Northalsted Market Days is Chicago’s biggest LGBTQ+ street festival, held every August in the city’s Boystown neighborhood. Stretching along North Halsted Street, it combines live music, food, shopping, and a buzzing party atmosphere that lasts all weekend.
Entertainment is at the core. Multiple stages host live bands, DJs, and drag performances, creating a soundtrack that shifts from pop to house to rock as you move through the festival. Street vendors and food stalls line the blocks, serving everything from festival snacks to Chicago classics. Bars and clubs spill into the street, adding to the open-air party vibe.
The crowd is a mix of locals and international visitors, with tens of thousands attending each year. Expect shirtless guys dancing in the sun, drag queens posing for photos, and groups of friends filling every corner. The energy is playful and social, making it easy to meet new people while moving between stages and venues.
Nights don’t end when the festival does. Boystown’s clubs and bars stay open late, hosting special Market Days events with DJs and performances. It’s a weekend that combines a community street fair with circuit-style nightlife, giving travelers the best of both worlds.
Northalsted Market Days
“A summer street festival where music, nightlife, and rainbow crowds take over Boystown.”
