Borrowed ideas to improve the Pride Parade

Pride Parade makeover

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Select Article Pride Parade makeover From our readers | How to improve PrideBorrowed ideas to improve the Pride ParadeThe new Pride Parade route

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Three things we can steal (ahem, learn) from other parades.

The inspiration Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
The idea The connection between a 60-foot-long Underdog balloon and Thanksgiving is lost to history. But who cares? We want the Macy’s Parade’s balloons. Huge freakin’ balloons would give the very horizontal Pride Parade a bit of verticality, something for the people ten back in the crowd to look at. And just imagine a massive RuPaul or Queer Duck drifting across the Chicago sky.

The inspiration Rose Bowl Parade
The idea The coolest aspect of the Rose Bowl Parade is the craftsmanship of the floats. For example, this year’s entry from the Lions Club International represented world peace with hundreds of rosebuds and a swirling spiral of connected flags. No, we shouldn’t steal the whole concept. But we should require that all floats be locally made (queers and crafts…c’mon), and then do fun YouTube videos of “The Making of a Parade Float.”

The inspiration New York City Pride Parade
The idea Before heading down gay-friendly Christopher Street, the NYC Pride Parade marches down 20 blocks of 5th Avenue, past landmarks like the Empire State Building—and past hundreds of tourists who might not have attended otherwise. Put our parade in the Loop, or down the Magnificent Mile, and imagine the statement.