Chicago Pride Parade 8 GREAT LGBTQ+ EVENTS Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club 1 Chicago Pride Fest (June) 2 Chicago Pride Parade OUT & ABOUT LGBTQ+ NIGHTLIFE Chicago is home to some of the most inclusive LGBTQ+ communities in the country. Check out Boystown (named 2017 Best Gayborhood by GayCities.com), Andersonville, and Uptown for happening nightlife. Attic , and stop by Urban Renewal Brewery for a pint of craft beer. Be amazed by the mind-blowing magicians at the Chicago Magic Lounge , an Art-Deco style nightclub complete with secret doors that lead to a performance bar, stage shows in a 120-seat cabaret theatre, and close-up magic in the 654 Club. Take a global beer-tasting tour at Hopleaf Bar , offering more than 400 bottle selections and 68 draft beers. Pair your brew with Hopleaf’s popular Belgian-style mussels and frites. Catch live music, 100+ arts and crafts vendors, drag shows, and more. northalsted.com/pridefest (June) Cheer on colorful floats, drag queens, and dancers. chicagopride.gopride.com 3 Pride in the Park Chicago (June) A stellar lineup of music acts followed by Pride-themed fireworks in downtown Grant Park. prideintheparkchicago.com BOYSTOWN Sidetrack , a multilevel club that features a rooftop patio, is one of the most popular nightspots on Halsted Street. Weekly theme nights include the can’t-miss Sunday Funday, spotlighting show tunes. Roscoe’s is a long-time Boystown hangout that boasts a thumping dance floor with great music every night. Weekly events include karaoke nights and amateur drag contests. LEFT TO RIGHT: ABEL ARCINIEGA; ADAM ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY 4 Navy Pier Pride (June) Family-friendly fun, musical performances, and a spectacular fireworks display. navypier.org UPTOWN After 50 years downtown, The Baton Show Lounge has relocated to Uptown. The beloved drag club features a cast of top international drag queens performing show-stopping solos and dazzling group numbers. Soak up the laid-back vibe and check out owner Michelle Fire’s impressive collection of art at Big Chicks . The dance floor gets busy on the weekends, with live DJs spinning Friday and Saturday nights. The SoFo Tap is a friendly neighborhood bar known for its cozy beer garden strung with lights and outfitted with a bar built from a vintage garage. Don’t miss Trivia Wednesdays or Rock & Soul Karaoke on Sunday nights. 5 Shedd Pride Night (June) 6 Northalsted Market Days Animal encounters, a live DJ, dancing, and specialty bites and cocktails. sheddaquarium.org (August) The largest LGBTQ+ street festival in the Midwest features live music, crafts, local eats and drinks, DJs, and dancing. northalsted.com/marketdays At the sassy Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club , dinner and brunch are served with a tableside diva drag show. The huge martini list offers more than 200 cocktails. 7 Reeling Film Festival ANDERSONVILLE At Hamburger Mary’s , grab a gourmet burger and catch weekend Dining With the Divas shows in Mary’s Dining Room , see a cabaret singer upstairs at Mary’s (September) Screenings of the best LGBTQ+ movies from around the world, plus panel discussions. reelingfilmfestival.org 8 Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade (October) March in this fabulous parade that includes a costume contest judged by drag queens. hauntedhalsted.com 41
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