Photos: Rockford Area Pride Parade 2025 in downtown Rockford

June 7, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Top Stories, Featured, Photo Gallery, Rock River Current, News, 815 News, Rockford
Drag star Auntie Heroine, an honorary grand marshal, waves to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Photos by Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our free mobile app

ROCKFORD — The second-annual Rockford Area Pride Parade marched through downtown on Saturday with hundreds of supporters lining the streets.

This year’s honorary grand marshals were drag performer Auntie Heroine, who was a breakout star on the most recent season of “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula” on AMC Network’s Shudder, former Rockford poet laureate and current Rock Valley College trustee Jenna Goldsmith, and Curt McKay, who was the first full-time director of the University of Illinois’ LGBT Resource Center.

Check out images from the event here:

The crowd reacts to Auntie Heroine’s float passing by on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Taminique Blackwell hands out Pride flags on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Iona Garcia cheers as the Rockford Area Pride Parade passes on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Emma Rain Zimmerman, 8, Shilo Wake, 6, Erica Zimmerman and others cheer on Saturday, June 7, 2025, as the Rockford Area Pride Parade passes through downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A group with Emmanuel Lutheran Church marches Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Erica Terry waves a pride flag while rollerskating on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Office Nite Club float moves down State Street on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Lafakeria Vaughn marches with the Winnebago County Bar Association on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Christina Valdez and her father, Rudy Valdez, march in the Rockford Area Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Anthony Brown of the Chicago Spirit Brigade dances down East State Street on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Huxly Onken, 3, rides a tricycle while shooting a bubble gun on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A group with U.S. Bank carries a massive Pride Flag down East State Street on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Andrew J. Mertzenich, co-chair of Rockford Area Pride, waves to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Pride Parade in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jenna Goldsmith, an honorary grand marshal of the Rockford Area Pride Parade, hugs Sara Fleming on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Marivia Ursini displays a bisexuals > billionaires sign on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Sparkle of Rock River Jeeperz waves a bubble gun on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Kayla Whitney carriers her dog Tank on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Honorary grand marshals Jenna Goldsmith and Curt McKay ride down East State Street on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Rev. Violet Johnicker waves to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Taminique Blackwell hands out craft flowers on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Tina Manning waves on Saturday, June 7, 2025, as the Rockford Area Pride Parade passes. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Austin Westphal rides a scooter through the Rockford Area Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A sock monkey mascot with Midway Village Museum rides in the Rockford Area Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Mayor Tom McNamara walks in the Rockford Area Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Unitarian Universalist Church in Rockford marches Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Kayla Whitney walks with Tank on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Drag performer Auntie Heroine, an honorary grand marshal, waves to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Natalie McLeod hands out candy on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Shilo Wake, 6, waves on Saturday, June 6, 2025, as the Rockford Area Pride Parade moves through downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Christine Morris drives Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Attorney Sara Dady marches Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Midway Village Museum marches Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The YMCA of Rock River Valley marches Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
People gather for the Pride Alley Party on Saturday, June 7, 2025, after the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Mary McNamara-Bernsten of Women’s March Rockford yells to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Theresa McDermott spins outside her studio SoulJah Wellness on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Auntie Heroine and others pose for a photo Saturday, June 7, 2025, before the start of the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Bubbles surrounded a costumed participant in the Rockford Area Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in downtown. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Drag star Auntie Heroine, an honorary grand marshal, waves to the crowd on Saturday, June 7, 2025, during the Rockford Area Pride Parade. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Photo gallery by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas