Lakeside Pride

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Chicago, IL
Lakeside Pride

To empower an affirming LGBTQ and ally community by engaging audiences and inspiring change through music.

Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles is Chicago’s premier family of performance groups for members and friends of the le***an, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Home to four major Lakeside Pride ensembles – jazz orchestra, marching band, small ensembles, and symphonic band – the organization offers a diverse musical experience for both its audience and its members. Through an annual series of performances and special events, Lakeside Pride provides a forum for adult musicians, inclusive of any background, ethnicity, gender identification or sexual orientation, to represent the LGBTQ community and express themselves through music. Lakeside Pride is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All ensemble members, conductors and the Board of Directors are volunteers, sharing their time, talent and love of music. The operating budget comes from ticket sales, small government grants, and the generosity of individuals.

08/24/2026

So many of our groups are returning after their summer hiatus! Here, the Brass Buttons are preparing for a gratis gig at a local nursing home. Happy to be back spreading music and mirth for our thirtieth season!

06/29/2026

Another successful Pride Parade is in the books!

06/24/2026

Filled with gratitude to the Chicago Mayor's Office and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for their generous Cultural Heritage Grant, presented last night at the Chicago Cultural Center! Thank you so much for highlighting our work within and beyond the Chicago q***r community. We’re honored to be Leading the Sound of Progress!

05/15/2026

Join us for an amazing night of performances from the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony & our own Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band for an exclusive, special event at the Chicago Symphony Center!

One of the nation’s most accomplished youth music ensembles, the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony (AYWS), presents a vibrant musical journey through three iconic American cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York—each brought to life through the voices of today’s most compelling composers. Cinematic brilliance, imaginative colors, and powerful legacies from the wind band/ensemble repertoire by one of the nation’s leading youth ensembles.

Joining the program is our very own Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band! Their performance adds a complementary voice to the evening through contemporary works inspired by motion, imagination, and expressive storytelling from composers around the world.

05/07/2026

It’s time for the annual Chicago thaw—so shake off the hibernation, slide into Sidetrack, and let someone pour you something sparkling while we do the rest.

Our May show, Spring Awakening, is that first deep breath after a long winter: a little bittersweet, a little hopeful, and suddenly full of sunlight. Expect songs that feel like rain finally letting up, clouds rolling by, and the world going bright again—big-heart anthems, soft nostalgia, and just enough yearning to make it shimmer.

Join us May 9 at Sidetrack. Doors open at 1:00 pm—grab a drink, toast the thaw, then meet us in Main Bar for the show at 1:30 pm.

And keep that calendar handy—our next show is June 22 with Unity. We’ll share more soon, but for now: save the date and stay tuned.

04/16/2026

Exciting news! Mark your calendars for June 5, 2026, at the Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, where our very own assistant artistic director will conduct the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band as guest artists at the ’s “Skylines in Sound” concert. Ticket information coming soon.

04/14/2026

They say only fools rush in, but you’ll be rushing to see our April show Fools Rush In. We’re leaning all the way into April Fool’s energy—puppy love, teen angst, and those delicious moments when you realize you’ve been gloriously, completely fooled. Expect a cocktail of swoony classics, pop confessions, and big-belt heartbreak as the Wildelings chase rainbows, fall too fast, and prove (musically) that bad decisions make great cabaret.

Join us April 18 at Sidetrack. Doors open at 1, so come early for a drink—then meet us in Main Bar for the show at 1:30 pm.

Address

3656 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL
60613

Telephone

+17733816693

Website

http://www.lakesidepride.org/

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