'No Sugar-Coating:' Aurora Pride Parade Cancelled For 2019

AURORA, IL -- In 2018, Aurora marked a milestone by hosting its first-ever Pride Parade, which many hoped would be the start of an annual tradition. On Friday, though, parade organizers from Indivisible Aurora announced that there was "no sugar-coating:" the 2019 Aurora Pride Parade was canceled, citing a new city ordinance that would cause parade costs to "increase four-fold."

The new ordinance, which was approved in January, designates that the the costs for "public safety personnel, security fencing for the parade route and the like" be paid by festival organizers and not by city funds.

In a formal announcement, festival planners said they had been meeting with city officials and planning the Pride Parade and Festival with "last year's economics in mind." They said they "anticipated the increase," but were unaware it would be four times the prior cost.

Aurora Pride Festival organizers say they met with Mayor Richard Irvin and reviewed several options that would cut costs and allow for the festivities to continue. After the success of last year's Pride Parade, city officials and event advocates had hoped to turn the parade into a weekend-long Pride Festival that would include a 5K race, a poetry slam, and a film fest.

Ultimately, they said they "couldn’t cancel parts of the festival without significantly diminishing the festival experience."

They plan to refund donors and sponsors and to discuss thePride Parade cancellation at an upcoming meeting on April 13 at 1 p.m.

In a public letter, Mayor Richard Irvin expressed his disappointment that the Pride Parade and Festival had been canceled. Irvin said he and Indivisible Aurora worked with law enforcement to try to cut costs wherever possible.

Irvin added that Indivisible Aurora presented a budget of $16,000 Wednesday, leaving a balance of roughly $10,000. Irvin said the city gave Indivisible Aurora the option to pay this remaining balance in installments "throughout the next year."

Mayor Irvin went on to say that Aurora "cannot afford" to "use public dollars for private events" both "under ordinance and because of equity."

Irvin encouraged community members to come together to help Indivisible Aurora raise the remaining $10,000.

Related: Aurora's First Pride Parade In Pictures

He said, "A money gap of less than $10,000 shouldn’t stop the momentum gained in a community filled with passion and pride."