Category is Resistance and Resilience

In the face of modern struggles and on the path toward a more loving and inclusive world, Aurora Pride is proud to announce our theme for 2025:

๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž & ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž

From Stonewall to the Supreme Court, our community has endured hardship and celebrated triumph. The fight for justice and equality has never been easyโ€”but it has always been worth it.

We honor the champions who came before usโ€”Langston Hughes, Marsha P. Johnson, Audre Lorde, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk, and so many others, both seen and unseen. They gave us a foundation to rise up and declare:

๐–๐ž ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž. ๐–๐ž ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ช๐ฎ๐ž๐ž๐ซ.

Resistance is in our DNA. We resist the forces that try to dim our light, control our stories, or silence our truth.

Resilience is our strength. We rally, rebuild, and riseโ€”stronger with every step forward.

These are the hallmarks of our movement. And no matter how hard they try, we will resist. No matter how hard they hit, we will rise again.

Say it with us:

WEโ€™RE HERE, WEโ€™RE QUEER, AND YOU WILL NEVER MAKE US DISAPPEAR!

Donate Today to Keep Pride Alive in Aurora

Right now, weโ€™re seeing government efforts to erase our community and cut critical funding that helps nonprofits like Aurora Pride continue our work. These attacks threaten the very existence of safe, affirming spaces like our Pride Parade.

But while our commitment to the Aurora LGBTQ+ community remains, we need YOU.

Every dollar you donate helps us cover permit costs, security, entertainment, and all the essentials that make the annual Aurora Pride Parade possible. Without funding, we risk losing one of the few spaces where we can celebrate, resist, and exist unapologetically.

If you believe in the power of Pride, if you believe in showing up for the LGBTQ+ community when it matters most, if you are looking for another fun event this yearโ€”now is the time.

Please consider donating today and help us keep Pride alive:

Join the Parade - March - Skate - Ride - Celebrate Pride 2025

Aurora Pride is excited to invite you to participate in the 2025 Aurora Pride Parade! Aurora is Illinois' second largest city, and we want to show our support for our LGBTQI family, friends and allies across the western suburbs and beyond.

We welcome the participation of businesses, religious organizations, non-profit organizations, youth groups, schools, community organizations, etc. It is a great way to show your group's support for the LGBTQI members of our community.

The parade is scheduled on Sunday, June 8, 2025, stepping off at noon. Lineup times and staging information will be sent approximately one week prior to the event.

Participation in the Parade is by APPLICATION ONLY. All applications are subject to review and approval. Aurora Pride reserves the right to reject or modify any application as deemed necessary. Because of time/space limitations, the number of units will be limited. The selection committee is looking for variety and show. Applicants are encouraged to develop a unit plan that will engage the crowd. Some suggested activities: music, chants, dancing, acrobatics, costumes/themes, bubbles, water sprayers/misters, roller skates/scooters, remote control vehicles, bicycles, instruments, etc. Please be as detailed as possible in your application to increase your chances of being selected.

2024 Aurora Pride Grand Marshal Nominations are Now Open!

๐ŸŒˆ As we gear up for Aurora Pride 2024, we're thrilled to announce that nominations for the prestigious role of Grand Marshal are officially OPEN! ๐ŸŽ‰

Do you know someone who embodies the spirit of Pride? Someone whose passion for equality, advocacy, and empowerment shines brightly in everything they do? ๐ŸŒŸ Now is the perfect moment to shine the spotlight on them and honor their contributions to our vibrant community! ๐ŸŒˆ

Whether it's a fierce activist, a dedicated volunteer, an inspiring artist, or a beloved ally, we want to hear about those remarkable individuals who inspire us to stand tall and proud! ๐Ÿ’–

To nominate someone for the esteemed role of 2024 Aurora Pride Grand Marshal, simply follow the link below with their name and a brief explanation of why you believe they deserve this incredible honor.

Let's make sure our Grand Marshal reflects the diversity, strength, and beauty of Aurora's LGBTQ+ community! ๐ŸŒˆ

Make your nomination before May 1st, by CLICKING HERE.

2024 Aurora Pride Parade Float Competition

2024 Aurora Pride Parade Float Competition

The next Aurora Pride Parade is on Sunday, June 9th, 2024, and we have some news!

We wanted to step things up a bit for next year, and we hope youโ€™ll join us. We love all the marching units that participate every year; groups walking, performance groups, vehicles, etc. One category weโ€™ve noticed has declined somewhat has been floats, and weโ€™d love to see more of them! To that end, weโ€™re announcing the 2024 Aurora Pride Parade Float Competition!

โ€œWhatโ€™s a float? I know it when I see it.โ€ - Justice Potter Stewart, probably

So what do we consider a float? For our purposes, a float is a mobile build that goes beyond a simple vehicle. So a pickup truck isnโ€™t a float, but one could be built in the bed or on a trailer. A float could be built around a car. It neednโ€™t be motorized; it could be pulled by people or pedaled. It also needs to be safe; it must hold the people on it securely, and it needs to be controlled, with steering and brakes with which to safely navigate the parade route. It must also comply with the usual parade rules.

It also needs to be fabulous! For parade floats, more is usually more.

The theme this year is Prom.

When youโ€™ve largely decided on your design, submit a description and any sketches with our online form. Weโ€™ll take a look and make sure it meets our definition of a safe float, and make suggestions if it doesnโ€™t. Once itโ€™s approved, you can start building!

Approved floats will be allowed early access to the staging area to complete final assembly.

After the parade, weโ€™ll post pictures of all entries and let the community vote. There will be prizes for the winners, along with bragging rights.

We know a float isnโ€™t something everyone can do, or is interested in doing. Weโ€™ll also have a separate prize for best non-float marching unit. Every non-float unit that marches will be automatically eligible.

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