Happy Anniversary to Star Gaze. There’s a big bash Saturday with raffles and specials, 5419 N. Clark, (773) 561-7363.
Bud Light’s Windy City Gay Idol continues with wild card May 19 at Madrigal’s, and the final prelims at Jackhammer May 21. Finals June 14 at Circuit. For details and pics see WindyCityTimes.com.
Women in the Director’s Chair presents Encore Festival, a second chance to see many of the films screened at WIDC’s Film & Video Festival; (773) 907-0610, www.widc.org.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is coming to Women & Children First Books! The in-store booksigning for Living History is Saturday, June 28, 10 a.m.-noon. The bookstore has a bunch of big-name authors on schedule, including Margaret Atwood today, Isabel Allende, & Eleanor Holmes Norton; call (312) 769-9299.
Grinder, Scott Free’s weekly extravaganza of queer words and music at No Exit Cafe, this Thursday features Sharmili Majmudar and Emily White; 8 p.m., 6970 N. Glenwood, (773) 743-3355, www.scottfree.net. His big Queer Is Folk fest at Old Town School is June 7—Ferron, Sonia (of Disappear Fear), Sarah Dougher, Dylan Rice, and, from Detroit, the Urban Folk Collective.
Chicago Transguy Alliance is a monthly social night. This month Friday, May 16, 9 p.m., T’s, 5025 N. Clark, (773) 784-6000.
Maneuvers hosts Thirsty Thursdays, with every drink half price and DJ and dancing upstairs 10 p.m.-2 a.m. $3 cover, 118 E. Jefferson St., Joliet, (815) 727-7069.
Vicki Michaels is Liza Minnelli May 16 at The Edge, 11 p.m., 13126 S. Western Ave., Blue Island, (708) 597-8379.
University of Chicago’s Center for Gender Studies sponsors a brown-bag discussion Friday, May 16, Burlesque Past and Present: Striptease, Humor and Pleasurable Politics. Speakers include Chicago burlesque producers Gwen Lis and Tara Tremmel, director/performer Lisa Samra, and Miss Indigo Blue, co-founder of TwirlyGirl.net and creator of Seattle’s BurlyQ: A Queer Cabaret. Noon, 5733 S. University, (773) 702-9936.
Living Well Under the Rainbow: A LGBT Senior Health and Benefits Fair, Sat., May 17, is sponsored by Horizons, Howard Brown, AARP and others. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 5917 N. Broadway, (773) 472-6469, ext. 245.
Lakeside Pride’s SHOUT! jazz ensemble performs a Swing into Spring concert May 18, 4 p.m., $7, Circuit, 3641 N. Halsted, (773) 381-6693.
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