Long before the Turin Winter Games were upon us, local authors Kathie Bergquist and Robert McDonald saw a different Olympic Fever in Chicago’s future—one connected with the coming Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, which will occur on July 15–22.
In mid-2004, the two writers with strong connections to Chicago’s LGBT and literary communities approached Lake Claremont Press, a publisher specializing in local interest topics. The result is A Field Guide to Gay and Lesbian Chicago, which will be released in late spring.
The Gay Games (www.gaygameschicago.org) is an event, begun in 1982, that occurs every four years and is open to recreational and elite athletes in 30 different sports. Already, more than 8,000 athletes from 32 different countries have registered; over 12,000 are anticipated. More than 100,000 people are expected to come to Chicago to watch the games.