Your #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend: 6/17 and Beyond

Chicago is currently fully reopened and a new normal may be happening soon. But that doesn't mean it's happening all in one go. Many venues will still want to operate at lower capacities, masks are still required for many, and social distancing is a must. As we said in the one-year anniversary of the #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend, we need to continue being careful if we go out and if you’re still a little wary about it, support the local arts scenes we enjoy from home. So if you feel comfortable going out, do so with a mask and social distance. Now, let's get on with your #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend! And if you're opting to stay home, then let's find something fun to do! Whether you're doing your part in fighting against police brutality, working out, trying out some new recipes, or whatever catches your fancy; you may still have a few hours in your day that need filling up. There are tons of fun ideas highlighted in this week's curated weekend including some from previous #StaytheFHome editions where the editors here at Third Coast Review suggested a few things you can enjoy while you're at home during these social distancing, self-quarantining days! Since we're all still in this together, we encourage you to check out Do312's running list of venues that could use some love! Donate if you can and remember to support them by going to shows once it's safe to do so! Stay home and stay safe and healthy. Listen to our healthcare policy experts. Science matters. Wear a mask. Keep washing your hands. And check in on 3CR, where we promote the arts for everyone's sake.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, JUNE 17th - JUNE 18th

Audiotree Live @ Audiotree, the spot where you’ve been watching all the best streaming shows these past few months, various times WHAT: Live music from Lincoln Hall and Audiotree to make staying at home a little better SO WHAT: Audiotree has been providing some quality live sessions to music fans for years, letting artists do their thing right from Audiotree's studio. The shows have always been excellent, offering you a nice taste of live shows. Check out this week's lineup below NOW WHAT:  Audiotree Live sessions are always free!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JUNE 18th - JUNE 19th

Bill MacKay with Timothy Breen & Nick Mazzarella’s Meridian Trio +1 @ Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave, the most musically inclined room in your home, Friday 8:30pm, Saturday 8:00pm WHAT: An amazing pair shows for your weekend! SO WHAT: Constellation has been putting on some incredible shows during the pandemic and this weekend is no different! Whether you decide to stay home and watch the livestreams or head out to the venue and enjoy the live music in person, Constellation is a great way to spend the night! NOW WHAT: Stream tickets are $15, so sit back and enjoy the incredible show this weekend! There are also limited in-person seating tickets available for the weekend shows!

FRIDAY & BEYOND, JUNE 18th - 24th

The African Diaspora International Film Festival @ Their online streaming platform, the best movie watching area in you place, various times WHAT: The African Diaspora International Film Festival is celebrating its 18th anniversary virtually in collaboration with Facets Cinémathèque SO WHAT: ADIFF spotlights culturally and socially meaningful feature and documentary films about the human experience of people of color all over the world. This year's lineup of films explore the Black and Indigenous experience, giving a multidimensional voice to often misrepresented and misunderstood realities and peoples. You can see the full lineup of film over at their website! NOW WHAT: : Tickets for Opening (June 17 - Betrayal of a Nation by Brandi Webb @ 7:00pm), Centerpiece (June 20 - 2 Weeks in Lagos by Kathryn Fasegha @ 3:00pm), Closing Night (June 24th - Maya and Her Lover by Nicole Sylvester @ 7:00pm) are $15! Regular Screenings throughout the week are $10. and the All Access Festival pass is $95.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 19th & 20th

Chicago Craft Beer Festival @ PB&J (Pizza, Beer, & Jukeboxes), 205 N Peoria St. ,Friday 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon to 10:00pm, 21+ WHAT: A chance to try some excellent brews SO WHAT: Chicago Craft Beer Festival will be taking over PB&J with daily afternoon tastings where attendees can sample from over 40 specialty beers crafted by 35-plus local, regional and national breweries. So order up some food and enjoy this tour of local brews! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $29.99 for each session of this festival! Saturday tickets are sold out and the rest are moving quick!

SATURDAY, JUNE 19th

Pilsen Vendor Market @ Pilsen Art House, 1756 W 19th St., Noon - 5:00pm WHAT: A socially distanced mini handmade market! SO WHAT: This is a weekly market for artists and makers to come together, make new friends and sell their wonderful wares. NOW WHAT: Entry is free, just be sure to wear your mask as they are required! Usually this market is on Sundays, but according to their event page it's on Saturday this week, so head out and enjoy! Thank You Chicago Black Mall Juneteenth Market @ The Promontory, 5311 South Lake Park Avenue, 2:00pm - 7:00pm WHAT: A pop up market celebrating black business in Chicago. SO WHAT: This free pop-up market at one of Hyde Park's coolest venues The Promontory in Hyde Park will let you explore goods from Black-owned businesses! There will be a wide range of vendors and food trucks to make for a well rounded and fun experience! NOW WHAT: It's free! Register here for this great market! Freedom Songs Virtual Juneteenth Celebration @ Old Town School of Folk's YouTube channel, the most comfortable and celebration worthy spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: Some incredible music to help celebrate Juneteenth SO WHAT: Juneteenth is an incredible important day as we commemorate the end of slavery in the US. It has finally gotten the acknowledgment it deserves, stepping close as a national holiday just earlier this week. So what better what to celebrate that with song amazing songs from Original Chicago Blues All Stars Revue and their special guests Ugochi & A.S.E.! NOW WHAT: This is a free show! Head over to their YouTube at 8:00pm and enjoy this wonderful performance! Dennis Walkins @ The Magic Parlour at Home, on your favorite streaming device in the most magical spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: A little bit of magic to spice up your weekend! SO WHAT: While Dennis Watkins is usually conjuring up wonderful effects and illusions live and in person, for the time being he's only sticking to the live part as he takes his magical act to Zoom! Gather your bubble together, dress to the nines, and experience some fantastic magic right at home! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $49 and they usually go fast, so book a magical evening as soon as you can!

