The Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce last week announced plans for a three-day entertainment event and expo to be held Labor Day weekend at Navy Pier.
Alive with Pride is being billed as the largest event of its kind to be held at a downtown location. Organizers hope to draw 25,000 people from around the country for a variety of events that range from the first-ever Wigstock Chicago to a display of Midwest panels from the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Labor Day weekend is Friday, Aug. 31, to Sunday, Sept. 2.
"AWP will be the only event of its kind in the Midwest," said Chamber Executive Director Joseph Sprague in a release. "In addition to a weekend full of entertainment and fun, we are expecting more than 400 merchants, companies and organizations to be selling or marketing their merchandise, products and services."
The expo is set to include: a trade fair with business and retail shopping; seminars, presentations and workshops; a Midwest-wide GLBT job fair and sightseeing/shopping tours of Chicago neighborhoods.
A number of entertainment events are also scheduled. For Friday, organizers will bring New York City's Wigstock—and its founder Lady Bunny—to the city for a Midwest version of the annual drag festival. Currently, a Wigstock logo is being sought, with entries due to the Chamber by 5 p.m. Feb. 9. Entries must be given in jpg format with a camera-ready printout. The winner will receive $200, two tickets to Wigstock and national publicity.
Leading up to Wigstock, the Chamber is sponsoring Wigs on Parade, a fundraising exhibit inspired by Cows on Parade. Plain wigs can be purchased at the Chamber's offices beginning March 1, and the decorated products must be returned by April 20. The works will be displayed around the city from May 1 through Oct. 28 and auctioned off at an event Oct. 11. Wig prices range from $200 to $500, depending on where buyers would like them shown. Some will be toured around the Midwest to cities such as St. Louis and Minneapolis.
On Saturday, Sept. 1, a comedy jam is scheduled for the Navy Pier ballroom. And a boat cruise for 400 or more people is set for Sunday.
News of the expo came as the Chamber unveiled the city's fist Gay and Lesbian Convention and Visitor's Bureau office, 3713 N. Halsted. Chamber President Ted Lally noted the demand for the bureau, saying the Chamber's tourism page has logged over 500,000 hits and that three out of every four calls the Chamber receives are from people seeking gay-owned and gay-friendly accommodations and businesses. The group estimates that 400,000 GLBT tourists visit Chicago every year for International Mr. Leather, the Pride Parade and Northhalsted Market Days
The Chamber's administrative offices recently moved to 3356 N. Halsted. In five years, membership in the group has grown from 30 members to 500.
Call ( 773 ) 871-4190 or visit www.glchamber.org .
