Kinfolk Hosts Black History Month Bash in Chicago
Chicago's Lincoln Hall is hosting Kinfolk: A Black History Month Bash tonight, an event presented by Garden Of x Kinfolk. The celebration provides a key cultural touchstone for the city's social scene, running from 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM with tickets from $5-20.
The event's presenters, Garden Of and The Kinfolk Collective, are creating a space specifically for Black queer individuals, with proceeds directly benefiting Black trans people within the community. The gathering is an intentional celebration of Black trans people and Black sapphics, dykes, and lesbians, recognizing the foundational role Black queer individuals have played in the queer liberation movement. Garden Of is a Chicago-based organization focused on creating a holy and accessible community for all under the Sapphic umbrella through events ranging from parties to quieter gatherings. The choice of venue, Lincoln Hall, places the event in a historic Lincoln Park building with a legacy stretching back to its opening in 1912 as the Fullerton Theatre. With a capacity of just over 500, it offers an intimate setting for performances. The building itself has a storied Chicago past, once serving as an auto garage and famously as a perch for FBI agents during the capture of John Dillinger at the adjacent Biograph Theater. The night's soundtrack will be curated by DJs digitalth0t and Bonnita Appleblunt. This celebration is part of a broader landscape of Black History Month events across Chicago, which include discussions on diversity in venture capital, museum exhibits, and musical performances that trace the evolution of Black music. The event's focus on a specific intersectional community reflects a larger trend in Chicago's nightlife, where different neighborhoods cater to distinct cultural and social scenes. From the upscale lounges in River North to the artsy, creative vibe of Wicker Park and Logan Square, the city's social fabric is woven with diverse and targeted experiences.
