Chicago Pride Parade canceled 2nd straight year over COVID

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Pride Parade has been canceled for a second straight year because of the COVID pandemic, organizers said Wednesday.

The parade, traditionally held on the last weekend in June, was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. In May, organizers announced the parade would be held on Oct. 3. But on Wednesday, coordinator Tim Frye said they had to cancel the parade for a second time.

'œWe really wanted and hoped that there could be a parade in 2021. We don't feel, though, that we can do it safely for everyone in the parade and the people watching,'ť Frye said in a statement.

'œThere is a saying '~Third Times A Charm,''ť Frye wrote. 'œWe have already scheduled the 2022 Chicago Pride Parade for Sunday, June 26, 2022. We're going to believe that saying. We're going to believe that in June 2022 we are living in a far safer world than now. We intend to have the best, most joyous, fabulous, memorable Pride Parade ever. Count on it!'ť

Organizers said they had hoped an October parade would allow them to introduce LGBTQI+ History Month.

The parade has regularly drawn about 100,000 spectators in the Boystown neighborhood on the city's north side.