Client: QUEEN! Sundays at SmartBar
Role: Branding / Event Production / Creative Direction

For nearly a decade, I played a pivotal role in producing, branding, and elevating QUEEN! Sundays at SmartBar, transforming it from a local event into a legendary, award-winning Chicago and LGBTQIA+ nightlife institution. As both producer and creative director, I was instrumental in not only cemeting its place as a staple in the house music and drag scenes but also in breaking attendance records for SmartBar’s 35+ year history, with lines wrapping around the block every Sunday night for resident DJs Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini and Garrett David plus resident hosts Jojo Baby, Lucy Stoole and Nico.

I initially joined QUEEN! when I was SmartBar’s Art Director, branding the party from its inception and developing its signature key art and branding. In 2015, when the event was at risk of cancellation, I stepped into a larger production role, using my expertise in social media, marketing, and Chicago’s evolving drag scene to revitalize and expand its reach. I launched the official QUEEN! Instagram, growing it to 12K+ followers, and implemented weekly event promotions on multiple platforms to engage and expand our audience. My contributions helped QUEEN! become one of the most influential dance parties in the city, earning widespread recognition in the nightlife, house music, LGBTQIA+ and drag industries.

QUEEN! was never a typical gay party — it is a Chicago house and disco utopia, a space where you won’t hear Top 40, but instead, world-class DJs spinning in an inclusive, high-energy underground venue. SmartBar itself has been the home of Chicago’s house music scene since 1982, hosting legendary names like Frankie Knuckles, Derrick Carter, Honey Dijon, and The Blessed Madonna. QUEEN! was built on that legacy… merging house and disco music, queer/ballroom culture, drag queens, club kids, and avant garde “looks” into a uniquely special experience.

Beyond the weekly party, I helped elevate QUEEN! by booking internationally renowned guest hosts from the world of drag, including: Hungry (Berlin), DuoRaw, and numerous winners from RuPaul’s Drag Race and Dragula. I ensured that all resident and guest hosts’ production needs were met, coordinated on-site logistics, and managed talent payments and experience. I continued to innovate the QUEEN! brand, producing multiple sold-out events at House of Yes in Brooklyn and reimagining QUEEN!’s iconic Chicago Pride float to maintain its cultural impact and local visibility. I worked closely with brands like Red Bull Music, Effen Vodka, and Dark Matter Coffee to produce collab events and activations that further expanded QUEEN!’s influence. QUEEN!’s impact on Chicago nightlife was recognized with multiple awards, including: Best Weekly Party – 2016 Chicago Nightlife Awards and Best LGBTQ+ Party – 2021 Chicago Reader

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped adapt the party to the digital world, launching Digital QUEEN! events on Twitch, featuring resident DJs alongside house legend Honey Dijon, hosts and party staff and regulars. As the nightlife industry recovered and the world reopened post-pandemic, I transitioned out of my role as producer in 2022, but my impact remains evident - QUEEN! continues to thrive, still drawing massive crowds with lines down Clark street, keeping my legacy alive.