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'Unicorn Ball' Dec. 15 at The Shapiro
The 2018 Unicorn Ball—Brave Space Alliance's largest annual fundraiser—will take place Saturday, Dec. 15, at 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at The Shapiro Ballroom, 1612 W. Chicago Ave. This has been called the official queer "coming out" party ...
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Santa Speedo Run
Charity: Check. Underwear: Check check! Debbie Fox and Dixie Lynn Cartwright host the annual Santa Speedo Run, Sat., December 8, to benefit Center on Halsted. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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SAVOR 'Pie in the Sky'; Heartland closing; Yugen opening
DISH Dining Guide
A pizza dinner is a pizza dinner, until there's a special element added—like dining 1,300 feet high. Skydeck Chicago ( 233 S. Franklin St.; theskydeck.com/ )—located in the Willis Tower, the tallest building in the Western ...
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Baton to relocate to Uptown
Longtime River North nightspot Baton will relocate to an Uptown location on Broadway in Spring 2019, owner Jim Flint announced Dec. 5. In a statement, Flint said that, "As the years have passed, the River North ...
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'Haunted Christmas' Dec. 7-8 in suburbs
The creators of the 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago, 1940 George St., Melrose Park, will host "Krampus: A Haunted Christmas" Dec. 7-8, 7-11 p.m. Chicago's world-famous 13th Floor Haunted House has been transformed to tell the ...
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Asians & Friends holiday party Dec. 16
On Sunday, Dec. 16, at 5 p.m., LGBTA organization Asians & Friends Chicago will hold its annual holiday party at The Piggery, 1625 W. Irving Park Rd. The spot features BBQ and comfort food. Attendees should ...
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Vida/SIDA marks 30 years with gala
On Dec. 1, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center-Vida/SIDA celebrated its 30th anniversary and acknowledged World AIDS Day with an anniversary gala at 3949 Gallery on Chicago's Northwest Side. Despite the cold and rain, the event was ...
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'Stand Up for Red' marks World AIDS Day
On Nov. 29, Center on Halsted partnered with DIFFA/Chicago to host the second annual Stand Up For Red indoor street festival, bringing together local restaurants, musicians and artists to raise HIV/AIDS awareness in preparation for World ...
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DINING Gift drive, Theater on the Lake, 'Charlie Brown' Christmas
—Caffe Umbria, in Logan Square ( 2545 W. Armitage Ave. ) and River North ( 346 N. Clark St. ), is hosting a gift drive to benefit Friends of the Children. There will be a complimentary ...
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Double Door to reopen in Uptown
The nightspot Double Door—which originally closed in 2016 and which hosted acts as varied as Common and the Rolling Stones—will reopen in Uptown at 1050 W. Wilson Ave., Fox32Chicago.com noted. The old Double Door had to ...
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'Santa Speedo Fun Run' on Dec. 8
The annual Santa Speedo Fun Run will take place Saturday, Dec. 8, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St. Sign-in and registration will start at noon, with the one-mile run through Boystown starting at 2 p.m. There ...
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World of Chocolate provides dessert for a good cause
Hundreds of community members visited AIDS Foundation of Chicago's ( AFC ) annual World of Chocolate celebration and fundraiser at Revel Fulton Market, 1215 W. Fulton Market, on Nov. 30. Nearly two dozen vendors from across ...
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DINING Travelle cocktails, new Wow Bao, 'Vanderpump' parties
—Travelle at the Langham, 300 N. Wabash Ave., now has art-inspired signature cocktails. The restaurant's new cocktail menu is influenced by famous works of art, and all of the selections were hand-chosen by the Travelle bar ...
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Sidetrack's OUTspoken! Series: December's featured storytellers
The December edition of OUTspoken! LGBTQ storyteller series takes place Tuesday, December 4, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St. Doors open at 6 pm, stories begin at 7. See www.outspokenchicago.com for more info. —Emma Alamo grew ...
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Chicago Magic Lounge celebrates New Year's Eve, holds child-friendly night before
Chicago, IL — Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago's new home for close-up magic, celebrates the holidays with magical performances, specialty cocktails and more. Featured performers in December include Signature Show appearances by TC Tahoe, Francis Menotti feat. ...
