Pride Fest Fair: Saturday, September 30, 2023 - 1-5 PM
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We're back in downtown Urbana at the intersection of S Race St and W Main St, but we're still working to finalize the exact footprint, because we just keep growing year after year! As soon as we have it locked in, we'll update this page with more information!
Plan for local businesses and artists to be selling their wares, for community groups to be giving information about their resources and activities, for there to be art and crafts and games to participate in, and for yummy food from brick and mortar establishments located in the Fair area and from trucks and pop up vendors coming just for this event.
We'll also have 2 stages of entertainment this year! Our Main Stage will be in the heart of the Fair and is sponsored by the One Community Together program with the Sousa Archives once again. That schedule is:
1pm Amasong
2pm Bow-dacious String Band
3pm Sixth Street Brass Band
4pm Marching Illini
We've added a Second Stage at the Rose Bowl Tavern outdoor tent. That schedule is:
1pm Chris Jacobson-Chism
2:30pm Anika Emily
4pm Sing It UP Choir
Detailed information about Fair assignments, check in, and operations has been sent to everyone who registered for a booth. If you haven't received it, please reach out ASAP to [email protected]!
Plan for local businesses and artists to be selling their wares, for community groups to be giving information about their resources and activities, for there to be art and crafts and games to participate in, and for yummy food from brick and mortar establishments located in the Fair area and from trucks and pop up vendors coming just for this event.
We'll also have 2 stages of entertainment this year! Our Main Stage will be in the heart of the Fair and is sponsored by the One Community Together program with the Sousa Archives once again. That schedule is:
1pm Amasong
2pm Bow-dacious String Band
3pm Sixth Street Brass Band
4pm Marching Illini
We've added a Second Stage at the Rose Bowl Tavern outdoor tent. That schedule is:
1pm Chris Jacobson-Chism
2:30pm Anika Emily
4pm Sing It UP Choir
Detailed information about Fair assignments, check in, and operations has been sent to everyone who registered for a booth. If you haven't received it, please reach out ASAP to [email protected]!
FULL PRIDE FEST MAP:
Full Pride Fest Map with detail about the Parade, Fair, and all other events and programs is here! You can zoom in and move around and find everything you're looking for!
Full Pride Fest Map with detail about the Parade, Fair, and all other events and programs is here! You can zoom in and move around and find everything you're looking for!
Parade: Saturday, September 30, 2023 - 2:30 PM Step off
The parade will step off on Saturday, September 30th at 2:30 PM. THE PARADE STAGING PROCESS HAS CHANGED THIS YEAR! Information and instructions for staging have been sent to all registered parade groups! If you don't have this information, please reach out to [email protected] ASAP so you have what you need!
2023 CU Pride Fest Grand Marshals:
LGBTQ+ Elders
LGBTQ+ Elders
Uniting Pride is pleased to honor our LGBTQ+ Elders as our 2023 CU Pride Fest Grand Marshals. As we face this new wave of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, aggression, legislation, and violence, it’s critically important we look to those who have been in this fight for decades. “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”, they say. We have a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, experience, and heart within our elder community and we can and should honor it. We can and should learn from it. We can and should carry it with us as we continue to move forward.
IMPORTANT: we do not define “elder” based on age! A number on a birth certificate is not a measure of what this role truly is. What we are talking about here are those who have put in the years of work. Those who have tirelessly poured themselves into this community. Those who have been fighting. Those whose shoulders we stand on as we continue this fight.
We would not be here today without you, elders. And we simply cannot thank you enough for the incredibly hard work you’ve done to lead us to the progress we’ve made. We need to listen to you as we continue the work for even more progress to come, and properly acknowledge how you walked so we could run.
