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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Chicago Social Butterflies
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T210000
DTSTAMP:20260507T024514Z
CREATED:20260507T024514Z
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SUMMARY:6311Arts Invites the Public to Closing Reception for The Observed & The Imagined on May 8
DESCRIPTION:CHICAGO — 6311Arts invites the public to a closing reception for The Observed & The Imagined on Friday\, May 8\, 2026\, from 6–9 p.m.\, offering visitors a final opportunity to experience the exhibition and meet featured artists Yvonne Doll and Victoria Loeb. \nPresented in the gallery’s main space\, The Observed & The Imagined brings together two distinct but resonant artistic voices\, exploring the space between perception\, memory\, and invention through abstraction\, gesture\, and richly layered visual storytelling. The exhibition is complemented by works from ten local photographers installed throughout the east and west galleries. \nThe May 8 reception serves as a culminating evening for the exhibition — an invitation for a final look\, conversation with the artists\, and connection with fellow members of Chicago’s North Side arts community. \nDuring the exhibition’s final week\, collectors will have the opportunity to acquire most works at 15% below listed price\, with select pieces available at reductions of 25–30%. Special pricing will be offered May 3 through May 9. \nAs part of its ongoing mission\, 6311Arts continues to create approachable opportunities for neighborhood audiences to engage with original work by Chicago artists in an intimate and welcoming gallery setting. \nClosing Reception\nFriday\, May 8\, 2026\n6–9 p.m.\nLocation\n6311 N. Clark Street\, Chicago\nThe event is free and open to the public.\nFor more information:\nwww.6311arts.com\nInstagram: @6311arts
URL:https://chicagosocialbutterflies.com/wp-events/6311arts-invites-the-public-to-closing-reception-for-the-observed-the-imagined-on-may-8/
LOCATION:6311arts\, 6311 N Clark Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60660\, United States
CATEGORIES:arts-and-galleries,concert-music-karaoke
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260516T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260517T010000
DTSTAMP:20260514T203841Z
CREATED:20260305T060846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T203841Z
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SUMMARY:Ragbagalia Arts Fest
DESCRIPTION:As Chicago emerges from its winter burrow\, a new cultural fixture is set to bloom with a historic headlining performance. Ragbagalia\, a brand-new femme and queer arts festival\, officially announces its inaugural event for May 16\, 2026\, at Sleeping Village\, featuring the legendary ESG on their highly-anticipated “Final Dance” tour. \nFor many\, this will be the final opportunity to witness the seismic influence of ESG—a band whose minimalist funk and post-punk rhythms provided the DNA for hip-hop and house music—on a Chicago stage. Their farewell performance anchors a curated “ragbag” team of\nartists dedicated to reclaiming space for voices that deserve to be heard. “In today’s political and cultural climate\, safer\, femme-forward spaces feel more necessary than ever\,” says Tracy Evans\, Founder of Ragbagalia. “Bringing ESG’s ‘Final Dance’ to this stage is the ultimate tribute to the underground. We are pairing these icons with emerging voices to build something that is both revolutionary and a celebration of the legacy they’ve built.” \nInspired by the radical history of the Riot Grrrl movement and the space-making narratives of authors like Sara Marcus and Carrie Brownstein\, Ragbagalia disrupts the traditional festival model. The event is entirely women-led and multidisciplinary\, centering women\, femme\, queer\,\nand marginalized artists across music\, performance\, and visual art. \nAlongside ESG\, the lineup includes Chicago’s own She’s Crafty (all-female Beastie Boys tribute)\, and powerhouse acts Period Bomb\, Uniity\, and Pleeay. Rooted in the city’s supportive arts community\, Evans and co-leader Ashley Barlow (co-founder of littleHEADbutt Studios) have designed Ragbagalia to prioritize safety\, authenticity\, and accessibility. Held at the ADA-accessible Sleeping Village\, the festival emphasizes affordability\nwith an all-day ticket that includes live music and a curated pop-up gallery. In keeping with its commitment to equity\, profits from the event go directly to the participating artists\, with remaining funds donated to the festival’s primary partner\, Punk Rock Saves Lives.
