Graphics by Kisira Hill
UPDATE FROM THE ORGANIZERS: It’s going to b a warm one on Sunday! Please read through our FAQ thoroughly to best prepare for a safe and comfy experience!
Big news, friends! The Queer Fam Pride Jam has been rescheduled for Sunday, September 3 from 10am-3pm! We’ll be back at the Salt Shed Chicago catching the final days of summer with many of the great activities, performances and vendors we had planned - and MORE! Our Pride is all year and we hope that this very special occasion brings out all the party parents, kids, aunties and allies to show LGBTQ+ families how special and important they are to Chicago and the world.
For folks just joining us: We are Slo ‘Mo, one of Chicago’s longest running queer dance parties, and Kido, an award-winning local children’s boutique. As a team of two small business-owning moms, we worked for months to bring Chicago’s first family Pride festival to life, which we sadly had to cancel due to an emergency unrelated to our event. Together with the community, we mobilized nearly 3,000 free RSVPs and loads of support for our initial event date, slating it to be the largest family Pride festival of its kind in the country. Though our new date is not during Pride Month, it’s so important to show that we’re Queer All Year!
Remounting this festival has been a labor of love, but worth it to bring joy and affirmation to Chicago’s queer families and allies! Hit the link in bio for free RSVP and help us spread the word about the new date: Share this post, comment with encouragement, dial up the phone tree and mark your calendars for Sunday, September 3rd!
Follow @slomoparty and @kidochicago for the latest updates about the Pride Jam and beyond!
A note from the organizers: We are so excited to welcome you to the inaugural Queer Fam Pride Jam! Please note that we are a team of two moms + one part time staff person undertaking a major festival at a very new venue that is still evolving. We are also navigating a hostile climate toward LGBTQ+ families and their supporters and are giving as much consideration as within our power to safety. We ask for your grace, patience and appreciation as we do not have major funding and full-time staff support and are doing the best we can to make this a fun, safe and supportive event with the capacity and resources we have. Reach out to slomoparty@gmail.com with any additional questions and we will do our best to answer them, but empower you to make the best decisions for you and your families with the information provided.
FAQ:
PARKING/DRIVING: Street parking is available on Magnolia street first come, first served and valet parking is available for a $20, which can be booked online in advance. There are unaffiliated paid lots about half a mile from the venue you can find via SpotHero as well. Please note that parking may require some walking. We do not have control over parking.
BIKING: There will be ample bike parking available on-site and near the main entrance on Blackhawk street as well as stroller parking inside the festival grounds
RIDESHARE: Salt Shed will have a designated area for rideshare pick-ups and drop offs, along Magnolia Ave right near venue entry. You will see a pull-in area adjacent to the street
PUBLIC TRANSIT: Division/Milwaukee blue line stop is .7 miles away.. North/Clybourn red line stop is .9 miles away. Damen blue line stop is 1.4 miles away. Several buses make stops near The Salt Shed, including the 70 (Division), 72 (North), and 9 (Ashland). There may be other options depending on your location.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: The Salt Shed venue and Fairgrounds are wheelchair accessible. There is ADA seating available within the festival grounds. The Fairgrounds can be accessed off Blackhawk street by a very wide, flat entrance. Paid valet parking is available off Magnolia street to minimize the distance to the entrance. Masks are not required but enthusiastically supported and available at guest services in the food court for anyone who would like one.
SEATING, SHADE & HYDRATION: There will be a CTA cooling bus located at the entrance of the festival and a misting tent inside the festival grounds. There are picnic tables with umbrellas first come first served in the food court area outside, as well as bleacher seating that should only be used by minors with the accompaniment of an adult. There is a free water station so don’t forget your water bottles & supply cups. Please keep in mind this is an outdoor event and Sunday is expected to be hot: Pack hats, sunscreen, snacks, umbrellas, fans, ice packs and anything else you might need to keep your family comfy.
BATHROOMS & CHANGING: Portalet bathrooms will be provided at the outdoor festival grounds, including individual wheelchair accessible stalls. Adults with babies can also utilize the “crawly corner” where changing tables will be located and littles are free to roam on Kido-provided squishy mats.
SECURITY: Out of an abundance of caution, guests will pass through metal detectors before entering the festival; ADA compliant methods will be used for wheelchair users. Ample security as well as volunteers will be staffed both outside and inside the festival grounds.
SENSORY EXPERIENCE: All brains are beautiful, and all brains take in sensory input differently. Amplified sound will be present throughout the event at lower decibels suitable for all ages. There will be no special lighting or flashing effects aside from potential flash photography. There will also be a Sensory Tent curated by 21 Senses where you can access headsets, earplugs, alternative seating, fidget toys and more.
PHOTOGRAPHY/FILMING NOTICE: By entering the “Queer Fam Pride Jam” at the Fairgrounds, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by Queer Fam Pride Jam producers (Kido & Slo ‘Mo) and its affiliates. You release the Pride Jam producers, its officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or or sound recordings.