With the stay at home order harshly impacting small businesses, one local club’s monthly dance event will livestream the party to help raise people’s spirits while also collecting donations for those in the industry.

If you are not already familiar with it, the party is called Grizzly and is hosted by Le Nocturne (4810 N. Broadway) once a month. The inclusive LGBTQ event welcomes everyone to partake in the pure audio energy which brings in some of the nation’s top DJ talents.

With the entertainment industry devastated by the COVID-19 shutdown, both Le Nocturne and Grizzly are on hiatus until they get the State’s go ahead to reopen. That has given rise to creative ways to still bring people together and also help support those hit hard financially by the crisis.

The company that puts on Grizzly, Edgewater-based Organized Grime, will look at new technology to bring the event to your home as a interactive virtual dance party tonight April 3. The event goes live from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. and will feature resident DJ Ted Eiel from 9 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. CST and then NYC’s legendary DJ Morabito from 10:30 p.m. – 12 a.m. CST. There will be plenty of music and other entertainment including go-go boys which will be streamed in from remote locations.

“We are hoping to provide an outlet for our community to connect,” said Organized Grime producer Ryan Willing. “Weeks of isolation in a global crisis is taking it’s toll on the human psyche, particularly in the LGBTQ community where many of us don’t have family nearby or at all. Depression, anxiety and uncertainty of the future can be overwhelming right now. Hopefully our virtual dance party, where we’re all connected in our living rooms, can unite us and bring a flicker of joy, while at the same time generating some financial relief to the DJs and nightlife folks indefinitely out of work.”

Recently, Boystown bars Hydrate Nightclub and Elixir raised over $10K for their staff during a similar Zoom event called the Quarankiki virtual dance party on Saturday, March 21. That event brought in over 800 people from around the world and featured top DJ talents including Joe Gauthreaux.

The virtual event will be held on Zoom, a video communications service that provides remote conferencing with online video, chat, and mobile collaboration. According to Willing, the Zoom platform will allow everyone to see DJs, hosts, go-go dancers, drag performers, as well as the audience safely from their homes.

Those joining in on the fun will be able to be seen as thumbnails on the live stream while producers will control the larger main screen. Video from DJs at Le Nocturne and its performers will be shown on the big box and selected audience will randomly be showcased on it as well. Everyone can chat with the group, or with individuals, and see friends from Chicago and all over the world.

“I think technological advances (like Zoom) have definitely made the pandemic much more bearable,” Willing added. “I have been on more phone calls with old friends and family, FaceTime chats, Zoom house party meetings, and such. It really puts things into perspective.”

The event will also be taking donations for Organized Grime, Le Nocturne and their many DJs and entertainers through a Venmo account @Organized-Grime-Crew. To participate in the free event, go to www.GrizzlyChicago.com which will redirect to the party.

The event’s organizers remind everyone participating in the experience about all recommended COVID-19 guidelines during the livestream including social distancing. The party allows all to interact safely and it is important that people do this at home as well.

“We’re all craving human connection right now,” said Willing. “While we may not be able to meet up and hug, a virtual party is the best we can do. Because we have virtual parties available, this serves as a reminder and encouragement to continue to stay home and be safe. Together, we will carry each other through this.”