By Sukie de la Croix

this week in...

1977 The Rogers Park Gay Center, 7109 N. Glenwood, sponsors a bus trip to Marriott’s Great America Amusement Park, where they hook up with members of the Fox Valley Gay Association for a day of fun and frolics.

Thelma “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Houston performs in the intimate concert room at the new Ivanhoe Theatre, 3000 N. Clark St.

The Bushes, 3320 N. Halsted, holds a Sisters of Charity Ball with a Nasty Habits Buffet and Disco Nun’s Dance Contest. Proceeds benefit three Chicago area gay churches and religious groups.

1978 Exciting musical duo Paula Karol and Tom Oman perform at Punchinello’s at 936 N. Rush St.

Mattachine Midwest discusses issues facing gay men on Wednesday evenings at 100 E. Ohio, Rm. 234. Typical topics include “Coming Out,” “Relating to Family,” “Being Gay at Work” and “Building Gay Relationships.”

1981 Big Red’s, 642 W. Diversey, invites you to the social event of the season—The Prince Charles & Lady Diana Look-A-Like Contest.

1983 “One,” a one-act, one-man play by local writer Jeff Hagedorn, is performed by Lionheart Theater at the Polish Princess’ bar Company, 2683 N. Halsted. This is thought to have been the first performance of an AIDS-themed play anywhere in the world.

1985 Hot bars that are sadly missed include the Artful Dodger, 1734 W. Wabansia; the Blue Parrot, 1128 W. Granville; the Blue Pub, 3059 W. Irving Park; Bulldog Road, 2914 N. Broadway; and Our Way on Wells, 1437 N. Wells.

1988 The 3rd Annual Tee-Off Against AIDS takes place at Waveland Golf Course, 3800 north at the lakefront. The nine-hole event is sponsored by Metropolitan Sports Association Athletes Against AIDS and is open to golfers of all skill levels.

1991 Bar events this week include “The Cactus Juice Western Party” at Bistro Too, 5015 N. Clark St.; “The Manhattan Underground Party” featuring DJ “Jungle” Jorge Suarez and all new Underground Dancers, at Roscoe’s, 3354-56 N. Halsted; and Colt Model Mike Timber live at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted.

1992 The Top 5 Women’s Erotica Books at People Like Us bookstore at 3321 N. Clark St. are 1) “Bushfire” edited by Karen Barber; 2) “The Sparkling Lavender Dust of Lust” by Tee Corinne; 3) “Riding Desire” by Tee Corinne; 4) “Travels With Diana Hunter” by Regine Sands; and 5) Rapture & the Second Coming” by Wendy Borgstrom.

1994 It’s the grand opening of the short-lived Aloha Bikini Bar at 3702-08 N. Halsted—currently the location of Cell Block. Prior to the Bikini bar it was the Loading Dock and long before that, in 1977, it was the location of Vista Hermosa, a Mexican gay bar.

Events in the bars this week include “Rus Rainear is Carol Channing” for one night only at Carr’s Halsted St. Cabaret, 3320 N. Halsted; the “Cockpit BBS Monthly Party” at North End, 3733 N. Halsted; and Michael McAssey at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.

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