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Rachel Eckroth, Rufus Wainwright; Jonathan Jackson, Echo and the Bunnymen
As November drew to a close we witnessed a torrent of old-school queer favorites coming to town for a pile up of sentiment and nostalgia far removed from the homey vibe of Thanksgiving and Christmas. First ...
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Lush Cosmetics' DRAGmas features RuPaul's Drag Race alum, Chicago drag queens
Lush Cosmetics'DRAGmas has launched across North America, featuring three RuPaul's Drag Race alum and Chicago drag queens: Kim Chi, Shea Couleé and The Only Detox. Would you be interested in an interview with Shea Couleé to ...
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Photography exhibit honors impactful activists, celebrities
Steve Schapiro knows how to be in the right place at the right time. He might not be a household name, but his photographs have been seen by thousands worldwide and his subjects are heroes of ...
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Exhibit opening marks Chicago's history of diversity in drag
The Gerber/Hart Library and Archives collaborated with The Jackhammer Complex on a drag performance to accompany the opening of a new exhibit, "The City that Werqs: A History of Chicago's Drag Revolutionaries" on Nov. 10. Gerber/Hart ...
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SAVOR Talking with Travelle's chefs; dining news
DISH Dining Guide
There was a time when dining at a hotel's restaurant was almost an afterthought. How times have changed. Many hotels across the nation now boast at least dining establishment that features upscale dishes that warrant repeat ...
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'Drag Race' guest judges announced
VH1 announced the guest judges set to join the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. RuPaul will be joined by a star-studded line-up of celebrities alongside show regulars Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross ...
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Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade lights up Boystown
The 22nd Annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade & Frock Fest marched through Boystown on Oct. 31. Photos by Jerry Nunn ...
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'The City That Werqs' drag exhibit opens Nov. 10
"The City that Werqs: A History of Chicago's Drag Revolutionaries" is an exhibit that will open at Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 6:30-9 p.m. ( The exhibit will run ...
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DRAG IT UP Show Listings and Drag Profile of the Week, Discord
NAME Discord AGE "Discord has been around for centuries. Chaos is everywhere." HOMETOWN Akron, Ohio. "I began drag roughly 7 years ago! The first song I ever performed was Teeth by Lady Gaga and I remember ...
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'Wig' out! HalloWig raises funds for Lurie
Things got pretty hairy at Sidetrack for their HalloWig party, Saturday, October 20. Bewigged participants pitched in to help raise over $5,000 for Lurie Children's Hospital. The party was hosted by Sidetrack resident Dixie Lynn Cartwright. ...
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Hundreds dress up for 'Big Orange Ball'
Hundreds of people crowded the Park West Oct. 20 for Howard Brown Health's fourth annual Big Orange Ball—the kickoff to the Halloween season. Raising nearly $150,000, the event showcased the A.J.A. Talent dancers on Park West's ...
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Joie de Vine starts GoFundMe campaign
The Andersonville nightspot Joie de Vine has launched a GoFundMe campaign as it fights to remain open. The 14-year-old business has stated that it needs funds as it faces "increased competition and changing community preferences." It ...
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Glad Rags, Garbage perform
Out troubadour Glad Matt and his band, Glad Rags, played a pre-siesta show at The Hideout Inn on Oct. 14 in support of their latest full-length release, Wonder Under ( on bandcamp ). The band played ...
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Coco Sho-Nell's horror show to present real scares
For more than a decade, Raymond Cleveland has broken out the fright wigs and fake blood to celebrate his favorite holiday, Halloween. Cleveland's onstage persona, Coco Sho-Nell, has teamed with dozens of drag and variety performers ...
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DRAG IT UP!
Regular drag shows in and around Chicago
Our list of regular drag shows in and around Chicago. To include your show in our listings, please submit info to kirk@windycitymediagroup.com. Mondays Chicago's Best Worst Drag Show, hosted by Arby Barbie, weekly, 2 a.m., no ...
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Center on Halsted hosts Orlando Traveling Memorial
On Oct. 12, the Center on Halsted held an opening reception for The Orlando Traveling Memorial, a mural inspired by not only the Pulse nightclub attack which left 49 dead, but also the deaths of 2-year-old ...
