Ladyfest is back in Chicago after a six-year hiatus, although it continued in more than 50 cities all over the world since its inaugural event in Olympia, Wash., in 2000. The festival highlights local and national female artists, performers, writers, activists and artisans.
There are musical sets, film screenings, workshops, zine readings, a craft fair and more.
Is this EstroJam, you ask? In 2001, some of the organizers of Estrojam were a part of Ladyfest Midwest. “But Ladyfest is different from EstroJam; it doesn’t have any type of corporate sponsorship, and the musicians are more fed into the local community,” said Beth Capper, part of the organizing group. “Although we do have some national [artists], we wanted it to be open to everyone.”
Capper, an organizer of Ladyfest Brighton (England) in 2005, saw potential to hold the fest in Chicago after moving here.
“Chicago is a really big city, and there’s interesting scenes in all different parts of the city,” she said. “I wanted to create an event that would feed into that.”
Capper and the Ladyfest organizers hope to encourage discussion and empathy for women’s issues (proceeds benefit Chicago Women’s Health Center and Rape Victim Advocates), but encourage males to visit the four-day event. You can even bring the kids.
“There’s loads of events that are kid friendly: the craft fair, bike repair workshop; and all the music shows are all ages,” Capper said. “Maybe not so much the films [for kids], and the Early to Bed sex workshop is for females only.” Yes, it’s what you think, guys, and no, you can’t go. And parents, some of the workshop titles (and band names) are R-rated.
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Capper does not claim all the activities taking place during Ladyfest are worth checking out (she jokingly suggested we reprint the entire schedule), but did want to point out the music lineup (including Diane Cluck, Glass Candy, Bunny Rabbit, Aleks and the Drummer, Tara Jane O’Neil) and film screenings (such as the Oscar nominated “God Sleeps in Rwanda”) are definite hits. “I would say pick and choose what interests you most,” she said.
Ladyfest Chicago 2007
When: Thursday through Oct. 21 (complete schedule: ladyfestchicago.com)
Where: Events take place at Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave.; AV-aerie, 2000 W. Fulton St.; Quimbys, 1854 W. North Ave.
Price: Varies by event (some are free, packages available); 773-206-6732