Comedienne Fortune Feimster, Jax Smith named Grand Marshals of 2024 Chicago Pride Parade

CHICAGO — Actress and comedienne Fortune Feimster and her wife will serve as grand marshals of this year’s Chicago Pride Parade, officials announced Thursday.

The participation will be a return to Chicago for Feimster and Jax Smith, who met at Chicago Pride 2015 and married five years later.

“Chicago holds a special place in our hearts—it’s home to a great comedy scene and home to the best audiences.,” Feimster said in a statement. “As we celebrate our community and our anniversary, it feels like a beautiful full-circle moment.”

The 43-year-old Feimster is known for her stand up comedy as well as roles in several television shows and movies, including “Chelsea Lately,” “The Mindy Project,” “The L Word: Generation Q,” and “Office Christmas Party,” among others.

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Two local couples were also named community grand marshals: Art Johnston and Jose “Pepe” Pena, and transgender couple Myles and Precious Brady-Davis.

Johnston and Pena are nationally recognized civil rights leaders and the couple behind Lakeview’s iconic Sidetrack bar. They are also co-owners of Sway, a marijuana dispensary that opened down the street from Sidetrack last month. Johnston was also a co-founder of the organization that grew to become known as Equality Illinois.

Myles and Precious Brady-Davis are both activists and community organizers. Myles Brady-Davis serves as communications director for Equality Illinois. Precious Brady-Davis last year became the first Black transgender person appointed to public office in Cook County when she was named commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

The parade, now in its 53rd year, will step off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 30 with the theme “Pride is Power.”

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