Grant Park Hosting Inaugural 'Pride In The Park' In June

CHICAGO, IL — Go Pride announced Friday the first-ever Pride in the Park Chicago will take place Saturday, June 29 in Grant Park. According to a Go Pride report, about 15,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Butler Field in Grant Park. Attendees will be able to enjoy live music performances by international and local talent, "top-of-the-line" stage production, performances by former contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race, food vending by DineAmic Group (featuring many options from Bar Siena, Public House, BomboBar), and a fireworks show, the report said.

Because Chicago has two weekends of Pride celebrations, with Chicago Pride Fest Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend and the Chicago Pride Parade on the Sunday of the second weekend, something big and celebratory was needed for the day before the 50th annual Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago's Uptown and Lakeview neighborhoods.

Dusty Carpenter, the president of Dreambrite, which is presenting Pride in the Park Chicago, has gone to music festivals in Chicago and in other cities, and thought it might be great to have one as part of the Chicago Pride festivities, Go Pride reported.

The report added that Carpenter said friends ask him every year what to do during the day before the Sunday Chicago Pride Parade. This year, they'll be at Pride in the Park, the first LGBTQ festival/concert held in Grant Park, Carpenter added, according to Go Pride.

The full lineup of entertainers will be announced April 1, and festival goers can expect plenty of music, including EDM, pop, 80s hits and hip hop/rap, Carpenter reported, according to Go Pride.

According to the Pride in the Park website, general admission tickets will start at $50 and VIP tickets start at $100. The website also notes kids under 11 will be admitted without a ticket, but must be accompanied by a ticket-holding adult, and there is a limit of two kids per adult.

A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the Center on Halsted, and additional contributions will be made to Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago by volunteers from Stonewall Sports Chicago, who will be donating their time working at Pride in the Park.

More information: prideintheparkchicago.com.