february is for lovers.
Here’s where to connect with queers in and near the west Chicago suburbs this month.
Queering the Burbs is a regularly-published distillation of pop culture, politics and queerness written by Joe Erbentraut. If you like what you see, please consider subscribing (many posts are free!), liking or sharing this piece. Order Joe’s new zine, Issue #01, here.
Well, we did it—we’re just days away from surviving January, a month that always feels like a brutally cold letdown after the excitement and sparkle of the holiday season but this year has felt like something especially grueling.
As I spoke to in my previous essay, I feel it’s incredibly important in these times to remember to feed our souls and soak up queer art and community every chance that we get in light of what is rapidly unfolding around us. That’s why I’m launching this new monthly queer events calendar that is available free to all readers as a part of this newsletter.
You’d think the dead of winter would be a quiet time for queer happenings in the suburbs, but thankfully the Fox Valley and surrounding area are offering plenty of opportunities to get out and about this month. (We’re here, we’re queer, we’re everywhere!)
If I’m missing anything below—or if you’re the organizer behind any of these events and you’d prefer for them to not appear here for whatever reason—please reach out by emailing me at queeringtheburbszine@gmail.com or using the button below.
Monday, Feb. 3 (6:30 p.m.): Cheers, Queers!
Belong: Fox Valley’s low-key monthly mix-and-mingle for queer adults and allies returns for its February 2025 edition.
Art History Brewing, 649 W. State St., Geneva
Friday, Feb. 7 (7 p.m.): Rainbow Roundup
A casual (18+) monthly hangout for young LGBTQ+ adults and allies hosted by Belong: Fox Valley is taking place in Elgin this month. Come and get some gelato!
Stop n Dip, 13 Douglas Ave. Unit #B, Elgin
Saturday, Feb. 8 (4:30 p.m.): Midwest Prince and Friends
DeKalb’s indoor skate park is hosting its first ever drag show, with performances at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. (18+). Performers include Masha Potato, Lady Deviant, Breon, Cynthia Strange, and Garlique.
Fargo Skatepark, 641 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb
Saturday, Feb. 8 (7 p.m.): Diamonds Are Forever Drag Takeover
Miss Moscato and Gogoboy Guido host this drag show in downtown Elgin. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.
Martini Room, 161 E. Chicago St., Elgin
Tuesday, Feb. 11 (6:30 p.m.): Book Queeries
Did you know the Sycamore Library has its own LGBTQ+ book club for adults? This month’s book is Orlando by Virginia Woolf. Can’t make it? If you haven’t seen Tilda Swinton starring in the 1992 film loosely based on this novel, you should do so ASAP.
Sycamore Library, 103 E. State St., Sycamore
Wednesday, Feb. 12 (7 p.m.): Annie Hex’s Full Moon Circle
Get your full moon energy correct with a group tarot reading, guidance on magical rituals and spell work, and poetic meditations. Tickets cost $33.
Location TBA
Wednesday, Feb. 12 (7:30 p.m.): Drag Me to Trivia
Drag queen bingo, at a record store? Yes, this is real life. Plainfield Pride is putting on this drag bingo night hosted by Candi Forest. $15 tickets include a signature drink.
Black Dog Vinyl Cafe, 16108 S. Route 59, Suite 112, Plainfield
Saturday, Feb. 15 (10:30 a.m.): Pride Playgroup
The February edition of Belong: Fox Valley’s meetup for LGBTQ+ families and allies takes place in Geneva.
Geneva Public Library, 227 S. 7th St., Geneva
Saturday, Feb. 15 (11 a.m.): Be My Galentine’s Drag Brunch
Aleyna Couture hosts this 21+ drag brunch that offers unlimited mimosas and an all-you-can-eat buffet for $50 (or $60 at the door). The event also includes music by DJ Happymeal, free raffles, and performers Ivanna Rubio, Jourdin K Larue, and Miranda Kherr. Cash bar for additional drinks.
Courtyard Banquets, 2S200 Illinois Rte. 59, Warrenville
Sunday, Feb. 16 (12 p.m.): Anti-Valentine’s Day Drag Brunch
Enjoy a fabulous drag show hosted by Angel Lebare. Each table comes with a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Tickets start at $15 for a bar stool seat or $105 for a high-top table for three.
The Brown Pub, 200 Somonauk Rd., Hinckley
Friday, Feb. 21 (7 p.m.): Teen Queer Prom
An annual prom experience geared toward LGBTQ+ teens and allies (aged 13-19), hosted by Belong: Fox Valley. This year’s theme is “A Night Under the Stars.” Register at the link above for tickets or to learn about volunteer opportunities.
Batavia
Friday, Feb. 21 (8 p.m.): Rocky Horror Picture Show
Come and see the incredibly queer cult classic with a live shadow cast at the historic Egyptian in downtown DeKalb. Tickets cost $18, and prop kits are an extra $7.
Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. 2nd St., DeKalb
Thursday, Feb. 27 (7 p.m.): Drag Me to Dinner: Queens of Carnaval
The dinner edition of El Jefe’s popular (and frequently sold-out) drag brunches throws its Carnaval party complete with tropical drinks, the signature music of Carnaval, and more.
El Jefe - Lena y Mar, 1271 N. Lake St., Aurora
Looking for queer events in Chicago? Check out Chicago Social Butterflies.
SONG OF THE RIGHT-NOW
You know those songs that stop you in your tracks the moment you hear them? Those songs that take you away to another place and time, maybe somewhere and sometime where civil rights aren’t on the chopping block, where who you are and who you love isn’t actively trying to be erased. New Order’s “Ceremony” is one of mine, and the Chromatics cover of it is particularly transportive.
This is why events unnerve me
They find it all, a different story
Notice whom for wheels are turning
Turn again and turn towards this time