Boystown is the popular name of a locally recognized neighborhood enclave within Chicago, Illinois. Situated within the formal neighborhood of Lakeview, it was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States[1] as well as the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) communities in the nation. Boystown has grown into a cultural haven for the nearly 300,000 LGBT residents estimated to live within the Chicago metropolitan area today.
The sector’s informal boundaries are generally considered to be Addison Street on the north, Lake Shore Drive on the east, Belmont Avenue on the south, and Clark Street on the west. These streets correspond to the Chicago grid between blocks 3200 and 3600 North and to the east of 1100 West, which places Boystown approximately 6 km (4 miles) north-northwest of the Chicago Loop. More generally situated west of Belmont Harbor, encompassing the Lake View East commercial district, and just south of the Chicago Cubs’ home base in the unofficially named Wrigleyville neighborhood, Boystown has carved a niche all its own within the urban fabric of Chicago proper.
Famous among day-trippers throughout the Midwest for its colorful nightlife and inviting atmosphere, Boystown is host to a true “round-the-clock” urban experience. It is within walking distance of trendy fashion outlets, Chicago’s “Off-Loop” theater district, spectacular architecture, and many wine boutiques, specialty restaurants, and one-of-a-kind shops. Two major train stops fall within Boystown’s boundaries, as well as numerous bus lines along routes plentiful with taxicabs, making the full Chicago experience accessible within minutes via mass transit.
North Halsted Street, also known as “Northalsted”, is the central hub of this bustling district. It sports Chicago’s highest concentration of LGBT-friendly establishments—-an eclectic mix of bars, coffeehouses, and restaurants in accord with the equally eclectic population of local hipsters and open-minded progressives. City planners have designated Northalsted an official pedestrian and bike route following a 1998 community project that resulted in the erection of 11 pairs of rainbow-colored abstract Art Deco pylons along the strip. Coupled with the ever-present rainbow flag that is posted upon nearly every entrance encountered on the Northalsted strip, these pillars also denote the many respectable gay-owned and operated venues that have become hotspots for weekenders throughout the city as well as residents of Boystown.
With Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s agreeing to endorse and host the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, the city government’s general acceptance of the LGBT community is as vibrant as ever, especially in the 44th Ward that includes Boystown. Chicago’s only openly gay alderman—Thomas M. Tunney—represents the area on the Chicago City Council.
Boystown, the commonly accepted nickname for the East Lakeview neighborhood in Chicago, is bordered by Lake Michigan on the east and Clark Street on the west, Irving Park Road to the north and Diversey Avenue to the south. Boystown gets its name because it caters to gay men.
The two main (north-south) avenues of Halsted St. and Broadway dominate the heart of this area. Broadway primarily offers many different themed shops stretching throughout the neighborhood while Halsted caters to the nightlife with more than 30 different gay and lesbian bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
Boystown is the traditional center of Chicago gaydom. The up-and-coming area is Andersonville, just to the north. Chicago is a town that for all practical purposes has two Prides. The first is actual Pride, occurring in June. The second is Northalsted Market Days, August 7-8, 2004.
Chicago is famous for many things: Michael Jordan, deep-dish pizza, the first Ferris wheel, the worlds largest public library and busiest airport, and now, being one of the most active, friendly and growing gay and lesbian communities in the world.
In 2006, Chicago was host to the Gay Games with Mayor Richard Daley reinforcing in his speech at the opening ceremonies Chicago�s commitment to inclusion and the GLBT community. This accepting attitude really makes Chicago a great place to live if you’re gay.
Aside from the friendly atmosphere, with its breathtaking lakeside skyline and twenty-mile lakefront park, its celebrated scientific and cultural communities, its myriad of shopping, dining and recreational opportunities, Chicago is unquestionably a spectacular destination.
A world-class centers of culture, commerce, education, architecture, dining, and shopping, Chicago is America’s largest city after New York and Los Angeles, and it has a visible, active gay and lesbian community that you’d expect of such a place. You could easily travel here, spending all your time downtown at a conference or taking in the major attractions, and never see gay Chicago, which is centered around the Lakeview and Andersonville neighborhoods, about 5 to 7 miles northwest of downtown, but easily accessible via mass transit. This is a city of neighborhoods, so plan to venture outside the city core.
The Seasons:
Chicago’s a great year-round destination, although winters can see spells of intensely cold weather, and summers sometimes bring sultry heatwaves. Fall and spring are when the odds favor moderate temperatures and pleasant days. Chicago has a number of festivals and events from spring through fall, and it’s a big convention city year-round – hotel rates can soar when meetings are in town.
