Vengabus Chicago Takes The Party On The Road
Photo courtesy of Vengabus Chicago.
Chicagoist recently caught up with Collins, where we quickly learned that at this party-on-wheels—no one gets thrown under the bus.
Chicagoist: What is the craziest thing that’s happened aboard the Vengabus?
Dougie Collins: I can't share that with you, well—because is was really dark.
C: In addition to naked Barbie dolls, what else can people expect to find aboard the Vengabus?
DC: The interior may be decorated based on the theme of the event or it may have no relevance whatsoever. Feather boas and naked Barbies make for great photo ops, but so do Obama Chia Heads and bananas. You never know what you may find dangling over your head or tucked under your seat on the Vengabus, but it will probably make you laugh.
C: When I think of a "gay party bus," I immediately go to the iconic film Priscilla Queen of the Desert. How did you come up with the name Vengabus?
DC: When I first decided to throw a party involving a bus, one of my friends jokingly called it "The Vengabus," after the song "We Like to Party" from the Vengaboys. As people started to RSVP to the invite, they kept referring to it as such and the name stuck, and thus Vengabus Chicago was born. I know "venga" has various meanings but I prefer the urban dictionary's definition of the word "venga" as "party," it seemed fitting. Some venues we've showed up at have even went as far as playing the song in our honor when we arrive.
C: When you look down the main aisle of the Vengabus Chicago, what do you see—who is riding the Vengabus?
DC: It's difficult to get everyone to sit down on the Vengabus, but if everyone did it would probably look like a United Colors of Benetton ad from the 90's. The ages range from 21 to 50 something. Everyone is youthful in spirit and there to have fun. The Vengabus is not for the prudish. Although it's mostly gay men, there are usually a handful of straight guys and girls, too. It's a very welcoming and unpretentious group of people. Everyone is welcome!
C: What is it about a bus ride that seems to bind people together with a kind of instant camaraderie?
DC: We have great music, video and commentary on the bus, but I didn't realize how much fun the actual ride in the bus would be until our first trip last September. Even if you’re not the most outgoing person it's hard to be a wallflower on a bus. On the Vengabus Chicago wallflowers eventually bloom!
C: If you had unlimited resources, what would be your dream destination?
DC: The Vengabus Chicago is a not a business designed to profit, but rather it is a social club. We keep the costs as low as possible so as many as possible can participate. Because costs are so low, I'd ideally like to use the Vengabus to raise money for worthy charities or causes. Moving forward, I think if we all pitched in a little bit more we could make a difference and have lots of fun doing so. My dream for the Vengabus is to bring a little bit of Chicago, and its diversity, to as many places as we can get to by bus.
For more information, visit the Vengabus Chicago page on Facebook.