CHICAGO – Organizers with Chicago’s annual gay pride parade have agreed to keep their noon start time after one of Chicago’s oldest Roman Catholic churches objected to a newly-proposed route and time they claimed would block access to Sunday Masses.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church leaders said the new route and earlier start time would draw massive crowds and block the church’s entrance. The new route takes the parade past the church for the first time.
The parade attracted 800,000 people last year. It’s held the last Sunday in June and usually starts at noon.
In a statement, parade organizer Richard Pfeiffer said keeping the current start time will accommodate church services.
A new route and start time were proposed this year following longstanding concerns about crowds, drinking and transportation access.
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