On the Rocks, with a twist -From Time Out Chicago
An afternoon ’cue evolves into a major Pride event.
CROWDED HOUSE Party goers pack Montrose Harbor.

 

Every Pride Sunday, techno music blasts out of loudspeakers, drag performers strut their stuff, politicians beam their megawatt smiles, volunteers pass out safer-sex info, and thousands celebrate. Yet these festivities take place not just in Boystown but at the decades-old—yet largely off-the-radar—Rocks Party, which annually attracts around 15,000 mostly black LGBT Chicagoans to Montrose Harbor in Uptown.

While accounts of its early years vary, local African-American activist Vernita Gray recalls its mid-’70s origins. “It began as the women’s party,” she says, “because our feeling was the boys just want to run half-naked down the street and do their thing. We wanted to go to the park and put on our boom boxes and barbecue and hang out with our family, friends and children.” The first events took place at the Belmont Rocks (hence the name), a stone’s throw from Halsted Street but worlds away from the Chicago Pride Parade. Back then, women arrived at dawn with tents, grills and coolers, and camped out for the better part of the day. When DJs and live music were added, a new LGBT tradition was born—all by word of mouth.

Read more: http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/gay/75474/on-the-rocks-with-a-twist

 

Montrose Gets Rocked - From Windy City Times  2006-07-05

 

The Rocks Montrose Harbor Beach Pride & Health Fair was held on Pride Sunday, June 25. Among the services offered were free rapid HIV testing, hepatitis vaccinations and safer-sex kits.

 

The Rocks Coordinating Committee bestowed its Presidential Award upon several recipients, including Lora Branch of the Chicago Department of Public Health ( CDPH ) ; Lisa Henry-Reid, chair of the division of adolescent and young adult medicine at Stroger Hospital; Gus Conda, CDPH Syphilis Elimination Unit Coordinator; Affinity Community Services; Craig Cannon, executive director of KC Productions; Sherrie Payne; and Ms. Ruff-n-Stuff.

 

Among the community sponsors were Chicago State University HIV/AIDS Policy & Research Institute; Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus and Project VIDA. Youth pavilion sponsors included the Youth Pride Center while the Chicago Department of Public Health was among the event sponsors.