From Bronzeville to Boystown and
beyond, here are some of the events closing out this anniversary Pride Month.
HIGHFEMME: Pride Edition is a celebration of queer and trans femmes of color hosted by Lucy Stoole, Jessica Laskaris, and Barry Brandon and featuring performance art by Melissa Coffee, Michael Robinson, Iv Fischer, and Alex & Effee. DJs Tess and Cqqchifruit will spin alongside photo booths and video installations. Thu 6/27, 9 PM-2 AM, Cerise Rooftop, 203 N. Wabash, free before 10 PM, $10 after
Spanning three days and five communities, the Pride South Side Festival kicks off at the Stony Island Arts Bank and closes at Connect Gallery, with events in between at the Promontory, DuSable Museum, and the Breathing Room. Fri 6/28-Sun 6/30; most of the festival is free but some events require tickets, 21+
Chicago Is a Drag Festival, the city’s first-ever festival of its kind, premieres in Andersonville. Fifty artists, including headliners Raja, Candis Cayne, and Spikey Van Dykey, will perform along with up-and-
coming local acts. Fri 6/28, 4 PM, behind Cheetah Gym, 5238 N. Clark, $25, 21+
The Chicago Dyke March collective celebrates dyke, queer, bisexual, and transgender people with a march, followed by a rally with performances, music, and discussion. Sat 6/29, march 1:30 PM, Little Village Academy, 2620 S. Lawndale; rally 3:30 PM, Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st.
The queer south-side party collective TRQPiTECA is hosting its first queer pride in Ping Tom Memorial Park, 1700 S. Wentworth, in Chinatown. Expect DJ sets from La Spacer, Cqqchifruit, Jared Brown, Sasha NoDisco, and Hole Boss (plus many more) as well as performances by Alex & Effee, Darling Shear, and K I A M. Sun 6/30, 3-10 PM, free, all ages, wheelchair accessible.
And of course, the biggest party of them all, the Chicago Pride Parade, will close out the month. The theme of this year’s parade is “Stonewall 50: Millions of Moments of Pride.” The parade begins in Uptown and winds its way through Boystown before ending in Lincoln Park. Sun 6/30, noon to 4 PM, step-off is at Broadway and Montrose. v