BOYSTOWN — Pride Fest 2015 kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday, and Boystown will be buzzing all weekend with specials and performances. There's plenty to do, and considering you may not be sober for the whole thing, you're going to need a solid plan.
So it's DNAinfo Chicago to the rescue (especially if you check out our booth for some free swag). Here's your itinerary for the perfect Pride Fest:
Saturday:
11 a.m.: After you've downed some breakfast (is kegs and eggs still a thing?), enter the festival on North Halsted Street at either Addison or Grace (make sure you know which streets will be closed). Don't forget your $10 suggested donation. Do a lap around the festival to see and, more importantly, be seen. You didn't buy that rainbow wig to not get noticed, after all.
12:30 p.m.: It's the first drag show of the festival, so hurry over to the north stage.
1 p.m.: Getting hungry? Grab some food to tide you over. If you're feeling more casual, check out the family Pride beach day at Kathy Osterman Beach, 5800 N. Lake Shore Dr., until 3 p.m.
1:30 p.m.: The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus will perform on the south stage. Head down there and wander around while being serenaded by the 32-year-old choir.
2:40 p.m.: Radiant '80s pop star and Katy Perry's pretend mom Debbie Gibson is returning to Boystown. Get lost in her eyes and get down to her foolish beat on the north stage.
3:30 p.m.: Female-fronted rock band The Gingers will be at the south stage. We're not saying you *should* mosh for this high-energy band, but we're not saying you shouldn't.
5:25 p.m.: Come for the pride, stay for the cowboys. The all-male dance ensemble Windy City Cowboys will rope you in with their south stage show.
6:40 p.m.: Alicia Madison croons on the north stage.
7:30 p.m.: Head on down to the Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted St., for a burlesque show, performed by Ray Gun. Otherwise, Wedding Banned kicks off their south stage show at 7:45 p.m.
9 p.m.: DJ Micky Friedmann performs as a huge LED wall basks the audience in light for an epic dance party just waiting to happen. (The Veronicas, originally scheduled to play, had to cancel their U.S. tour due to travel visa issues. They aren't the only ones.)
10 p.m.: If you're still upright, Gayco's "Daughter Pridezilla" is showing at The Playground Theater, 3209 N. Halsted St. The improvised show will be led on Saturday by Gay-lebrity Scott Duff. Tickets are $13.
Midnight: Head to Roscoe's, 3356 N. Halsted St., for a Miller Lite or a Smith & Forge. Really, any of these drinks will do, as Roscoe's is donating 15 cents per drink to Howard Brown Health Center this summer.
2 a.m.: Great news: Lyft is offering a free ride home. Use code "CHICAGOPRIDE" for $20 credit, but it's only valid if you're a new Lyft-er.
Sunday:
11 a.m.: New day. Time to rally. How about some brunch at Kit Kat Lounge? Their "Magic Mike XXL" brunch Saturday and Sunday will feature raffles and giveaways for swag, advanced screening passes and tickets to the delicious sequel to that movie where Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey take their shirts off. The special Pride menu includes quesadillas, a steak salad and special $7 martinis.
12:30 p.m.: Get through brunch fast to make it over to the north stage, because the last thing you'd want to miss is MIss Foozie's Pet Parade. If your get-up-and-go got up and left, though, you can still catch her on the south stage at 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.: "American Boy" singer Estelle will surely blow us all away on the north stage.
3 p.m.: Head to Dive Bar, 3445 N. Halsted St., for $4 well drinks all day. They've also got seafood and late-night fried chicken, so keep that in mind when you've got the 10 p.m. munchies.
3:50 p.m.: Bounce with Big Freedia on the north stage.
5:05 p.m.: Gay rapper and break dancer Cazwell will grace the north stage.
5:35 p.m.: Squeeze in one more Pride drag show on the north stage.
6 p.m.: Are you a slave for Britney? The gang at Roscoe's certainly is, so they're offering a sneak peek of their Slave 4 Britney Sundays. The tavern will play all Britney all night, so grab a few drinks and see how "Lucky" you really are.
6:50 p.m.: Catch '80s cover band 16 Candles on the south stage.
7:30 p.m.: Indie synthpop artist St. Lucia closes Pride Fest on the north stage.
8 p.m.: Head down to Belmont and Broadway for "Chigaygo!" at The Laugh Factory. The $20 show will be hosted by Scott Duff and features the best gay and gay-friendly comics in the city.
Midnight: Sleep like you've never slept before. Maybe call in sick tomorrow. Or at least wear your comfy pants. Either way, you did us proud. Just six more days until Pride Parade!
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