First Tuesdays, 7-9pm (doors at 6pm) at Sidetrack. Welcoming new storytellers to the OUTspoken! stage; unique first hand tales from across our diverse community. Inspired, inspiring, funny, heartbreaking - like life…with friends all around you. Typically there will be 6 storytellers and one intermission.

Every Tuesday + Thursday 7-9pm practice at Clarendon Park Community Center, 4501 N Clarendon Ave. Social and fundraising events at Replay, Sidetrack, Hydrate and other venues - see their facebook page for upcoming events.

First FRI M.A.F.I.A Club Night and CD4 POZ socials/ postive-minded men. First SAT Bear Night w/ 12am pizza. Second FRI Chicago Leather Women's Cruise. Second SAT Dungeon Master Night w/ midnight S/M demo. Third SAT BLUF Leather, Rubber, Uniform Dress Code Gear Night w/ barber + bootblack. Fourth FRI ONYX Club Nights. Fourth SAT Ripe Party w/ Deep Beats, Dim Lights, Hot Go-Go Dudes.

When they feel like it Rock/Punk/New Wave queer night hosted/ co-curated by Donnie + Madison Moore of ABSOLUTELY NOT. New/exciting local bands from Chicago/ beyond perform onstage. Previously 3rd Wednesdays - now "held WHENEVER THE #$%! WE FEEL LIKE IT! So get pumped for STACKED bills, SIQQ hosts, and of course MORE GLITTER! Keep your eyes peeled and brows on fleek!"

Saturdays 8pm at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont.. Fast paced, musical sketch show; hilarious, irreverent, and a raunchy good time. For belly laughs about body image and relationships this is sure to deliver with comedic wit to spare. Created by Stage 773 Creative Director, Brian Posen, who directs and plays accompaniment.

Ongoing at Art Institute. 44 iconic works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. These paintings, sculptures, and photographs transform the museum’s presentation of contemporary art, bringing new depth and perspective to the Art Institute’s already strong holdings, making this collection the strongest of any encyclopedic art museum in the world.

Ongoing through July 28, 2019, 8pm (SAT/SUN 10pm). A look at the most notorious gay hook-up app through the lens of the exaggerated world of opera. With musical styles ranging from baroque to contemporary pop, a daring and humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the role of GRINDR, the most influential of catalysts in the shifts of social behaviour.

August 3, 2019, 9pm-3am. Chicago's biggest monthly party for men over 35 and the guys who want to get with them. Welcoming all hot leather and kink daddies. Special for under-loved, under-sexed and manless hot daddies, a night for hot single daddies to find a loving home forever (or for-the-night). With Chicago’s hottest daddy duo, Brad and Daniel, and DJ Moose on the decks.

August 4, 11, 18, 25, 2019, 10pm Sundays through Dec 23rd at The Hole/ Jackhammer Complex. Join the regulars on the wrestling mats with everyone’s favorite bartender, Dan, playing all your alternative-electro-industrial music favorites. The event will also feature pop-up fetish demonstrations. FB

August 7 + September 4, 2019, 9pm-2am. Team Sidetrack is geared-up and ready to Party! Join us each first Wednesday of the month for naughty games to win fun prizes with Dixie Lynn Cartwright! As always, our friends from Men's Room Chicago will be here with an awesome Pop-Up Shop and cool giveaways! No Cover…it's Sidetrack.

August 8, 2019, 7-10pm. Approaching the end of the season, a themed mixer to wear some 80s/ 90s clothing, old team jersey, or just ready to mingle. 80s. 90s music will be played. Grab a wristband to enjoy specials on burgers and beer - plus, the kitchen will be open for other menu requests as well.

August 9, 2019, 10pm-5am. Dance party for bears, beards, cubs, pups, daddies, furballs, beefcakes, otters, and other wildlife. DJ TBA. Hot Go-Gos and 700+ guys await you. Clothes check available.

August 9, 2019, 11pm-4am. Neverland returns to the Metro with a GoT-themed dance party: THE NIGHT KING. Headliner DJs Alex Acosta + Neverland Resident Alex Cabot. LIGHTS by Joe Gillan. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Samuel Garrett. PRODUCED by Anthony DiFiore. Also Market Days Monday morning 7am-1pm for HappilyNeverAfters.

