Luna La Catrina in performance at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern Hester
By Vern Hester
On June 29, Navy Pier threw open its doors for Pride with a day- long festival of music, performance, dance and drag.
The day included some expected family-oriented traditions with drag queen storytelling, and performances from such lively institutions as Lakeside Pride Marching Band and Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus. Hip-Hop also filled the air with DJs Tori the Creator and Evie the Cool, until DJ Ariana and her troupe of drag artists unleashed a Bollywood tribute which invoked an Eastern-style dance riot.
Belle de Balle and her crew of drag queens from Charlie’s Chicago also took the night to a higher level of intensity with a frenetic tribute to the Spice Girls. Rachel Williams and her band The Claudettes and Party Noire closed out the evening.
Pride Day at Navy Pier was sponsored by Out in Finance.
(Click on upper right-hand corner of thumbnail photos to enlarge)Lakeside Pride Marching Band. Photo by Vern HesterPhoto by Vern Hester Photo by Vern Hester Drag Queen Story Hour. Photo by Vern HesterMaha SriDevi in performance at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterAbhiijeet in performace at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterLakeside Pride Marching Band. Photo by Vern HesterChicago Gay Men’s Chorus. Photo by Vern HesterChicago Gay Men’s Chorus. Photo by Vern HesterPhoto by Vern HesterMasha Sapphire in performance. Photo by Vern HesterEnjoying the Bollywood drag show. Photo by Vern HesterThe Bollywood dance party that erupted at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterDJ Slomo in performance at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterSapphire Feliciano cuts loose at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterPerstephanie Brooklyn in performance. Photo by Vern HesterPixel. Photo by Vern Hester_The Spice Girls mash-up, from left; Sapphire Feliciano, Luna La Catrina, Perstephanie Brooklyn, Pixel, and Belle de Balle. Photo By Vern HesterRachel Williams of The Claudettes in performance at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterDJ Party Noire at Navy Pier. Photo by Vern HesterNavy Pier’s Centennial Wheel was lit for Pride month. Photo courtesy of Navy Pier
