ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Rockford Pride Parade will once again take over downtown streets on June 7th, marking its second year.

Andrew Mertzenich, Co-Chair of Rockford Area Pride, remembers the emotional moment last year when Rockford's first Pride float rolled through downtown.

“That was when I knew, we actually did this. It actually happened,” said Mertzenich.

Going to Chicago Pride inspired Andrew to get the ball rolling on bringing Pride to Rockford.

"There's an old picture of my husband and I where we went to Chicago pride, and I never knew that would put me on a track to seeing Rockford first Pride Parade,” said Mertzenich.

But the true push came in the summer of 2023, when protests broke out at Talcott Public Library over a planned drag queen story time.

“Just seeing how much hat

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