PRIDEChicago announces Fortune Feimster and wife Jax Smith as grand marshals of the 2024 Chicago Pride Parade in Lakeview

CHICAGO (WLS) — Comedian Fortune Feimster and her wife Jax Smith will be the grand marshals of the 2024 Chicago Pride Parade, PRIDEChicago announced Thursday.

“We are honored to be named grand marshals of Chicago Pride,” Feimster said. “Chicago holds a special place in our hearts: it’s home to a great comedy scene and home to the best audiences.”

The couple met at Chicago Pride 2015 and married in October 2020.

“As we celebrate our community and our anniversary, it feels like a beautiful full circle moment,” she said.

READ ALSO | Organizers announce date and theme for 2024 Chicago Pride Parade

The video in the player above is from a previous story.

PRIDEChicago has announced two more couples who will serve as community grand marshals.

Chicago bar owner Art Johnston and his partner, Jose “Pepe” Pena. The couple has been together for 50 years and opened Sidetrack, a popular gay bar in Lakeview, in 1982.

Local LGBTQ+ activists Myles and Precious Brady-Davis are also this year’s community grand marshals.

Myles Brady-Davis is the communications director for Equality Illinois and Precious Brady-Davis recently became the first Black transgender person appointed to public office in Cook County.

Last month, Chicago Pride Parade organizers said the event would be smaller in June.

READ ALSO | Chicago Pride Parade organizers announce changes and 2024 event will be scaled back

Registrations will be limited to 125 groups. This is a decrease of 35% compared to last year. The parade will also start an hour earlier, at 11 a.m. on June 30.