Part of the Gay Chicago Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Chicago, Illinois
A Northalsted dance bar famed for its responsive 'Cloud Ceiling.'
Progress Bar sits at the corner of Halsted and Roscoe in Northalsted, where its signature 'Cloud Ceiling' has hung since the bar opened in 2013. The interactive installation of roughly 15,000 reclaimed incandescent bulbs, built by Calgary artists Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett, flickers in response to the movement of the crowd below. Underneath runs a craft-focused bar with 16 beers on tap and a spacious dance floor, with no cover at the door. The weekly calendar leans into drag and dance, with 'Snatched' drag shows on Wednesdays and 'FLOW' Latin nights on Thursdays anchoring a rotating schedule of DJs and streaming music videos. It pulls a younger, dance-ready Northalsted crowd, and between the open floor and the art-piece ceiling it's one of the more photogenic rooms on the Halsted strip.
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