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Big crowds gather at Chicago Gay Pride parade

CHICAGO — Reports of vandalized floats didn't appear to dampen the festivities Sunday, as massive crowds energized by Illinois' recent law allowing same-sex civil unions celebrated Chicago's annual Gay Pride Parade.

The parade went on largely as planned, organizers said, despite early morning reports of punctured tires to about 50 of the approximately 75 floats. Workers scrambled with time winding down to replace tires before the festivities, but few attendees seemed to notice.

Many were celebrating the state law signed in January that gives gay and lesbian couples in Illinois a lot of the rights and legal protections of marriage, including the power to decide medical treatment for their partners and to inherit their partner's property.

Numerous people at the parade repeated an "it's about time" sentiment. Illinois is among a handful of states that allows gay couples to enter into civil unions. Attendees also called New York's new law giving gay couples the same marital rights as everyone else a model for the rest of the country.

"Gay marriage is the ultimate goal," said Kiersten Peshek, a 20-year-old student from suburban Chicago who's openly gay. She attended the parade for the first time with her sister and best friend, each of them wearing homemade rainbow outfits constructed from duct tape and body paint.

"There's still a lot to do," Peshek said.

Rainbows — in the form of flags, hair extensions, necklaces and even tutus — were everywhere on the city's North Side as floats blasted Top 40s music and parade goers donned colorful costumes: from skimpy, leopard-print swimming trunks to drag queens dressed like beauty pageant contestants.

The floats that were damaged were being stored inside and outside a garage on the city's South Side at one of two float companies used by parade organizers. Chicago police received reports of punctured tires around 6 a.m., police spokesman Mike Sullivan said.

While parade organizers said they believed the reported vandalism was a hate crime, Chicago police said it was too early to tell, especially since there was no accompanying messages or graffiti. Sullivan said police would initially investigate it as property damage.

"Whoever decided to do this is not going to affect the parade," said Richard Pfeiffer, a parade coordinator. "We're all going to be out celebrating. We're still going to go on."

Pfeiffer said the lineup was reshuffled to accommodate the time needed for repairs.

"It's upsetting to hear people are like that," said Maribel Dinwiddie, who was selling homemade rainbow-colored tutus.

Chicago police didn't immediately have a crowd estimate, but organizers said it rivaled or topped past celebrations where the crowd numbered at least 400,000 people. Sunday's masses stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the streets, spilled out of bars and restaurants and sat on window ledges in apartments along the parade route.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Pat Quinn were among the numerous public officials participating in the parade, which included marching bands and motorcyclists among its 250 entrants.

Pfeiffer said there are a number of new entries this year, including the Chicago Teachers' Union and City Colleges of Chicago. The latter's float featured a faux academic-looking building covered in rainbow colors.

For many of the attendees, the 42nd annual celebration was simply tradition.

Marc Shaffar, 21, dressed in a self-made rainbow-colored miniature top hat and tutu, has been attending the Chicago celebration since he came out at age 14. He calls that experience his "first act of liberation."

"It was the first time I could be myself," Shaffar said.