August 10-11, 2019, 11am-10pm. Celebrating its 38th anniversary, the annual street fair on 6 blocks of N Halsted, between Belmont and Addison; many musical acts, multiple stages; hundreds of food, arts and crafts vendors. Dozens of gay bars, dance clubs, restaurants, stores and a bathhouse surround the festival site. A crowd of over 180,000 people arrives from across the globe.

August 10 - September 8, 2019, 6:30pm (SAT/SUN 9:30pm) at The Buena/ PAC. A new version of the 1993 AIDS-themed musical w/ new music + revised script. A moving, surprisingly funny account of one man’s struggle with AIDS and reverberations of his death. Host/ narrator, the invisible deceased leads friends and family on a journey of shared reminiscences.

August 10, 2019, 10pm-5am at Metro Chicago, 3730 N Clark St. Dance party for bears, cubs + friends. DJs: Dani Toro (Spain). Furball returns to CHICAGO! Furry/ sexy/ sweaty fun on the dancefloor! Gogo bears + cheap drinks + great music + hot guys, plus GO-GO Bears/Cubs.

August 10, 2019, 10pm-5am. After Market Days - Loose Ends with... Bears in Space, Harry Cross (Smartbar)

August 10, 2019, 10pm-5am. Tired of standing around looking pensive but warm, fierce but approachable - yet your mega crush still hasn't come over? All you gotta do is go up and be like: hey, wanna make out with me for a photo? you get a free jello shot and they go um yes duh, and the rest is drunk history. DJs OUISSAM, CLUB CHOW, NARK (SEA). Hosted by Dan Polyak + Baby Club Daddies.

August 11, 2019, 9pm-4am at The Mine Music Hall, 1431 W Lake St. Music by DJ RENATO CECIN (Brazil). Advance tickets $60; Door tickets: $70.

August 14, 2019, 9pm-2am. Bow Down to Queen Bey every 2nd Wednesday/ month at All Things Beyoncé. Dance to Beyoncé videos and concert footage, plus this August SLAY to drag performances from DiDa Ritz, Saya Naomi, Sasha Love and Cleo Pockalipps. YOU are invited to get on stage, show us your moves and win Fun Prizes in our contest: dance, sing, LipSync. No drag required.

August 17, 2019, 6:30-9:30pm at Second Unitarian Church of Chicago, 656 W Barry Ave. Live music - uniquely queer, inclusive dance - bring your friends! Band and Caller TBA. 6:30pm lesson. 7-9:30pm dance. Beginners welcome/ encouraged. Suggested donation $10 at the door.

August 18, 2019, 5-10pm. C U Next Tea! DJs Shaun J Wright, Dom Brown, and Milty Evans. Dark room sponsored by Steamworks Chicago. PopUp Shop by Men's Room Chicago. FREE Clothes Check. People of any color, size, body type, gender, gender expression(s), and sexual orientation are welcome.

August 22 - September 29, 2019, 7pm (5pm SUN). In 1962, cis-gender white-collar male professionals on vacation at an inconspicuous bungalow colony in the Catskill Mountains, delight in dressing and acting as women, discreetly escaping regular routines for weekends as their chosen female alter-egos. But soon, members must make a choice between the freedom of openness and the risk of ruin.

August 23 - September 1, 2019, Labor Day Weekend in Millennium Park Cultural Center, Von Freeman Pavilion (S Promenade), the Jazz and Heritage Pavilion (N Promenade), the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington), and other venues. A favorite Labor Day Weekend tradition of free, quality live musical performances since 1979.

August 23-25, 2019. FRI 8pm, Rodeo Kickoff Hoe Down dance at Charlie's. SAT 10pm, Cowboy Eye For The Leather Guy makeover contest/ CW music dancing at Touché. SAT 1-5pm Rodeo Games Competition at Charlie's. SUN 4pm, Happy Trails dancing, entertainment, BBQ buffet and raffles at The Call. Come out, let loose or cowboy up, and help bring Rodeo back to Chicago!

August 23 + September 21, 2019, midnight cult classic screenings: The Rocky Horror Picture Show features the Midnight Madness shadowcast, with audience participation of course! At The Music Box, 3733 N Southport Ave. See schedule for more midnight movies at their website:

August 24, 2019, 10pm-5am. Joe Whitaker/ The Dilf Party Present Hot House Music Beats by DJs John LePage (SF) + MILTY EVANS (CHI). The F*kr Party For Men! The Hottest USA Jock Party is back. Encouraged: jockstraps, harnessess, suspender straps. Get Strapped + Geared Up for Fun! Hot Dirty House Music + Hot Dirty Fun - Only at the World Famous Jackhammer! Clothes Check Available.

