Chicago Reader Inaugural Pride Block Party
with Marz Community Brewing
$10 | all ages; kids under 10 free | wheelchair accessible | Free parking

CHICAGO – The Chicago Reader celebrates the city’s rich and diverse 50 years of honoring LGBTQ+ community legacy at its first-ever all-day, all-ages block party in partnership with Marz Community Brewing Sunday, June 23, 1-9 p.m, presented by Nue Vodka.

Featuring an array of artists, organizations, and small businesses, the Reader’s Inaugural Pride Block Party aims to be an intergenerational, cross-community effort to honor the people doing the work in Chicago to amplify LGBTQ+ people and stories, as well as pay homage to Chicago’s queer history and the icons who made it possible. Twenty-five percent of the day’s ticket sales will be donated to Chicago organizations whose missions include supporting LGBTQ communities: Brave Space Alliance, Affinity Community Services, and Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus. Association of Latinxs Motivating Action, Youth Empowerment Performance Project, Equality Illinois, and The Legacy Project. Tickets are $10 donation and are available in advance and at the door.

This inaugural daytime intentional turn up features a diverse array of programming that highlights music and culture threaded through LGBTQ+ generations:

PROGRAM:

1 PM – Drag Queen Story Hour with Coco Sho-Nell & Vivien Dujour
2 PM – Theater of the future with Youth Empowerment Performance Project & Free Street Theater
3 PM – Sandra Antongiorgi LIVE (Caribbean, Rumba, Jazz, Soul, Rock and Neo-Soul)
4 PM – B.Blyss! presents: Salsa dance lesson with Alex Agudo & DJ Sandra Suave
5 PM – Old Town School presents: House dance music lesson with Boogie McClarin & DJ Duane Powell
6 PM – History of Chicago Drag with Lucy Stoole & friends
7 PM – Young Chicago Authors presents: Queer emcee showcase w./ DJ Cash Era, Eamon Lauren, Henri Mayhem, Roy Kinsey & more
8 PM – Slo ‘Mo Party presents: Janet Jackson LIVE tribute by FEMME/SLASH with special guests: Daryn Alexus, Avery R. Young, Adam Ness & more
Peruse LGBTQ+ historical archives from The Legacy Project and the Reader’s own Publisher Tracy Baim’s collection from over 35 years of LGBTQ+ community documentation.

Marz Community Brewing and other local vendors will have food for sale all day, as well as a bar hosted by the beloved Maria’s Packaged Goods. The bar, presented by Nue Vodka, will feature custom Maria’s cocktails, Marz brews, wine and a variety of spirit-free options including Marz kombucha, matte, coffee and CBD beverages and Red Bull varieties. Tokens to be used for food and drink will sell for $3 each and can be purchased with cash or card.

For tickets, see chicagoreader.com/pridetickets.

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Tags: Adam Ness, Alex Agudo, avery r. young, B.blyss, Boogie McClarin, Chicago Reader Pride Block Party, Coco Sho-Nell, Daryn Alexus, DJ Cash Era, DJ Duane Powell, DJ Sandra Suave, Eamon Lauren, FEMME/SLASH, Free Street Theater, Henri Mayhem, LGBTQ, Lucy Stoole, Lucy Stoole & friends, Old Town School, Pride Block Party, Roy Kinsey, Sandra Antongiorgi, Slo 'Mo Party, The Legacy Project, Tracy Baim, Vivien Dujour, Young Chicago Authors, Youth Empowerment Performance Project