Bus Tour, City Tour, OUT at CHM
NEW! OUT at CHM Bus Tour | South Side LGBTQIA+ Stories
Date
Saturday, June 7, 2025
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location
Harris Theater for Music and Dance
205 E. Randolph St.
Chicago,
IL
60601
Did you know that Chicago is home to the very first LGBTQIA+ rights organization in the US (1924) AND the first Pride Parade in the world (1970)?
When people think of Chicago’s LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods, North Side areas like Northalsted (Boystown) and Andersonville often come to mind first. The city’s South Side, however, had lively LGBTQIA+ activity generations before any North Side neighborhood and frequently shaped culture across the nation. This tour with Mike McMains of Tours with Mike puts a spotlight on the South Loop’s and Bronzeville’s fascinating neighborhood evolutions along with their hidden LGBTQIA+ histories, including the:
- “Mother of the Blues” and the “Godfather of House Music”
- Drag ball scene drawing diverse crowds from across the city
- First Black woman playwright to have a show on Broadway
- City’s most notorious former vice districts
- Legendary sites shaping house music
Attendees can enhance their tour experience by using their smartphones to view historical photographs related to the tour topics.
$50, $45 members
Tour runs approximately 90–120 minutes. This tour meets and ends in front of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601
Tour also includes free admission to the Chicago History Museum, good for one week from tour date
Masks are optional but encouraged for our bus tours. Learn more about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.
June is LGBT Pride Month! Join us for our OUT at CHM tour series this month with Mike McMains of Tours with Mike. Each tour is sold separately:
- Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. – Walking Tour | North Side LGBTQIA+ Stories
- Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. – Walking Tour | Downtown LGBTQIA+ Stories
