| Baton Show Lounge | |
| Address: | 4713 N. Broadway |
| City: | Chicago |
| Country: | United States |
| Location: | Uptown Chicago |
| Owner: | Jim Flint, Christoph Chiavazza |
| Type: | LGBT |
| Genre: | Drag |
| Capacity: | 195 |
| Yearsactive: | 1969-present |
Baton Show Lounge is a Chicago drag club since 1969. It is famous as the venue for the Miss Continental pageant.
Baton Show Lounge was founded in 1969 in River North.[1] [2] [3] The first venue's address was 436 N. Clark St.[4] The name was inspired by Flint's time in the Navy as a drum major. He would attract crowds by baton twirling and roller skating on the street.
The early days of the lounge were marked by police raids.[5]
The venue moved to its present address at the Uptown Broadway Building in Uptown at the end of 2018 due to rent hikes. The new venue provides a capacity of 195 seats with an additional disco and bar room. Grand opening of the new location was on April 10, 2019.
Performers put on shows three times a night, five nights a week.
See main article: Miss Continental. Flint organized the first Miss Continental Pageant in 1980. He started the competition as an inclusive pageant for all female impersonators, including those who have taken hormones or had surgical enhancements.[6]
Since 2008, Dance Divas is a group that has held a benefit show for Chicago Dancers United at Baton Show Lounge.[7] Proceeds help members of the arts community with health expenses.[8]
The Queens, a documentary directed by Mark Saxenmeyer, premiered in 2020 and focused on the 2011 Miss Continental competition.[10] [11]
The cast appeared on several shows, including: Phil Donahue, Maury Povich, Oprah, Sally Jesse Raphael, Jenny Jones, People are Talking, 190 North, and ABC 7 New Year's Eve Celebrations.