page_title: Lake View, Chicago
section_title: Boystown
hierarchical_section_title: Lake View, Chicago / Communities / Lakeview (East) / Boystown
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo by Gerald Farinas of the landmark rainbow pylons along North Halsted Avenue in w:Chicago Boystown gay village in w:Lake View East
context_page_description: Lakeview, also spelled Lake View, is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, in the city's North Side. It is bordered by West Diversey Parkway on the south, West Irving Park Road on the north, North Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and the shore of Lake Michigan on the east. The Uptown community area is to Lakeview's north, Lincoln Square to its northwest, North Center to its west, and Lincoln Park to its south. The 2016 population of Lakeview was 99,876 residents, making it the largest of the Chicago community areas by population.
  Lakeview includes smaller neighborhood enclaves: Sheridan Station Corridor, Northhalsted, Southport Corridor, Wrigleyville, and Wrigley Plaza. Boystown, famous for its large LGBT population, holds the pride parade each June. Wrigleyville is another popular district. It surrounds Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Lakeview is home to the Belmont Theater District showcasing over 30 theaters and live performance venues located near the Belmont "L" station. In 2013, Money Magazine named Lakeview as number 3 of its top 10 Big-city neighborhoods for its selection of Best Places to Live.
context_section_description: The Boystown section of Lakeview was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. It is also the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities in the nation. Boystown has grown into a cultural center for the LGBT residents living within the Chicago metropolitan area. The district's informal boundaries, overlapping with Lakeview East, are Irving Park Road on the north, Broadway on the east, Wellington Avenue on the south, and Sheffield Avenue on the west. The Center on Halsted, an LGBT community center, is also located in this area.
  Boystown is known for its colorful, lively nightlife and inviting atmosphere. Boystown also includes some of Chicago's off-Loop theater, specialty restaurants, greystone and brownstone walk-up buildings and other historic architecture, trendy fashion outlets, wine boutiques, chain stores, and independent shops. The city's annual Gays and Lesbians Chicago Pride Parade begins at the intersection of Montrose and Broadway, runs south along Broadway then Halsted to Belmont, turns east on Belmont to Broadway again, then south to Diversey, and then east to Sheridan Road.
caption: A rainbow pylon on North Halsted Street at West Cornelia Avenue, like others along the Legacy Walk on Halsted street, welcomes visitors to the landmark gay village.
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