If you consider yourself an elder in our LGBTQ+ community, please come and march with us on Saturday, September 30th at 2:30pm in a place of honor in our Pride Parade. Please RSVP here so we can be prepared for the participation level:
IMPORTANT: we do not define “elder” based on age! A number on a birth certificate is not a measure of what this role truly is. What we are talking about here are those who have put in the years of work. Those who have tirelessly poured themselves into this community. Those who have been fighting. Those whose shoulders we stand on as we continue this fight.
We would not be here today without you, elders. And we simply cannot thank you enough for the incredibly hard work you’ve done to lead us to the progress we’ve made. We need to listen to you as we continue the work for even more progress to come, and properly acknowledge how you walked so we could run.
If you consider yourself an elder in our LGBTQ+ community, please come and march with us on Saturday, September 30th at 2:30pm in a place of honor in our Pride Parade. Please RSVP here so we can be prepared for the participation level:
For those who are not yet elders: we are also carrying this honor throughout the week of Pride Fest programming so make sure to look through the entire schedule to find out when you can come learn from, honor, and thank those who have given us so, so much.
Thank you, LGBTQ+ elders!
Information for Parade Marching Groups and Vehicles:
This year's staging location will be S. Gregory between W. Illinois and W. Oregon, and one side of W. Illinois between S. Gregory and S. Lincoln. This is in Urbana near Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
We have a brand new staging plan for this year, as the event has grown and we need to ensure everyone's safety. Emails have been sent to each group through the contact person on your registration form. There will be 5 different check in stations (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple) and staggered check in times. So make sure you know what your check in location and time is for your group! For safety reasons, no entry can be allowed from the wrong location! IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED STAGING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS YET, PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] ASAP!
Please make sure to represent Pride in your decorations, attire, signage, etc. Each parade entry should be colorful, with the recommendation of representing the LGBTQ+ Rainbow colors.
ABSOLUTELY NO CONFETTI OR GLITTER WILL BE ALLOWED PER CITY REGULATIONS!
But we do encourage you to bring and throw candy!
BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR - PARADE ENTRY JUDGING AND AWARDS!
We’ve got our Parade Judging Tent back again so be prepared to show off your best selves when you get there!
Awards will include: Best Float/Vehicle, Best Marching Group, Overall Best in Show, and Judges Choice!
Winners will be announced from the Fair Stage after the parade ends.
We're so glad to have our Parade Judges and MCs back again this year: Stevie Jay Broadcasting radio personality - Diane Ducey, Executive Director of the Champaign Center Partnership - Xander Hazel, and C-UPHD Prevention Specialist and UP Board Member - Berry Stevenson.
This year's staging location will be S. Gregory between W. Illinois and W. Oregon, and one side of W. Illinois between S. Gregory and S. Lincoln. This is in Urbana near Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
We have a brand new staging plan for this year, as the event has grown and we need to ensure everyone's safety. Emails have been sent to each group through the contact person on your registration form. There will be 5 different check in stations (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple) and staggered check in times. So make sure you know what your check in location and time is for your group! For safety reasons, no entry can be allowed from the wrong location! IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED STAGING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS YET, PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] ASAP!
Please make sure to represent Pride in your decorations, attire, signage, etc. Each parade entry should be colorful, with the recommendation of representing the LGBTQ+ Rainbow colors.
ABSOLUTELY NO CONFETTI OR GLITTER WILL BE ALLOWED PER CITY REGULATIONS!
But we do encourage you to bring and throw candy!
BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR - PARADE ENTRY JUDGING AND AWARDS!
We’ve got our Parade Judging Tent back again so be prepared to show off your best selves when you get there!
Awards will include: Best Float/Vehicle, Best Marching Group, Overall Best in Show, and Judges Choice!
Winners will be announced from the Fair Stage after the parade ends.
We're so glad to have our Parade Judges and MCs back again this year: Stevie Jay Broadcasting radio personality - Diane Ducey, Executive Director of the Champaign Center Partnership - Xander Hazel, and C-UPHD Prevention Specialist and UP Board Member - Berry Stevenson.
