CHICAGO — From partying with the penguins at the Shedd to making bagels with drag queens before the Pride Parade, these are dozens of events to celebrate Pride Month in Chicago.
Block Club rounded up everything from drag brunches to storytime for kids, affirming name-change clinics and street fests.
We know this list is not exhaustive. Have an event you want us to add? Email Newsroom@BlockClubChi.org.
Out of the Office
Twentieth annual LGBTQ networking event
4:30 p.m. June 1
The Godfrey Hotel, 127 W. Huron St.
Link
Shedd Pride Night
A pride party with DJs, an animal spotlight and an ocean-themed drag performance
6 p.m. June 1
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Link
Drag Story Time
Story time for children with books read by drag performers.
6 p.m. June 1 at Chicago Public Library’s West Lawn branch, 4020 W. 63rd St.
11 a.m. June 3 at the Sulzer library branch, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
1 p.m. June 8 at the Bezazian library branch, 1226 W. Ainslie St.
10:30 a.m June 13 at the library’s Commercial Club Park, 1845 W. Rice St.
Link
Or Chadash LGBTQ+ Shabbat
Pride month Shabbat celebration.
7:45 p.m. June 3
Temple Sholom, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive
Link
Dim Sum & Drag Brunch
Brunch and performance from Asian drag performers
11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. June 4
Furama, 4936 N. Broadway
Link
Jerker
A semi-staged reading of Robert Chesley’s 1986 play “Jerker” by artists Maxe Crandall and Emmett Ramstad.
7 p.m. June 4
Leather Archives & Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Ave.
Link
Pull for Pride
Weightlifting event to raise funds for Brave Space Alliance
June 4
Han Training, 743 W. Irving Park Road
Link
RELATED: At Trans- And Asian-Owned Han Training Gym, Members Find Inclusive Space ‘Where It’s Safe To Be Your Whole, Radical Self’
Equality Illinois Pride Kickoff Brunch
Brunch to celebrate the start of Pride Month with the LGBTQ-focused organization
11:30 a.m. June 4
Venue West, 221 N. Paulina Ave.
Link
Tipsy Tea
Tea time with drag performers. Seatings at noon and 2:30 p.m.
June 4-5 with Claire Voyant
June 11-12 with Angelica Grace
June 18-19 with Platinum Carrington
June 25-26 with Olaysia
The Gwen Hotel, 521 N. Rush St.
Link
Lesbian/Queer Women Pride Picnic
A lakefront picnic for lesbian and queer women to celebrate Pride
11 a.m. June 5
Andersonville
Link
Name Change Clinic at Broadway Youth Center
The Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois will provide free legal services to help people change their names and update their gender markers
Noon-5 p.m. June 6
Broadway Youth Center, 1012 W. Irving Park Road
Link
Celebrate Pride in Your Pews
The Lighthouse Foundation is partnering with 13 churches as part of its Coalition of Accomplices for Racial Equity for lunch and a panel discussion about uplifting LGBTQ Pride in a church setting.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. June 11
St. Pauls UCC, 2335 N. Orchard St.
Link
Bi/Pan Social
The Lighthouse Foundation is hosting its second Bi/Pan social.
1-3 p.m. June 11
Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave.
Link
Pride Bar Crawl
An eight-location bar crawl with an afterparty
4 p.m. June 11
The North End, 3733 N. Halsted St.
Link
Open And Affirming Celebration Picnic And Networking
The United Church of Hyde Park will celebrate becoming a member of the Open and Affirming Coalition. LGBTQ people and allies are invited
12 p.m. June 12
United Church of Hyde Park, 1448 E. 53rd St.
Link
Reclaim Pride protest
Drag March for Change and the Pride Without Prejudice protests are merging for this year’s Reclaim Pride protest
1 p.m. June 12
Kick off at the Belmont CTA station, 945 W. Belmont Ave.
Link
Archives Come Alive
Learn more about the history of LGBTQ communiteis in Chicago by exploring the Chicago Public Library’s historical archives.
5-6 p.m. June 16
Rogers Park Library Branch, 6907 N. Clark St.
Link
Author Reading of “Gaybash” and “Summerdale”
Author David Collins reads excerpts from his LGBTQ novels
7 p.m. June 16
Elevate Coffee, 3344 N. Halsted St.
Link
Building LGBTQ-Inclusive Spaces In Chicago
A virtual conversation with queer activists Abhijeet, Jo MaMa and Milani Varela moderated by Block Club Chicago’s Jake Wittich.
7 p.m. June 16
Block Club’s YouTube channel
Link
Family Reunion BBQ Picnic
Affinity 95 will host an afternoon with food, music and live performances to celebrate Pride and Juneteenth.
1-4 p.m. June 18
Dan Ryan Woods, 83rd Street and Western Avenue
Link
Queer Radical Fair
A celebration of fashion, self-expression and community by and for queer youth, created in conjunction with the Chicago Park Disstrict’s Queering the Parks, Chicago Freedom School, Social Works and Rebirth Garments.
2-7 p.m. June 18
Palmer Park Cultural Center, 201 E. 111th St.
Link
Drag Me to the Fairmont
Drag show with headlining performances by Lady Bunny and Miz Cracker
7 p.m. June 18
Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Drive
Link
Category is Prom!
Pride dance party with an early 2000s prom theme.
7:45 p.m.-midnight June 18
Dank Haus Ballroom, 4740 N. Western Ave.
Link
Eye Eaters Society’s LGBTQ Prom
Eye Eaters Society is hosting a 21-and-ver event aimed at being prom for LGBTQ people and their supporters.
8 p.m.-midnight June 18
DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave.
Link
The Chicago Drag Show Presents: PRIDE
Drag show with specialty cocktails and a speakeasy feel
9:30 p.m. June 18
The Newport Theater, 956 W. Newport Ave.
