Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 6/22 – 6/25

It's the last full weekend in June and the events just keep pouring in! Obviously one of the big highlights of this curated weekend is Sunday's big 48th Annual Gay Pride Parade! Go out and celebrate the amazing LGBTQ+ community in Chicago! The parade kicks off at noon on Sunday, June 25, at Montrose Avenue and Broadway in Uptown and ends near the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park.  Don't miss the parade, it's always a great time and a perfect way to end your month. Now, let's fill up the rest of your curated weekend with some amazing events! THURSDAY, JUNE 22nd Dirty Dozen Brass Band 40th Anniversary Tour @ City Winery, 1200 W Randolph St., 8:00PM WHAT: Dirty Dozen Brass Band celebrating 40 years since their founding in 1977 SO WHAT: New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band takes the traditional foundation of brass band music and infuses a blend of genres into it including funk and R&B/soul. This unique sound has allowed the Dirty Dozen to tour  the world, record 12 studio albums, and collaborate with a range of artists from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be bringing their genre-bending sound and energetic stage presence back to Chicago for one hell of a night! NOW WHAT: Tickets range from $32 to $46 for this night of musical perfection. Doors open at 6:00pm. Art of Atari Poster Collection Official Release Party @ Logan Arcade, 2410 W Fullerton Ave., 7:00PM - 10:00PM WHAT: Video game art in all it glory! SO WHAT: Based on Tim Lapetino's 2016 masterwork, the Art of Atari, the Art of Atari Poster Collection brings more wonderful vintage Atari art out from the vaults, including forty 16"x20" posters,which are removable and suitable for framing.  Logan Arcade will have copies of Art of Atari Poster Collection and Art of Atari available for sale during the event (while supplies last) and Mr. Lapetino will be present to sign books and posters. A gallery of prints will hang in the arcade, as well as a selection of RARE ORIGINAL ART, including Wizard and Home Run by Cliff Spohn; Galaxian by Hiro Kimuro; Star Raiders and Countermeasure by Terry Hoff ; and 2600 Tempest by UNKNOWN NOW WHAT: This event is free, just bring some cash if you want a copy of the books! FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd - 25th Logan Square Arts Festival @  Logan Square circle at the intersection of Milwaukee Ave, Kedzie and Logan Blvd., Friday 5:00PM - 10:00PM, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 10:00PM WHAT: Art in the heart of Logan Square SO WHAT: The Logan Square circle will once again be welcoming the best live music, art, crafts, comedy, kids activities, putt putt golf and more for the Logan Square Arts Festival! The music lineup will include METZ, Chuck Inglish, Circuit des Yeux, Joan of Arc, Strand of Oaks The Eternals Espíritu Zombi Group, and so many more. Comfort Station Logan Square and the Art Leaders of Color Network will also join forces to present the P.O.W.E.R. Project, an ‘empowerment hub’ with a series of lectures, discussions, happenings, self-care exercises, and more led by artists and members of the community. You can see the full lineup of musicians and events here! NOW WHAT: There is a $5 suggested donation, a portion of which will go to Logan Square Preservation and their ongoing efforts to beautify the neighborhood and replant trees that were lost to the Emerald Ash Borer. FRIDAY, JUNE 23rd You Draw Like A Girl Art Show @ Logan Square Tattoo, 2352 N Milwaukee Ave., 6:00PM - 10:00PM WHAT: A chance to check out some local art at a tattoo shop SO WHAT: Logan Square Tattoo will be hosting an open house where local art created by some awesome women will be on display. Plus you can and have a drink or two thanks to a sponsorship by Pipeworks Brewing and Suerte tequila. The gallery will featuring work by Anjali Bahl, Oliv Roe, Sara Renae Holloway, Pattie Stell, Tara Parambi , Rocio Urbano, Zeye, Delisha Renee McKinney, Kawwaii Suga , Kiri Gami, Sarah Christoff , Vivian Le, Nikki Kazmar, Amanda Stalter, and Maria the wolf! NOW WHAT: This event is free! Go and enjoy this art show! SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 24th & 25th Mamby on the Beach 2017 banner 3crMamby on the Beach @ Oakwood Beach, ., Noon WHAT: Music + Beach = Fun SO WHAT: Chicago’s only beachside summer music festival is back for a third year of great music under the sun! The eclectic festival will take place once again on the grassy-field and sand-swept coast of Oakwood Beach and will feature a great lineup of artists! Check out the full lineup, Matt Brooks' preview of the local artists playing the fest, and Elif Geris' general preview of the the two days of music hit our lakeshore! NOW WHAT: Tickets for single day tickets for Saturday or Sunday start at $71.50 for general admission and go up to $175 for VIP passes. Two day passes are also available at $132.32 for general admission and VIP passes for $199.99. The festival is 17+ SATURDAY, JUNE 24th Pier Pride! @ Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave., Noon WHAT: Celebrate Pride weekend at the pier! SO WHAT: Join Navy Pier for a big Pride celebration featuring a full day of live music, artistic performances, a parade along the lakefront and so much more. Programing highlights include Story Time with Drag Queens, Prouder Than a Bomb, and performances by Taylor Bennet and Charlene Unger. Check out the full lineup here! NOW WHAT: This event is free!  It Came from … the Neo- Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! @ Neo Futurarium, 5153 N Ashland Ave., 7:30PM WHAT: Neo-Futurist alumnae Rachel Claff and Dina Walters curate It Came from … the Neo- Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! SO WHAT: It Came from … the Neo-Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! is the 12th annual series of staged readings of the best worst film scripts of all time. The summer 2017 edition of the festival will run on Saturdays until July 15th featuring some of the clunkiest, junkiest movies ever made brought to life by past and present Neo-Futurists and acclaimed guest artists. This week’s film is Caged! Come to this over-the-top Pride Weekend reading featuring an all-female-identified cast! The cast for this edition will be directed by Neo-Futurist alumnus DavidKodeski (Wicked Woman; The Flaming Urge) and festival curator Rachel Claff. NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 for each performance, $12 for students (with ID), or $50 for a festival pass to all four shows. the kates @ The Book Cellar, 4736 N Lincoln Ave., 7:00PM WHAT: Comedy to help you get through the week SO WHAT: the kates, an all female comedy showcase, features a semi-monthly line-up of the city’s funniest, most talented comedians as well as emerging female comic performers. The show, produced by Kelsie Huff, encourages its comedians to express their hilarious viewpoints unapologetically and have done so with great results! This edition of the kates will feature ​Jillian Ebanks, Stephanie Weber, Kelly Kenna, Molly Rafferty, Stephanie Seweryn, Alaina Hoffman, Cate Brecht, and Maggie Graham. the kates founder Brittany Meyer will be hosting the showcase. NOW WHAT: There is a $10 suggested donation for this PG-13 show, so stop by for some laughs! SUNDAY, JUNE 25th Nacho Fest @ Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave., 11:00AM - 3:00PM WHAT: Mmmm... nachos... SO WHAT: Chips, cheese, toppings, and more will be on han for this delicious midday event! A nice crop of Chicago's best restaurants will be putting their stellar nachos on the line eo win one of the many coveted titles being awarded at the event, from "Most Creative," to "Crowd Favorite," to "Tongue-burner."This is your opportunity taste the delicious nacho entries from some of the city's most creative restaurants. NOW WHAT: General Admission tickets are $35 and VIP tickets are $50. Profits will be donated to Un86'd.
Julian Ramirez