Average high-low temps are 32F/18F in Jan., 59F/42F in Apr., 84F/66F in July, and 64F/46F in Oct. Precipitation averages 2 to 4 inches/mo. year-round, with sometimes very heavy snowfall in winter.
The Location:
It may be in the Midwest, many miles from the nearest ocean, but Chicago is most definitely one of the nation’s great waterfront destination, as it sits directly on rippling Lake Michigan – it’s more than 50 miles across the lake to the state of Michigan. Chicago is in northeastern Illinois and surrounded mostly by flat suburbs and prairies, so apart from the lake, the setting is rather prosaic. The Chicago River cuts through downtown and is crossed by several scenic bridges. The city is a major interstate crossroads, traversed by such major roads as I-90, I-80, and I-94.
Flying to Chicago:
Chicago is served by two major airports. O’Hare, the larger one with scads of domestic and international flights (it’s a hub for American and United), and Midway Airport, which is a bit smaller and a hub for the discount airline, Southwest. Although it’s 90 minutes north, another option is General Mitchell International Airport, in Milwaukee, which is a clean, first-rate, beautiful facility that’s much more pleasant than either Chicago airport. There’s bus service from Milwaukee’s airport to Chicago, and extensive ground transportation from the Chicago airports into the city, from hotel shuttles to train.
Taking a Train or Bus to Chicago:
It’s very easy to get to Chicago by train or bus, and also easy to get around the city via public transporation via the various Chicago Transit Authority (CTA modes, including elevated rail (“the L”), bus, and train. You don’t need a car to see Chicago, and most hotels charge sky-high prices to garage them, so stick with mass transit if at all possible (and the occasional cab as needed – these are plentiful). The city is easily reached via Amtrak train service and Greyhound Bus from such major Midwest cities as Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Louis
Gay-Popular Events and Festivals:
Mid-May: International Mr. Leather Weekend.
June through August: Grant Park Music Festival (Wed.-Sat. nights all summer).
Mid-June.: Andersonville Midsommarfest.
Late June: Chicago Gay Pride.
Late June to early July: Taste of Chicago.
Late July.: Wicker Parkfest.
Mid-August: Northalsted Market Days (festive street party along main drag of gay Lakeview neighborhood).
Early Sept.: Lakeview East Fine Art Festival.
Mid-Sept.: AIDS Walk Chicago.
Late Sept.: Oktoberfest Chicago.
Early Oct.: Chicago International Film Festival.
Mid-Nov.: Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival.
Top Gay-Popular Chicago Neighborhoods:
Lakeview (aka “Boystown”): Lakeview, about 5 miles northwest of downtown, runs between the lakefront and Ashland Avenue, north of Belmont Avenue up to Irving Park Road. Within this neighborhood is a small triangle east of Belmont Avenue called Boystown. Over the years the neighborhood has become a mix of artsy types; working-class families; young, not-yet-rolling-in-dough professionals; and gays (with a considerably more male than female preseence). More recently, real estate values here have risen, and Lakeview has become increasingly more upscale, and more mixed gay/straight.
In the heart of Lakeview is Wrigley Field, home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs. The vintage stadium draws thousands of fans on game days. Clark Street, which runs diagonally north-south, is Lakeview’s major commercial thoroughfare, with a diverse collection of businesses, from spiffy bistros, ethnic restaurants, and simple fast-food joints to storefront theaters to sports-memorabilia shops and vintage clothing boutiques. Halsted Street, parallel to Clark just one block east, has the bulk of Lakeview’s gay businesses, including dozens of boutiques, restaurants, and bars. You’ll find still more gay-popular businesses along Broadway, which also runs parallel to Halsted and is a few blocks east, not far from Lake Shore Drive and the Lake Michigan waterfront.
Andersonville: One of several distinct communities within the northside of Chicago’s diverse Uptown area, Andersonville was originally settled by the Swedes, then increasing numbers of Middle Easterners. But since the 1990s, it’s become Chicago’s most lesbian-identified neighborhood, and also a popular area to live and play among many gay men. The main commercial strip is Clark Street, has a great mix of ethnic restaurants, gay and lesbian bars and cafes, and prosaic workaday shopfronts. It’s not as flashy or upscale as Lakeview, 2 miles south, and its adherents like the truly varied mix of residents and streetlife.
Wicker Park and Bucktown: West of Lincoln Park are the revitalized neighborhoods of Wicker Park and Bucktown. Originally home to immigrant Poles, Ukrainians, and other Eastern Europeans, then later to Puerto Ricans, these areas are a hodgepodge of ethnicities and lifestyles. The blocks around the threeway intersection of North, Damen, and Milwaukee avenues contain a bevy of hipster bars and restaurants, second-hand clothiers, galleries, and cutting-edge design shops. It’s arguably Chicago’s coolest neighborhood.