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Lips unsealed, new drag venue coming to Chicago
The new dinner, drinks and drag concept that will be on everybody's lips next spring is Lips—a dinner-theatre "show-palace" located in the historic Motor Row district in Chicago's Near South Side. The first Lips launched 22 ...
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Center on Halsted, BWFW celebrate Harlem Renaissance
On Oct. 13, The Women's Action Council in partnership with Center On Halsted presented "Harlem Renaissance"—a night of celebration, award-giving and socializing at the Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center. The By Women For Women ...
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'HalloWig' fundraiser Oct. 20 at Sidetrack
On Saturday, Oct. 20, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., 3-6 p.m., there will be a "HalloWig" party to help raise funds for Lurie's Children's Hospital Division of Adolescent Medicine. Sidetrack Chicago, Crystal Head Vodka, MillerCoors ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Touche
Feeling the togetherness of American Brotherhood Weekend. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Progress Bar
VAMP in full effect every Monday night. Photos by Jerry Nunn ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Jackhammer
Take a bite of Kink It: Vampirism, Sat., October 5. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Halloween in Andersonville features 100+ trick or treat locations, dessert crawl
CHICAGO ( October 5, 2018 ): The Andersonville neighborhood will celebrate Halloween the weekend of Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28 throughout the business district. Over 100 businesses participate each year in the Clark Street ...
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SIDETRACK
Dancing queens at release party for Cher's album of ABBA covers. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Billy Masters
"What do you expect? I'm a Black lesbian."—Wanda Sykes' response when asked why she made jokes about Trump at a recent show in New Jersey. More than 1,500 people cheered, while a dozen or so walked ...
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Photo exhibit raises funds to fight human trafficking
Traffic Stops Where Love Begins ( TSWLB ) in raising awareness about modern-day slavery and putting an end to human trafficking at an event Thursday, Oct. 18. TSWLB's upcoming fundraiser, What Do You Bring To This ...
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THE GLENWOOD
Getting trivial every Thursday. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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CHARLIE'S
All play is fair play at the Windy City Empire's turnabout show. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Boystown club's owner fights bias claims
The owner of popular Boystown nightclub Scarlet responded to recent claims that the club discriminates against its female patrons. The bar has received five Yelp reviews since March alleging that its staff discriminated against women, or ...
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PHOTOGRAPHY Collaborative work spotlights older trans, GNC individuals
In 2012, photographer Jess Dugan and social worker/assistant professor Vanessa Fabbre began interviewing and photographing transgender and gender nonconforming adults older than 50, beginning with people they knew. They began collaborating out of a shared desire ...
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Ball celebrates contributions of trans pioneer
On the evening of Sept. 22, Mothers LaSaia, Lauren and Jahari Mizrahi presented The Pay It No Mind Ball in celebration of the contributions of LGBTQ activist Marsha P. Johnson. The free event ( which Brave ...
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Grant celebration of life Oct. 2
A celebration of life for Harry Hodges, aka entertainer Ginger Grant, will take place Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Baton Show Lounge, 436 N. Clark St., at 8 p.m. Hodges passed away the week of Sept. ...
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Charlies 25th anniversary
Happy 25th anniversary! Photos by Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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At Berlin, Harem of Oddities
Harem of Oddities was held Friday, Sept. 21. Photos by Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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BENT NIGHTS Riot Fest
The number 13 turned out to be lucky for the 2018 edition of Riot Fest. The future for this festival started looking dim after the death of founder Sean McKeough in 2016—just before the glut of ...
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Drag It Up Show Listings and Drag Profile of the Week Bambi Banks
NAME Bamb Banks AGE 24 HOMETOWN Houston, Texas. DRAG INSPIRATION "Black women are my inspirations." FAVORITE NUMBER "Unlock It" by Kim Petras. WHEN DID YOU BEGIN DOING DRAG? "Almost 2 years ago." WHERE CAN WE CATCH ...
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The Baton Show Lounge's Ginger Grant remembered
Entertainer Harry Hodges, a.k.a. Ginger Grant, passed away the week of Sept. 10 in Chicago. Hodges, performing under Grant's persona, was a longtime emcee at The Baton and a close friend of its owner, Jim Flint. ...
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Coming 'Out in the Park'
Out in the Park at Six Flags Great America celebrated its seventh year on Sept. 8, with a private four-hour event that raised money for Lakeside Pride Music Ensemble. DJ Adam Joseph provided some additional beats. ...
