By Sukie de la Croix

This week in...

1977: Some of the long-forgotten gay watering holes include Rivers Edge, 325 N. Wells, for dinner and cocktails; Little Bits, 2519 N. Halsted, which offered a Mothers Day free drink for mom when accompanied by her son or daughter; punched out from work? Punch in at Dingbats, 247 E. Ontario; and Chicago’s most extraordinary gay bar “in a class by itself,” Scalawags, 46 E. Oak St.

1978: Sponsored by Chicago lesbian paper Blazing Star, longtime activist Del Martin speaks at Center Stage, 3730 N. Clark St.

Events in the bars this week include a fundraiser for the Frank M. Rodde Memorial Building Fund at Bushes, 3320 N. Halsted; Mother Carol is emcee at the Mr. El Dorado contest at the Latin bar of the same name, 2683 N. Halsted. Tillie makes a guest appearance; Tom Oman and Paula Karol entertain at Virgo Out, 2546 N. Clark St.; and there’s a “Singing in the Rain” party at Broadway Kunfusion, 3510 N. Broadway.

DJ Lou Divito’s Top 5 dance hits at the Bistro, 420 N. Dearborn, are 1) “Last Dance” by Donna Summer; 2) “How Much, How Much I Love You” by Love and Kisses; 3) “If My Friends Could See Me Now” by Linda Clifford; 4) “Shame,” by Evelyn King; and 5) “Voyage” by Voyage.

1981: Lesbian singer Chris Williamson performs at Stages, 3730 N. Clark St.

1983: Windy City Gay Chorus proudly welcomes the Twin Cities Men’s Chorus of Minneapolis-St. Paul “Together in Concert” at Lane Tech H.S. Auditorium, 2501 W. Addison St.

In an article in Gay Chicago, Richard Noland gives a brief guide on how to be a leather guy: “Your basic look should consist of well-worn jeans, T-shirts, leather, mustaches…facial hair is desirable. You should act mysterious, quiet, and intensely existential. If you absolutely must talk, be brief. If you don’t have a deep voice, do not…absolutely do not speak at all. As they say, ‘Open your mouth and the tits fall out.’”

Backstreet, 2917 N. Sheffield, presents “Ava Cato’s Bevy of Beauties” starring Ava Cato, Cesar Vera, Hedda Lettuce, Lisa Loren, Lauren Hutton, Judy Garland and Blanche Hudson. Admission is $1.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Northwestern University holds its annual Gay and Lesbian Consciousness Week, which this year includes a lecture by the author of the “Tales of the City” series of books, Armistead Maupin.

A new store for buying your “Zipper and Bondage Gear” opens in the second-floor boutique above the Wax Trax record store at 2449 N. Lincoln Ave.

2000: It’s Twilight Tales at the Red Lion Pub, 2446 N. Lincoln, with host Mark Zubro reading from his new novel “One Dead Drag Queen.”

2005: “Leather Eye for the Preppy Guy,” a makeover contest, takes place at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St.

Thanks to the Gerber/Hart Library at 1127 W. Granville for the use of its collection and archives.