Chicago's 55th Pride Parade draws massive crowds under scorching heat

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Chicago for the 55th annual Pride Parade on Sunday. The event celebrated this year’s theme, 'Free to Be Proud', honouring LGBTQ+ pioneers and reaffirming ongoing support for the community. The parade began at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Grace and Halsted streets and Broadway. It stretched along a two-mile route, featuring 155 groups and floats. Temperatures hit 80 degrees, but the heat index made it feel closer to the 90s.

To help attendees cope, six cooling buses were placed along the route. Medical stations were also set up at Addison Street, Roscoe Street, Aldine Avenue, and Surf Street. Despite these measures, the Chicago Fire Department responded to 39 calls for service, with 16 people taken to hospital. The parade took place under hot conditions, with an Extreme Heat Watch already issued for Cook County from Monday through Wednesday. Organisers provided cooling and medical support to ensure the safety of the large crowd enjoying the event.