The sun rose at 6 a.m. on Aug. 10, breaking light through the clouds and illuminating over 100 gay men keeping the party going from late-night clubs in Northalsted. Danny Bartels organized one of the DJ-filled parties on the beach.
Word-of-mouth and Instagram posts ultimately brought over 300 guests to Hollywood Beach, 5800 N. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., for this after-party marking the final day of Market Days weekend.
“Chicago’s totally different,” he said. “The people in Chicago, the community is so strong here, the people are so nice and welcoming.”
“If your city does not have a good gay life, why would I want to move there?” asked Saayonce, who is trying to decide between between moving to Austin or Chicago from Orlando.
They had just come from Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., which they described as “very cutesy” around 5 a.m. and celebrated all along the beach in lime green boots and a comic-book inspired one piece suit.
Saayonce said they would stay “till 12 … I’m gonna be real with you. I know how the gays like the party and they can go for a long time with the right encouragement, and I might just be so encouraged.”
John, a Chicago native who preferred to stay anonymous because of his profession as a doctor, said he’s long been been going to Market Days. It was his first time at a morning beach celebration during the festival weekend.
He said Market Days and the parties that weekend were about inclusivity, ambiance and pride. “It is something that we do get to celebrate at least twice a year, and that’s something that Chicago gives us,” he said.
A few women celebrated among the sea of men. Felicia Holman, was at the beach early for her friend GIRLYXXX’s DJ set.
“I feel great. The weather is fantastic. I am vibing with all the pretty gay boys at the lakefront,” she said. “Sun’s out. Hoops out.”
From the pier, Bryce De Benecia eyed the choppy waves. De Benecia, also known by their drag name, Di Banisha, was still powdered in their late-night makeup. In full rococo style with white face and rosy cheeks, De Benecia said the secret to keeping the makeup all night is a drag queen secret: hairspray on the face.
The waves were “high enough for my ship to France to arrive,” De Benecia joked.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed the organizers of this event to Putopia Collective, which was involved in a separate event that day. Windy City Times apologizes for the error. A separate story profiling Putopia Collective and its impact in Chicago will be in the works.