URL:https://chicagosocialbutterflies.com/wp-events/ragbagalia-arts-fest/
LOCATION:Sleeping Village\, 3734 W Belmont Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60618\, United States
CATEGORIES:activism,arts-and-galleries,festival,theater-performance
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260521T210000
DTSTAMP:20260521T165814Z
CREATED:20260430T010808Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T165814Z
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SUMMARY:Legends of Chicago Drag Celebration
DESCRIPTION:The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum is turning the spotlight on one of the city’s most colorful and influential art forms with a lively “Legends of Chicago Drag” celebration this spring at the Chicago History Museum. \nSet for Thursday\, May 21 from 6–9 p.m.\, the evening promises a spirited mix of conversation\, performance\, and tribute\, honoring the dazzling artistry and cultural impact of drag in Chicago. \nThe program centers on a panel discussion featuring beloved performers and historians Mimi Marks\, Jim Flint\, Mz Ruff N Stuff and Owen Keehnen. Together\, they’ll explore the evolution of drag in Chicago\, sharing stories from the city’s nightlife\, LGBTQ+ history\, and the performers who helped shape the scene. \nGuests can expect more than conversation. The night also includes live drag performances and a heartfelt tribute to legendary female impersonator Chilli Pepper\, whose legacy continues to inspire generations of entertainers. \nHosting the evening is emcee Mark Liberson\, with music provided by Mister Wallace. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will round out the festive atmosphere\, giving attendees plenty of time to mingle and celebrate. \nThe Costume Council has long championed fashion and cultural storytelling through engaging programs\, and this event continues that mission by honoring drag’s powerful role in shaping Chicago’s creative and social landscape. \nEvent details \nThursday\, May 21\, 2026 \n6:00–9:00 p.m. \nChicago History Museum \n1601 N. Clark St.\, Chicago\, IL 60614
URL:https://chicagosocialbutterflies.com/wp-events/legends-of-chicago-drag-celebration/
LOCATION:Chicago History Museum\, 1601 N Clark St.\, Chicago\, IL\, United States
CATEGORIES:arts-and-galleries,drag,exhibit,panel-conversation
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260531
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260601
DTSTAMP:20251212T230504Z
CREATED:20250512T193155Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T230504Z
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SUMMARY:City in a Garden: Queer Art and Activism in Chicago
DESCRIPTION:City in a Garden: Queer Art and Activism in Chicago is an intergenerational group exhibition that highlights Chicago’s essential\, yet often underacknowledged\, role in the story of queer art and activism. The exhibition examines this history from the mid-1980s\, when activists radically mobilized in response to the US government’s disastrous handling of the AIDS crisis. In this moment of change\, activists reclaimed the historically pejorative epithet “queer” as a liberatory term\, encompassing all who purposefully deviate from heteronormative society. Drawn from the MCA’s collection and other local collections\, City in a Garden follows this paradigm shift in LGBTQ+ history by bringing together work from over 30 artists and collectives working in Chicago from the 1980s to the present. \nThese artists address queerness through diverse media and methods: documenting clandestine queer spaces in photographs\, creating sculptures that challenge normative depictions of gender and sexuality\, and exploring queer intimacy through drawings\, paintings\, and videos. City in a Garden also features archival materials related to groups who innovatively combine artistic practices with their activism. The exhibition takes its title from Chicago’s official motto\, Urbs in Horto\, which translates to “city in a garden.” In the context of this presentation\, this motto speaks to the exhibited artists’ and activists’ utopian visions of a metropolitan sanctuary for people of all races\, genders\, and sexualities. As queer people continue to fight for their lives and livelihoods under ongoing and renewed political threats\, these visions remain as urgent today as ever. \nRuns July 5\, 2025 – May 31\, 2026
URL:https://chicagosocialbutterflies.com/wp-events/city-in-a-garden-queer-art-and-activism-in-chicago/
LOCATION:Museum of Contemporary Art\, 220 E Chicago Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, United States
CATEGORIES:arts-and-galleries
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