Democratic National Convention officials tour LGBTQ+ businesses ahead of Chicago DNC

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Democratic National Convention officials toured LGBTQ+ and gay-owned businesses Thursday ahead of the 2024 Chicago DNC in August.

Northalsted gay-owned businesses are gearing up for Pride Fest this weekend, the first of many big summer events.

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"Regardless of being such a big city, we're still a very weather driven city when it comes to hospitality bars and restaurants, and so the summertime is really the time for Chicago to shine when it comes to that," Side Track general manager Brad Balof said.

That time to shine is specially prevalent this summer with Chicago hosting the Democratic National Convention. DNC officials took a tour of businesses on Halsted and Broadway on Thursday. The hope is for delegates and visitors to venture beyond the United Center and downtown and into some of the city's 77 neighborhoods.

"We expect over 150 to 200 million in economic impact and we want to get that impact into the neighborhoods just like North Halsted," DNC Chicago 2024 Host Committee Executive Director Christie George said.

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"Part of our job as a hosting is to make sure that that is equitably distributed, especially to growing businesses," DNC Senior Director of Community and Civic Engagement Mo Green said.

Side Track, a bar that has been welcoming the LGBTQ+ community for over four decade, is ready.

"We have been contacted by some organizations that have been doing some special events and welcoming events for politicians that our LGBTQ from various areas of the country that will be here for the convention," Balof said.

The owners of Lark and the Kit Kat Lounge hope the closeness and vibrancy of the North Halsted community will attract convention delegates to the North Side.

"I definitely I think everybody here treats everybody as a family. So we always share our businesses with everybody else on the street," Lark & Kit Kat Lounge co-owner Edward Gisiger said.

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The tour was personal for the DNC Senior Director of Community and Civic Engagement. Green said it's important to lift up businesses that lifted him.

"I've been coming Boystown for over a decade now," Green said. "This is where I came out and cried after I came out to my family. This is why I've met a lot of chosen family."

Making sure gay-owned businesses get a piece of the DNC a pie is not the only goal, Democrats want to make sure the convention gets the LGBTQ+ community excited to vote in November.