September 19-29, 2019. Award-winning international feature films, social documentaries & experimental shorts. Past year: 65 screening at six venues around town, including: 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.

October 16-27, 2019, 12 days at AMC River East 21, 322 E Illinois St. Oldest competitive North American film festival, founded in 1964 to provide an alternative to commercial Hollywood movies that dominated city theaters. 12-day world-renowned annual event with the best in international cinema, new talents, and windows to a world of film previously or otherwise unavailable in Chicago.

October 31, 2019. The 23rd Annual Halloween Parade, 5-10pm up N Halsted from Belmont, to Addison, with cash prize awards and live entertainment. Registration on Halsted just north of Belmont near The Playground Theater, 5-7pm for Costume Contest in one of five categories.

November 8-10, 2019. The Center on Halsted registration, Kink Market, Social, Gear Sale. Past year included: Touché Welcome Party. Contest at The Center, Brût Party at Fantasy, Strict Rubber Dress Code Party at Leather Rose Assn, The Rubber Ball, Steamworks and Cell Block events. Contest at MCA + Galleria Domain 2 + Jackhammer events. SUN Closing at Sidetrack.

Mid-November, 2019. Affirming diversity in gender/ sexual expression within the Black LGBTQ community, and celebrating stories of Black LGBTQ-identified people through the art of film. Two days of screenings at The Reva and David Logan Center. Tickets and line up details at website:

January - February, 2020. Annual month-long multi-arts non-narrative, multidisciplinary fringe festival; new theatrical works by invited artists/ companies. The longest-running multi-arts fringe festival in Chicago, the Rhino features works in theater and performance from Chicago companies and national artists alike.

Mid-May, 2020, the Chicago Film Critics Association week-long selection of films including recent festival favorites and as-yet-undistributed works from a wide variety of filmmakers. The only major film critics group hosting its own festival. Features works from around the globe and offers viewers an eclectic blend of raunchy comedy, introspective drama and mind-blowing fantasy.

May 21-25, 2020, Memorial Day Weekend at the Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 S Michigan Ave. Thousands converge to party, network/ select International Mr Leather. Four-day Leather Market leather/fetish artisans/ retailers; erotic attractions, body enhancement specialists. FRI Party. SAT APEX ONYX dance. SUN IML Competition + IML Victory Celebration Party. MON Black and Blue Ball. More info:

Late May, 2020, Memorial Day weekend with the hottest male porn stars in the business. Saturday awards bash (past year at Metro), plus parties with the guys at Hydrate, Sidetrack, Lucky Horseshoe, and Charlies; Sunday Recovery Brunch at North End. Hosts: Chi-Chi LaRue + Honey West. See website for updates, nominees, interviews, and more:

Early June, 2020, at Logan Theatre. Annual 5-day film showcase: 25 screenings, 4 Bar Talk discussions, 5 After-Parties. independent features, shorts, documentaries + experimental films from around the world. Innovative/ unique programming from lowbrow entertainment of John Waters, Doris Wishman and Coffin Joe to fine art avant-garde films and videos. 

Early June, 2020, the 55th annual Andersonville summer street festival; around 50,000 people fill Clark Street each year, from Foster to Catalpa for music for cutting-edge bands, ethnic dance troupes, lots of food, and vendor wares. Born out of Andersonville’s Swedish heritage, Midsommarfest will transport you back to old-world Swedish traditions.

Early June, 2020, on N Wells St, between North Ave and Division St. Glass and ceramics, to pencil drawings and oil paintings - a diverse mix of nearly 200-plus juried artists + free educational workshops + tasty cuisine from the neighborhood’s eclectic restaurants and cool music stage acts. A treasure trove of creativity in Chicago’s historic Old Town neighborhood.

June, 2020 Pride Month events, with a late June two day Pride Fest, and Sunday Parade, noon from N Halsted at Belmont to Lincoln Park by way of Broadway & Diversey. The Pride Street Festival, takes place on N Halsted, with music, food, vendors. Dozens more social, cultural, athletic & political events. See website for 2019 media + 2020 updates:

Early July, 2020. Past year included: FRI Urbano Blackout Party at Fantasy); SAT Wet n Wild Pool Party at Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare + Black Party at Metro; SUN Closing Party at Club Escape. FRI-MON nights at Club Escape. Host hotel: Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare. See updates TBA at: