CHICAGO \u2014 The city\u2019s first trans pride festival is set to bring music, comedy, dance and drag to three local parks to be run by and for trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming people.<\/p>\n
Transilience<\/a> will come to Humboldt Park, Hamilton Park and Gil Park Thursday-Saturday, with different performances at each park over the three days. GF Productions<\/a>, founded in 2022 to advance trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming equity and art, is putting on the fest in partnership with a grant from Chicago Park District\u2019s Night Out in the Parks program.<\/p>\n The free three-day fest builds on other one-night events GF has produced over the years that have centered queer and trans celebrations and voices like Queer Dance Freakout<\/a> and a series showing new work at Steppenwolf.<\/p>\n The fest is the first city-sponsored trans pride event spanning multiple days and will include trans and non-binary vendors and community resources, said founder Dawn Heilung.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole thing of [GF] is it\u2019s trans work created by trans people,\u201d Heilung said. \u201cFor trans people, we find liberation through creating our own tables, rather than finding a seat at someone else\u2019s table. This trans pride celebration is a big piece of that.\u201d<\/p>\n The fest kicks off<\/a> 6 p.m. Thursday at the field house in Humboldt Park, 1440 N. Humboldt Blvd., and will feature spoken word and comedy performances and a fashion show.<\/p>\n Day two<\/a> of the fest will take place 5 p.m. Friday at Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd St.\u00a0in Englewood, and will include music and a dance party.<\/p>\n Day three<\/a> will take place 4:30 p.m. at Gill Park, 825 W. Sheridan Road in Uptown, and will feature comedy, a country music band and drag performances.<\/p>\n