Intro: The Heart of the Hood Ravenswood, the community that unites two north-side "community areas." By Ed Zotti

History: Celery, Ceramics, and Conrad Sulzer The story—or stories—of Lincoln Square and North Center By Ann Keating

Politics: The Grand Old Party's Last Stand Before Daley's minions moved in, a Republican reformer called the shots in Lincoln Square and North Center. By Ben Joravsky

Lincoln Square & North Center Listings: Bars, education & recreation, galleries, GLBTQ, lit, movies, music, parks, performing arts, restaurants, shopping, volunteering

More Neighborhood Guides Ukrainian Village/East Village South Loop Logan Square Uptown Rogers Park & West Ridge

GLBTQ

Alt Q Festival This annual queer music showcase, produced every spring by the tireless Scott Free, presents a surprisingly diverse array of acoustic talent. Since its beginnings in 2001, Free has done a laudable job mixing established and up-and-coming performers, both local and touring, and winning new fans for all of them. Past performers have included Husker Du vet Grant Hart and women’s music heavy hitters Toshi Reagon and Melissa Ferrick. Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln, 773-728-6000, altqfestival.com. —Kathie Bergquist

Scot’s I’m dating myself when I admit that I remember when Susie B.’s used to occupy this space, but how could I forget it? It was great lesbian scene. In its more recent incarnation, Scot’s is a sunny, friendly fern bar for the boys. One of Scot’s biggest attractions is its satellite jukebox, a real money sucker. Cash only. 1829 W. Montrose, 773-528-3253. —KB

Spyner’s Spyner’s is a lesbian-owned neighborhood bar whose clientele ranges among old-man-bar regulars, neighborhood yuppies and hipsters, and lesbians young and old. A stone’s throw from the Brown Line stop at Western, it’s a popular place for an after-work drink, and the kind of bar where you can while away a Saturday up to and through the weekend nighttime karaoke. Spyner’s sponsors many a lesbian sports team, and during the summer and fall, women in softball jerseys pack the bar. 4623 N. Western, 773-784-8719, spyners.com. —KB

Previous Neighborhood Guides

Ukrainian Village/East Village | South Loop | Logan Square | Uptown Rogers Park & West Ridge

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