The spate of violence and tensions in Boystown aren't "isolated incidents," as 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney said over the weekend. This 2009 post from Tony Peregrin shows its been brewing for a while. more ›

While many folks will be taking in the sights of hundreds of drag queens, a lesbian country starlet, the newly gay-friendly-fied Stanley Cup and even a giant cat head (courtesy of Threadless) this Sunday for the 41st annual Pride Parade in Boystown, the day also carries a perhaps more serious meaning: National HIV Testing Day. more ›

As June approaches its end and the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, one of the city's biggest and most rainbow-intensive annual parties also looms. This Sunday, the 41st annual Chicago Pride celebration in the city culminates with the raucous parade down Halsted, an event that typically attracts upwards of 500,000 drunk people and politicians to Boystown. But the parade is only part of the grandiose gayness the city has to offer for those looking to show some Pride this week. more ›

Usually when we're walking along the streets of Boystown, the area's history is all too frequently lost on our bar- or brunch-focused minds. But a brand-new walking tour highlighting the gayborhood, presented by improviser Margaret Hicks of Chicago Elevated, lends a deeper, historical perspective to the area known for its overwhelming gayness and well-endowed rainbow pylons. more ›

Our pals at The Expired Meter point us to the case of the unticketed car being covered over at HillBuzz. The car, parked near Newport and Halsted in Boystown, belongs to an Edward Davis who appears to be parking illegally. But as TEM points out, the driver is simply taking advantage of a street parking loophole. [via GB] more ›

Looking for an excuse not to cook dinner tonight? Why not show your support for the LGBT community by Dining Out for Equality? Today, proceeds from your meal at any of some 14 restaurants will benefit Equality Illinois, the state's leading organization working to support legal progress for the gays. And all you have to do is show up and chow down. more ›

It’s no secret that black gay youth from the South and West sides orbit around Boystown, particularly around the Center on Halsted, but some Lakeview residents say they feel threatened or intimated by these teens who they often describe as unruly and rowdy. more ›

Well folks, it's that time again to throw together a last-minute costume, load up and stumble down the streets of Boystown for the notoriously zany North Halsted Halloween Parade, which kicks off tomorrow evening. more ›

Despite the Chicago Police Department's apparent attempts to pretend otherwise, the fact that allegedly anti-gay officer Richard Fiorito remains on active duty in the heart of Boystown continues to embroil members of the neighborhood's gay community. On Aug. 26, the GLBT subcommittee of the CPD 23rd District used its monthly meeting to pass a resolution against Fiorito, the subject of a joint lawsuit filed by nearly 20 plaintiffs who accuse the officer of falsifying DUI arrests in addition to verbally harassing and using excessive force against them. The resolution urges the CPD to: more ›

These days, when people refer to Scarlet, the popular Boystown bar, as “smokin’-hot” they’re referring to the bar’s posh new interior, and not to the fire that destroyed the establishment in February of this year. Nearly a 100 firefighters responded to the early-morning blaze which leveled the bar and the residences that occupied the second and third floors of the building. Neighboring gay bars and clubs rallied around owner Paul Cannella and his employees by hosting a series of fundraisers to help those suddenly out of job, and some cases, out of home. Fast-forward to a few months later, and Cannella is ready to re-launch Scarlet, a bar often described as “Wicker Park comes to Boystown,” in late September. “After the fire, my initial reaction was to rebuild it exactly the same as it was and to get the doors open as fast as possible. But as more time went by, we were able to think things through and take the best of the best of the bar and incorporate it into the new Scarlet,” says Cannella, 39, a Lincoln Park resident. more ›

Chicagoist certainly is a hard and serious Halloween celebrator, with info on costumes, zombie pin-up calenders -- and adding to our previous list of A&E Halloween treats -- here are a few more events to keep on the radar. more ›