Bear Pride Location:
Chicago, Illinois
In it’s 15th year, Bear Pride provides a fun and exciting gathering for members of the global “Bear” community. The theme of this year’s event is simple…
“BP15 - It’s all about Chicago…”
Not only is our theme simple, so are our dates...
Memorial Day weekend - May 22nd through May 25th 2009
Being located in the third largest city in the US, Bear Pride offers the most urban of settings for this premiere event. Bear Pride 15 is set to celebrate the unique and welcoming character of ‘The Windy City’. This celebration of the “Bear” community is front and center over the Memorial Day weekend, with special emphasis put on the history of Chicago as a major destination for the GLBT community. Great Lakes Bears-Chicago, the sponsor club of Bear Pride, began in 1989 and holds a place as one of the oldest “Bear” organizations in the country.
Boystown as well is considered to be the historic home of the GLBT movement in Chicago and was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. The recently opened Center on Halsted is the largest GLBT community center in the world and provides services to the 300,000+ members of the GLBT community in the greater Chicagoland area.
Big Splash Weekend & Dance Location:
Austin, Texas
Friday, May 22, BIG SPLASH DANCE.
Hosted by The Lone Star Bears,
from 9 PM to closing,at The Rainbow Cattle Company
305 West Fifth Street, Austin, TX 78701.
International Mr. Leather 2009 Location:
Chicago, Illinois
The world's hottest leathermen will come together to compete for the title of International Mr. Leather 2009, as IML celebrates its 31st Anniversary, Thursday, May 21 through Monday, May 25, 2009 (Memorial Day Weekend) in Chicago.
About 400 gay leathermen gathered in Chicago in 1979 for the first International Mr. Leather contest. Today, the event has grown to be an annual tradition for thousands in the leather community - drawing contestants and attendees from around the globe. Once an event for "hardcore" leathermen, IML has expanded in recent years to include a more diverse crowd - from the experienced to the curious.
