On June 28, 2009, more than 500,000 spectators watched the 40th Annual Chicago Pride Parade. Both had strong support from many gay and lesbian voters. Both the Illinois Democratic and Republican parties have been heavily represented, most noticeably by former Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, and former Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican.
With the increasing political participation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans and the community's relatively high financial resources through political action groups and as individual donors, Illinois politicians have increased their presence at the Chicago Pride Parade. The parade then proceeds south on Broadway to Halsted, continues south on Halsted to Belmont, then east on Belmont to Broadway and finally south again on Broadway to Cannon Drive and Lincoln Park. Recent parades have expanded their outreach (and ability to handle crowds) by extending the route into the Uptown neighborhood, beginning at the corner of Broadway and Montrose.
For many years, the parade was held only in Lake View East, a neighborhood enclave of the Lakeview community area. The first parade was organized on Saturday, June 27, 1970, as a march from Washington Square Park ('Bughouse Square') to the Water Tower, but then many of the participants spontaneously marched on to the Civic Center (now Richard J.
