The History of Chigo’s Boystown: Examg the Past, Prent, & Future of the Cy’s Inic Gay Neighborhood

Contents:

• CHIGO STYLELGBTQ+HOME»EXPLORE»CHIGO STYLE»LGBTQ+CHIGO HAS A WAY OF MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE. OUR LGBTQ+ MUNI, IENDLY RINTS, DIVERSE NIGHTLIFE, AND YEAR-LONG PRI CELEBRATNS MAKE ONE OF THE MOST CLIVE CI THE UNTRY. VAR PRELOAD = {}; GET TO KNOW LGBTQ+ CHIGOCOME EXPLORE OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WELG NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THRIVG NIGHTLIFE SCENE.EXPLORE CHIGO'S WELG NEIGHBORHOODSCHECK OUT OUR GUI TO LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOODSEXPLORE OUR 2-DAY LGBTQ+ CHIGO ERARYDISVER LGBTQ+ HISTORY WH THE TOURS AND ATTRACTNSFEEL THE PRIPRI IS CHIGO'S DNA. AND WE CELEBRATE ALL YEAR LONG.CATCH THE CHIGO PRI PARA JUNEWHERE TO CELEBRATE PRI MONTH CHIGOEXPLORE YEAR-ROUND LGBTQ+ EVENTS CHIGOKEEP THE PARTY GOG AT THE LOL GAY BARS AND CLUBS.EXPLORE WELG NEIGHBORHOODSEXPERIENCE CHIGO'S VIBRANT LGBTQ+ MUNI, CLUDG THE FIRST OFFICIAL GAY NEIGHBORHOOD THE UNTRY.PARTY AT SITRACK BOYSTOWNWHAT DO AND SEE BUZZG BOYSTOWNEAT AND SHOP QUIRKY ANRSONVILLEKEEP EXPLORG
• \NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":739402195},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":647650188},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS
• CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS
• MOVG TO LGBT CHIGO, ILLOIS? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!
• CHIGO GAY PRI 2024
• EXAMG THE PAST, PRENT, AND FUTURE OF CHIGO'S FIRST GAY NEIGHBORHOOD
• LAKE BLUFF NSIRS FLYG GAY PRI FLAG ON VILLAGE FLAGPOLE; ‘WE N SEND THE RIGHT MSAGE, THAT WE ARE AN ACCEPTG ... MUNY’
• THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

CHIGO STYLELGBTQ+HOME»EXPLORE»CHIGO STYLE»LGBTQ+CHIGO HAS A WAY OF MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE. OUR LGBTQ+ MUNI, IENDLY RINTS, DIVERSE NIGHTLIFE, AND YEAR-LONG PRI CELEBRATNS MAKE ONE OF THE MOST CLIVE CI THE UNTRY. VAR PRELOAD = {}; GET TO KNOW LGBTQ+ CHIGOCOME EXPLORE OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WELG NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THRIVG NIGHTLIFE SCENE.EXPLORE CHIGO'S WELG NEIGHBORHOODSCHECK OUT OUR GUI TO LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOODSEXPLORE OUR 2-DAY LGBTQ+ CHIGO ERARYDISVER LGBTQ+ HISTORY WH THE TOURS AND ATTRACTNSFEEL THE PRIPRI IS CHIGO'S DNA. AND WE CELEBRATE ALL YEAR LONG.CATCH THE CHIGO PRI PARA JUNEWHERE TO CELEBRATE PRI MONTH CHIGOEXPLORE YEAR-ROUND LGBTQ+ EVENTS CHIGOKEEP THE PARTY GOG AT THE LOL GAY BARS AND CLUBS.EXPLORE WELG NEIGHBORHOODSEXPERIENCE CHIGO'S VIBRANT LGBTQ+ MUNI, CLUDG THE FIRST OFFICIAL GAY NEIGHBORHOOD THE UNTRY.PARTY AT SITRACK BOYSTOWNWHAT DO AND SEE BUZZG BOYSTOWNEAT AND SHOP QUIRKY ANRSONVILLEKEEP EXPLORG

Why we love Northalsted (also known as Boystown) is one of the most untry’s clive LGBTQ+ muni and the olst officially regnized gay neighborhood the Uned Stat.

\NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":739402195},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":647650188},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS

And we celebrate all year the Chigo Pri Para JuneExplore welg neighborhoodsExperience Chigo's vibrant LGBTQ+ muni, cludg the first official gay neighborhood the at Sitrack BoystownKeep explorgDisver more Chigo LGBTQ+ gems, om historic landmarks to ol boutiqu to top drag shows. Whether you’re searchg for thrivg nightlife or unrground culture, check out the bt gay neighborhoods that Chigo has to offer.

The neighborhoods listed here are known for beg the bt gay areas Chigo. NerdWallet even lists Chigo as the 10th most gay-iendly cy the US.

CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS

The origal and most equented Chigo gay neighborhood, Boystown stretch along Halsted Street on the north si of the cy.

MOVG TO LGBT CHIGO, ILLOIS? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!

As the top vised Chigo gay neighborhood, Boystown don’t disappot when to thgs to do. One reason that Anrsonville is on the list of the bt gay areas Chigo is the neighborhood’s many plac to vis.

There are also many gay-iendly plac to eat and drk Anrsonville. For nightlife, head to neighborhood gay bars like The SoFo Tap, where you’ll fd themed events and fun gam.

However, ’s also an up-and-g Chigo gay neighborhood for LGBTQ dividuals of all rac. However, as a gateway for immigrants s past, this gay-iendly Chigo neighborhood has always remaed welg to newers of any background.

CHIGO GAY PRI 2024

While you won’t fd the same flamboyant nightlife scene as Boystown, Pilsen has plenty to offer those seekg the bt gay areas Chigo.

EXAMG THE PAST, PRENT, AND FUTURE OF CHIGO'S FIRST GAY NEIGHBORHOOD

Gay-iendly plac to live Chigo.

June’s Chigo Pri Ftival, one of the largt annual gay pri ftivals the untry, and Chigo Pri Para, which attracts an timated one ln spectators, are among the summer’s stars. In the past, you’d go to Boystown and seemed like was mostly jt a place for gay whe guys. Even though many of still live gay-heavy ‘hoods, we’re not ghettoized anymore and live everywhere — and the cy, for the most part, is open and acceptg.

Gays started movg here the 1960s and ‘70s and officially beme a gay village 1997, the first untry. Set on the Far North Si centered along Clark Street between Wnemac and Irvg Park, this former Swedish enclave started attractg more gays and lbians the late 1980s, pecially wh the openg of Women & Children First Bookstore.

LAKE BLUFF NSIRS FLYG GAY PRI FLAG ON VILLAGE FLAGPOLE; ‘WE N SEND THE RIGHT MSAGE, THAT WE ARE AN ACCEPTG ... MUNY’

The gay beach, jt a few blocks to the east. While not really nsired an official LGBTQ+ neighborhood, Wicker Park (and Bucktown and Logan Square for that matter) is very gay iendly, as evinced by the large number of queer folk who live that part of the cy. In this day and age, you’d be hard prsed to fd a hotel Chigo that isn’t gay iendly (not to mentn gay welg), whether the high-end spots around Michigan Avenue, hip hotels Fulton Market like the Ace, Hoxton, and Soho Hoe, uber-ol Robey Wicker Park, or the sign-forward Hotel Zachary across the street om Wrigley Field and jt blocks om Boystown.

Visg Sitrack, the gran dame of Chigo’s LGBTQ+ muny, is pretty much a mt as you’ll see a vast cross-sectn of gay life the cy spread out over multiple rooms, a ont pat and a sprawlg roof ck.

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Our gay and lbian bars have a ltle b of somethg for everyone, wh late-night loung, dance clubs, burlque and drag shows, and long-standg neighborhood waterg hol almost every rner of the cy. And each wh their own unique history and out some of the bt gay bars and clubs to experience Chigo’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.

Jeffery PubOne of the cy’s olst gay bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood stutn. The South Shore staple is also one of Chigo’s first black-owned gay bars, makg all the more meangful for the spot’s many regulars.