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Gerber/Hart hosting fundraiser Sept. 22
On Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St., will host its fall fundraising benefit: "Open History, Open Future." The event will feature a look at upcoming possible future projects ...
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'Artful' event includes nude models
Having started in New York City, The Artful Bachelorette—an event that is a drawing class with nude models and drinking—has started in Chicago. Despite its name, the event ( two-hour private party ) is also for ...
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BENT NIGHTS Chicago Jazz Festival; Giorgio Moroder
As cool gusts of wind knocked those 95-plus degrees outside down to a more civilized 80 degrees, day after day brought violent thunderstorms and the seemingly endless invasion of cicadas has dwindled down to a scattered ...
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Black gay caucus hosts 'Clutch Your Pearls'
On Aug. 29, The Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus held the second annual Clutch Your Pearls, a fundraiser and social event involving the group's participation in the Annual AIDS Walk/Run. Guests were treated to a gay ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Hydrate
Happy 16th anniversary! Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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'Fahrenheit Chicago' heats South Side
Equality Illinois held its second Fahrenheit Chicago—the end-of-summer beach party of fun, music and social networking for LGBTQ Illinoisans, their friends, and families—Aug. 26 at Oakwood Beach ( 41st Street and South Lake Shore Drive ). ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Sidetrack
Sunday Slushies ... and what they can lead to. Photos by Jed Dulanas ...
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Dominique Jackson Elektra-fies at Hydrate
Actress Dominique Jackson made an appearance at Hydrate on Aug. 16. She told an early VIP audience how much she appreciated the support for Pose, the FX television show on which she plays Elektra Abundance, making ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS @mosphere
Benefit show for Natasha Douglas' quest for the Continental crown. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Touche
Miguel is high in the saddle as the winner of this year's Cowboy Eye For the Leather Guy. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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INTERNET Hamburger Mary's camps it up with 'Wannakiki'
The owners of Hamburger Mary's International are camping it up this summer in a new seven-episode YouTube series called Camp Wannakiki. Ashley and Brandon Wright have created, produced and also star in the drag competition as ...
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Asians & Friends anniv. party Sept. 9
Asians & Friends Chicago will host a '90s-themed anniversary party Sunday, Sept. 9, 3-7 p.m., at Dan and Mike's Halsted Hot Tub rooftop at 3526 N. Halsted St. Attendees are urged to bring food and/or drinks ...
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Scot's owner reflects on the business that was
After more than 20 years serving the Ravenswood neighborhood, Scot's Bar, 1829 W. Montrose Ave., has closed its doors. The longtime gay watering hole served its final customers the week of Aug. 5. Owners Thom Scot ...
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Circuit Mom presents Warriors
Fighting the good fight at Aragon Ballroom, Saturday, August 11. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Joe Fiore presents Furball
The national fur-fest party does Market Days for the first time, Saturday, August 11, at the Metro Chicago. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Drag reality show on YouTube in August
Camp Wannakiki is a new drag reality show airing on YouTube starting in late summer. The premise is seeing which of eight drag queens can last the week at an actual summer camp and claim the ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Scot's
So long, Scot's! Closing party Sunday, August 5. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Mary's Attic
Pitching a tent at the premiere party for Camp Wannakiki, Sunday, August 5. Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS Charlies
Windy City Empire's Arrested fundraiser, raking in $1600 for BYC and GOAL! Joseph Stevens Photography ...
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Sidetrack's OUTspoken Series, August's featured storytellers
The August edition of OUTspoken! LGBTQ storyteller series takes place Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St. Doors open at 6 pm, stories begin at 7. See www.outspokenchicago.com for more info. —Bill Demaree has ...
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Jim Flint markes 77th birthday
Jim Flint, owner of the nearly 50-year-old Baton Show Lounge, and its related Continental pageants, marked his 77th birthday with a celebration July 30 at the Baton with current performers as well as legends, former and ...
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Daddy Issues party event at Jackhammer Complex Aug. 4
Daddy Issues Cutest International Party Brand Announces Chicago Premiere: Featuring DJ's Mateo Segade, Harry Cross and Ariel Zetina On August 4, 2018; International queer dance party sensation Daddy Issues will be bringing its event to Chicago ...
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