Link
Chicago Pride Fest
Music, food, and arts festival, including popular pet parade
11 a.m. June 18-19
Halsted Street from Addison to Grace streets
Link
TPAN closing ceremony of the Ride For Life Chicago
Cyclists will converge at the beach for fundraiser and anniversary of organization serving individuals living with and vulnerable to HIV
12-5 p.m. June 19
Foster Beach
Trans-Affirming Name Change Clinic
The Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois and Brave Space Alliance will provide free legal services to help people change their names and update their gender markers
Noon-5 p.m. June 21
1515 E. 52nd Place, 32nd floor
Link
AAC Follies
Drag performance benefiting the Athletic Alliance of Chicago
7:30 p.m. June 22
The Baton Show Lounge, 4713 N. Broadway
Link
Adults Night Out: Pride Party!
After-hours party at Lincoln Park Zoo with drag bingo and a live DJ
6:30 p.m. June 23
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.
Link
Pride Bowl
Annual flag football tournament for the National Gay Flag Football League
June 23-25
Montrose and Margate Fields along the Lakefront
Link
Chicago is a Drag Fest
Performances from local drag kings, queens and queer performers.
4 p.m. June 24
Cheetah Gym Parking Lot, 5248 N. Clark St.
Link
Pride North
Large neighborhood Pride festival on the North Side
June 24-26
Off the Morse CTA Red Line stop, 1358 W. Morse Ave.
Link
Proud to Run
Annual 5K run, 10K run or 5K walk.
8 a.m. June 25
601 W. Montrose Ave.
Link
’90s Pride Drag Brunch
’90s-themed drag brunch.
10 a.m. June 25
The Walnut Room, 111 N. State St.
Link
Pride Drag Brunch
Drag brunch at a Wicker Park beer bar
12 p.m. June 25
Fatpour Tap Works, 2005 W. Division St.
Link
Navy Pier Pride
Annual free Pride festival at Navy Pier
12 p.m. June 25
Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.
Link
Together We Rise
Annual Pride concert of the Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire
2 p.m. June 25
Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Link
Sounds of Pride
A Pride party and performance by the Chicago Fringe Opera
6 p.m. June 25
1312 N. Leavitt St.
Link
Chicago House Pride Party
A Pride celebration benefiting Chicago House, a nonprofit empowering people living with HIV or AIDS. The event will have hors d’oeuvres, raffles and a live DJ.
3 p.m. June 25
ForeverYoung MedSpa, 7350 N. Cicero Ave., Lincolnwood
Link
Back Lot Bash
Womxn-focused music festival
3 p.m. June 25-26
5238 N. Clark St.
Link
Sober & Proud
Ascension Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance will host an event with music, food and performances.
3-9 p.m. June 25
Bonaventure House parking lot, 825 W. Wellington Ave.
Link
Pride in the Park
Outdoor LGBTQ music, performance and art festival
June 25-26
Grant Park, 337 E. Randolph St.
Link
How Much Is That Drag In The Window?
This drag brunch with PrideArts will include raffles and a performance from cabaret performer Scott Gryder. Drag queen Ramona Mirage and Joan Rivers impersonator Tim Murphy will give a play-by-play of the Pride Parade
10 a.m. June 26
PrideArts Center, 4139 N. Broadway
Link
Pride Parade Drag Queen Make Your Own Bagel Brunch
A pre-parade drag show and cooking class in one
10:30 a.m. June 26
Get in the Kitchen!, 3617 N. Broadway
Link
Chicago Pride Parade
The 51st annual Chicago Pride Parade
12 p.m. June 26
Kicks off at Broadway and Montrose
Link
TRQPITECA Queer Pride
Pride festival celebrating Chicago’s queer underground house and techno music scene
3 p.m. June 26
Ping Tom Memorial Park, 300 W. 19th St. near the pagoda and playgroun
Link
Pride ENERGY
Pride party centering Black queer women and transgender and gender nonconforming people.
4 p.m. June 26
The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West
Link
Voices for Justice: Author H. Melt
Local trans author H. Melt will speak about their poetry collection “There Are Trans People Here.”
6-7 p.m. June 28
Virtual Event, Chicago Public Library’s YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.
Link
Law at the Library: LGBTQIA+ Law Issues
Attorneys will give a presentation on issues related to the LGBTQ community, including legal name changes and forms of discrimination, followed by a brief Q&A session. This event is presented in partnership with the Chicago Bar Association and the Evanston Public Library.
6-7 p.m. June 28
Virtual Event, registration required for Zoom link.
Link
Make it Masc: Identity Affirmation Panel
Representatives from T-Mac, Brave Space Alliance and Center on Halsted will answer questions about feeling comfortable in your own skin, focusing on musculine identities.
6-7 p.m. June 29
Virtual event, registration required for Zoom link.
Link
“Human Rights: A Community Responsibility” panel
Roosevelt University is sponsering a Pride Month panel exploring the intersection, importance and history of LGBTQ rights and women’s rights in America, followed by a Pride Month reception.
6-8 p.m. June 29
Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St.
Link
Story Jam Celebrate Pride
A Queer storytelling event with original music for each story.
7:30 p.m. June 29
Artifact Events, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Link
Chicago Black Pride Kick-Off Party
9 p.m.-2 a.m. July 1-2
Link
Pride South Side at the Du
Noon-5 p.m. July 2
DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl.
Link
Exhale by Pride South Side
9 p.m.-2 a.m. July 2-3
Link
Chicago Black Pride, Ubuntu in the Park
Noon-7 p.m. July 3
Link
The Chi Black Pride: Mini Ball
7 p.m.-midnight July 3
Link
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