America's Oldest Gay Neighborhood Is A Ground-Breaking Midwest Gem With Exciting Nightlife And Events

Every Chicago corner has iconic neighborhoods known for a different niche, like West Town with its art, food, and architecture. One Chi-town district is known for something a little bit different, yet its community's love runs as deep as its pizza. Northalsted (Boystown) is an LGBTQ-friendly town that's self-proclaimed as the proudest, happiest, liveliest, and most inclusive neighborhood in the Windy City.

The neighborhood is an open-air museum for the LGBTQ+ community, with its 35 rainbow memorial markers and 13 rainbow crosswalks, plus one crosswalk painted blue, pink, and white for the transgender community. Northalsted turns up the heat for celebrations, especially its Pride Fest. But the local businesses here, such as Equal Mental Health, Hydrate Nightclub, and Big Gay Sal's Pizza, have a year-round focus on the queer community. 

Northalsted is just a few hours away from Galena, Illinois, one of the most LGBTQ-friendly small towns in America. The only practical reason why Northalsted didn't make the list is probably because it's a mere neighborhood within a big city, or it would have climbed the charts.

The Pride parade in Chicago is so impactful because it's one of the main reasons the queer community migrated to Northalsted — that, and the bumping nightlife scene that celebrated LGBTQ+ love every weekend. The gay community began making footprints on Chicago streets in the pre-Prohibition era, but it wasn't until the Stonewall Riots in the late '60s that the queer community banded together in a big way to make their mark. The inaugural Pride festivals, hosted to remember what happened in New York's Greenwich Village, brought LGBTQ+ members together in Chicago's Northalsted area and other major cities across the country. In 1973, a community center, Gay Horizons, became a local hot spot for like-minded people to connect. 

A decade later, as the gay community began finding some sense of stability in Northalsted, Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne honored the Gay Pride Parade and put an end to police raids in clubs. At the time, Northalsted was referred to as "Boys Town," or "Boystown," which in 1997 became the first neighborhood in the country to be officially recognized for its advancement of the gay community. Today, the neighborhood doesn't refer to itself as "Boystown" as much as it once did. A petition went around in 2020, putting an end to the nickname, as it fails to include all genders. However, some people say they still recognize it this way, as the name reflects a vital moment in history.

Summer is a thriving time in Northalsted, with the Pride Fest taking place in June. But the town also has another exciting and award-winning event called Market Days, which takes place on an August weekend. Music performers come out on a big stage and more than 250 food vendors, entertainers, and boutique companies line up on the street for locals and visitors alike to enjoy. The parades thrown in this neighborhood are highly sought after in the gay community, and whether you come for an event or to simply see the town, you'll be sure to feel the love around you.

Throughout the year, Northalsted has busy streets in the evenings, in addition to drag brunch Sundays. Since the '80s (when the police raids stopped), locals in Northalsted have felt free to party, with the nightlife in the area flourishing. Places like The Kit Kat Lounge, Roscoe's Tavern, and Sidetrack celebrate the culture, and have weekly drag show performances and contests. Today, some bars and nightclubs also host "Tea Dance" events, a nostalgic nod to queer history. Tea Dances were celebrated in predominantly gay areas, particularly in the Florida Keys, as a social movement in the '50s and '60s. The gay community would gather over tea instead of alcohol, as there were laws put in place that prevented bars from serving those who identified. Now, locals gather to toast how far they've come and share their happiness through dancing and positive vibes.