Current. Private stories, public perspectives of 150 years; language, gender, identity, LGBT people in politics, culture, & family relationships. Includes Dom Orejudos' (aka Etienne) mural at Gold Coast, early leather bar opened in 1958 by Chuck Renslow, IML founder.
February 5, 2012, & every 1st Saturday, at the Hideout (1354 W Wabansia Ave), taking over the excellent Saturday Night Dance Party to make it queer, 8pm - 2am. Cranberry Sauce DJs all night, $5 admission benefits the Critical Fierceness Grant!
Through February 12, 2012. Prop Theater, 3502 N. Elston Ave. Annual multi-arts nonnarrative, multidisciplinary fringe festival - seasoned veterans along with obstreperous young newcomers - poetry, music, video, new media, theater, dance, performance art... and more.
February 18, 2012, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, at Music Box, 3733 N Southport Ave. - what happens in the audience is as entertaining as what's on screen.
Memorial Day Weekend, 2012. Thousands converge to party, network, & choose new International Mr. Leather. 4 day Leather Market has finest leather/fetish artisans & retailers, erotic attractions, body enhancement specialists & more. See website for 2011 IML
Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 2012. The Bears Return- same weekend as IML & Grabbys: Meet & Greet Social, Boystown bar crawl, Anniversary Party, Wet ‘n’ Wild Party, Boxer Party, Nuts to Butts dance, Bear-B-Q, sightseeing. Details/venues online.
May 25-28, 2012, Memorial Day weekend, hottest male porn stars in the business, emcees Honey West & Chi Chi LaRue, big awards bash, parties with the guys in clubs around town. See website for venues and more info.
Mid-June each year. Andersonville's summer street festival; 50,000 people fill Clark Street from Foster to Catalpa for music from cutting-edge bands, ethnic dance troupes, lots of food, and vendor wares.
June 24, 2012, last Sunday in June parade from N Halsted at Belmont to Lincoln Park by way of Broadway & Diversey. Pride Street Festival, on N Halsted, music, food, vendors. Dozens of social, cultural, athletic & political events. See website for 2011 media & 2012 updates.
Mid-July each year on Racine between Fullerton & Webster. The works of nearly 100 juried artists in the heart of the Lincoln Park/DePaul neighborhood; also an eclectic music stage lineup and food vendors.
Mid-August each year, on six blocks of N Halsted, many musical acts on multiple stages, plus hundreds of food, arts and crafts vendors. Dozens of gay bars, dance clubs, restaurants, stores and a bathhouse surround the festival site.
First week of November each year. Vendors from around the globe at the Center on Halsted (3656 N Halsted), contest events Friday & Saturday, & more events at Cell Block, Jackhammer, Touche, and Steamworks.
August 17-19, 2012 at Six Guns Ranch & Arena, 26926 State Line Rd, Crete IL. The rodeo runs, rain or shine. Get info online for this and other Illinois Gay Rodeo events.
Each November, award-winning international feature films, social documentaries & experimental shorts. Venues: Landmark's Century Centre, 2828 N Clark St; Instituto Cervantes, 31 W Ohio; Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N Clark St; ShowPlace ICON, 150 W Roosevelt Rd.
Choral, Cabaret and Musical Theater. More than 150 singing members, a small army of volunteers, a diverse cross-section of the Chicago metropolitan area, Artistic Director, Patrick Sinozich. Entertainment that keeps the audience coming back again and again for the ambitious schedule of performances, fund-raisers and charitable appearances.
Chicago Water Taxi (400 North Michigan Avenue)Michigan Avenue (Wrigley Building base) to Chinatown, or reverse, boat trips for just $2 to $4 per ride (on-board). All day pass for $4 ($6 on weekends).
Explore Chicago (163 E Pearson Street)The City of Chicago Office of Tourism has a thousand ideas for places go and things to do. Consult them online, at their visitor centers, or download free tours in five languages at Downloadchicagotours.com
Gay media includes: Boi Magazine, Gay Chicago Magazine, and the group of publications from Windy City Times The Chicago Free Press closed this past year.
The weekly Chicago Reader is an alternative paper with massive listings on what's happening, all over the metro area.
Online info resources include Chicago Events, the Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, NewCityChicago, and the Northalsted Business Alliance.
Toto Tours (1326 West Albion Ave; 800-565-1241) is the pioneer in gay adventure travel with twenty years of experience. They provide small group adventure travel for gay men exclusively, bringing together fellow travelers, and fostering mutual understanding with those of other cultures.
A bi-monthly, all-ages, queer music and spoken word series, the first and third Tuesday of every month at Big Chicks / Tweet (5024 N SHERIDAN 773-728-5511). Enter at Big Chicks for performance in Tweet. Free parking in back (through alley), and free admission -- but pass the hat for the artists.
Leather Archives and Museum (6418 N Greenview Avenue)Kinky History: The Leather Archives and Museum open Thursday to Sunday, is a must-see shrine to leather and fetish.
Millennium Park (78 E. Washington Street)Go parking: Millennium Park is an eye-catching urban park where you'll find plenty of men for the public art.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company (1650 N. Halsted Street)A night at the theater: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, a crucible of talent, is where John Malkovich made it big.
Art Institute of Chicago (111 South Michigan Avenue)Art for art's sake: The Art Institute of Chicago, a world-class museum and school of art and design, has free admission Thursday and Friday nights.
Willis Tower (233 S Wacker Drive)Bird's eye perspectives: The Willis Tower, (formerly the Sears) Chicago's tallest building, has great vistas. Save the price of observation deck admission with a drink at the bar on the 95th floor, for a similar view.
