But the core celebrations will go on. In San Francisco, this year's Pride theme is 'Queer Joy is Resistance.' In New York, it's 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest,' and, in Boston, it's 'Here to Stay!' 'If you come to Pride this year, that's a revolutionary act,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride. 'You are sending a message to those in Washington that, here in San Francisco, we still have the same values that we've always had — you can love who you love here. We're not going to retreat from that.' Following media coverage of their retreat, some companies changed course but asked that their names not be affiliated with the events, the event organizers said. Corporations rethink Prid e sponsorships San Francisco Pride earlier this year lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo, the beverage giant that makes Guinness beer and Smirnoff vodka. 'With everything we're facing from the Trump administration, to lose five of your partners within a couple of weeks, it felt like we were being abandoned,' Ford said. After the withdrawals drew attention, some corporations said they would donate but only anonymously, Ford said, declining to identify those companies. As of this week, neither Comcast, Anheuser-Busch nor Diageo appeared on the organization's website as sponsors of the June 29 festivities. It was unclear if they donated. Anheuser-Busch and Diageo didn't reply to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. A spokesperson for Comcast also declined to comment but said some of its companies are sponsoring Silicon Valley Pride and Oakland Pride. NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said about 20% of its corporate sponsors either dropped their support or scaled back, including New York-based PepsiCo and Nissan. Kyle Bazemore, Nissan North America's director of corporate communications, said the decision comes as the automaker reviews all of its marketing expenses to lower costs. PepsiCo did not return an email seeking comment. Piedmont said NYC Pride has also received anonymous corporate funding and that he appreciates the unpublicized support. 'Writing a check to a nonprofit and supporting a nonprofit with no strings attached is stepping up to the plate,' Piedmont said. Companies retreat from 'brand activism' The shift reflects how corporations are adjusting to a changing cultural landscape that began during the pandemic and accelerated with Trump's second term, experts said. 'Companies are resourceful, they are clever at identifying trends and studying their environment and their customers' needs, but those needs change and corporations adjust,' said Amir Grinstein, a marketing professor at Northeastern University. Corporations' presence in rainbow-filled Pride parades, concerts and dance parties became more ubiquitous after the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, as companies splashed their names on parade floats, rainbow flags and bright plastic bracelets. So-called brand activism reached its peak between 2016 to 2022, a period of social upheaval around the pandemic, police brutality and transgender rights, Grinstein said. But research has since found a growing number of American consumers don't want companies taking positions on such topics, said Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. 'There have always been people who said, 'I don't want my toothpaste to have an opinion, I just want to use my toothpaste,' but the tide has shifted, and research shows there are more people that feel that way now," Kahn said. Pride organizers keep their distance from some corporations Meanwhile, Republican-led states have been passing legislation to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and LGBTQ+ rights, especially the ability of transgender young people to participate in sports or receive gender-affirming care. Trump signed executive orders on his first day in office that rolled back protections for transgender people and terminated federal DEI programs. Some companies followed suit by eliminating their DEI goals, prompting Pride organizations to sever ties. San Francisco's organizers cut ties with Meta after the parent company of Facebook and Instagram terminated its DEI goals and content moderation policies. Twin Cities Pride ended its relationship with Target over the Minneapolis-based retailer's curtailing of its DEI initiatives following a backlash from conservatives and the White House. The company's retreat from DEI policies led to a counter-boycott by civil rights advocates. Target announced in May that sales fell more than expected in the first quarter due to customer boycotts, tariffs and other economic factors. The company now offers only some Pride products at a few stores and online. Still, Rick Gomez, Target's chief commercial officer, told reporters in May that it's important to celebrate Heritage Months, which highlight different groups from Latinos to Asian Americans to the LGBTQ+ community. "They drive sales growth for us,' he said. Asking the community for financial support First-time donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses have increased following corporate America's retreat. In Minneapolis, a crowdfunding campaign by Twin Cities Pride to fill a $50,000 funding gap raised more than $89,000. In San Francisco, two local foundations donated $55,000 combined. 'This isn't the first year that there's been an inflammatory climate around Pride,' said James Moran, a spokesperson for KC Pride, in Kansas City, Missouri. 'We know that our community is looking for spaces that are meant for us, where we can celebrate but also process what's going on and build our own support networks.' ___ Associated Press retail reporter Anne D'Innocenzio in New York City contributed.