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.

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