SUNDAY, JUNE 20th

The Black Market @ The Promontory, 5311 South Lake Park Avenue, 10:00am - 4:00pm WHAT: A black owned outdoor flea market and fundraiser SO WHAT: This flea market will feature Black-owned businesses and creatives who will contribute to an unforgettable experience. NOW WHAT: It's free! Register here for this great market! This event is occurring in tandem with a fundraiser for the Jones Black Coalition, an affiliation of three Black affinity groups at Jones College Prep HS. Donations are encouraged to support these clubs in the upcoming year."

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND

DOC10 Film Festival @ Davis Theater & ChiTown Drive-In, 4614 N Lincoln Ave & 2343 S. Throop St., Various times, WHAT: After taking a year off due to the pandemic, Chicago’s premier documentary film festival, DOC10 Film Festival is back! SO WHAT: The festival will be hosted at The Davis Theater & Chi-Town Drive In and will feature 10 of the best documentaries of the current season along with a special event on Saturday: Women in Film: A Panel Discussion with the Editors Behinf DOC10. Check out our full preview of the films here! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $17.60 for in-theater screenings and $40-$50 per car for drive-in screenings. There is a 10% discount for students, seniors, military, and frontline workers. Time Out Market Chicago @ Time Out Market, 916 W Fulton Market, Various times, all ages WHAT: Time Out Market reopens just in time for summer! SO WHAT: Time Out Market offer you 18 kitchens, three bars and a rooftop terrace for you to enjoy summer time in Chicago! Since they're reopening this weekend, their will be a great lineup of musicians and DJs for you to enjoy while you explore the three floors of the market. Check out the lineup below! NOW WHAT: Head over to the market and enjoy some great music and food!

The Quarantine Concerts @ Experimental Sound Studios, Your best sounding internet-connected device, at various times WHAT:  Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts and the Hideout's Resonance Series come together for a series of amazing live-streamed concerts SO WHAT: The Quarantine Concerts is a collaborative series that aims to give artists a space to share their work and continue earning a living during this time when live, in person, performances have been cancelled due to COVID-19. This is a perfect opportunity to unite the community for a few hours of amazing musicians. This weekend features:

You can check out their full schedule here. NOW WHAT: Head over to their Youtube stream and start watching some great shows. There is a suggested donation of $5-$10 per evening. 100% of the donations contributed during each performance go to the artists who played that night.

Back on the Big Screen and Virtual Cinema @ Music Box Theatre, unsurprisingly at your home, any time you want to watch a movie WHAT: A great way to support a great local theater SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre is currently open to the public, so if you feel comfortable you can go out and have a theatre experience this weekend with In The Heights, Gaia, and Only Fans - A Chicago Comedy Show; and Music Box Garden Movies like Can't Hardly Wait (Thursday only), Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Serial Mom! But if you want to watch some first run movies at home, you can still watch great moves and support them online! They are currently screening films via their The Music Box Direct series! There also tons of select titles available on their new platform! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy! Also Music Box To Go is still around with all the drinks and snacks you need to enjoy a movie at home!
Film Center from Your Sofa @ The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute, your couch or preferred movie watching spot in your place, pretty much any time WHAT: The Film Center at Home SO WHAT:The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute is continuing their excellent series Film Center from Your Sofa .This is a fun way to stay in digital touch with the Film Center and watch some great films from the comfort of home! Enjoy films like Who Will Start Another Fire; The Power of Kangwon Province; Dead Pigs; Monuments; New French Shorts, The Story of a Three Day Pass, Bad Tales; Spring Blossom, RK/RKAY; There Is No Evil; Us Kids; Slalom; Wet Season; The County; and About Endlessness! Head over to their listings and start watching! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy! Pitch In for the Parks! @ Various local parks, Various times, all ages WHAT: A good way to keep your community nice and clean! SO WHAT: The nonprofit Chicago Parks Foundation (CPF) is currently in the second season of its citywide volunteer effort “Pitch In for the Parks!” to help keep the city’s 600+ public parks clean. The program is open to anyone who wants to host a clean-up group or join an existing event from the interactive map on the CPF website. CPF is providing trash pick-up supplies, volunteer coordination and safety guidelines to support the parks’ ongoing maintenance from June through October. NOW WHAT: Clean-ups continue at parks citywide June 1st-October. Anyone can host a Pitch In clean-up group or join a free volunteer event on their calendar.    Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ ​Fulton Street Collective & Their YouTube channel, 1821 W. Hubbard Street, Suite 307 or the coziest spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: Some excellent jazz for your evening SO WHAT: Fulton Street Collective may not be able to perform for you in person, but they are determined to give Chicago its much needed dose of jazz through these streamed shows! You can see all their shows on their YouTube channel! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective. NOW WHAT: The shows are free online, but in person there is a $15 suggested donation! Also you should definitely support Fulton Street Collective by becoming a member!   New Talks and Video Archives @ Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube's app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people! SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Their website is constantly updated with new talks, so check out the wealth of upcoming and previous events in their archives! Below is just a taste of what is coming in the next few weeks NOW WHAT: Head over to take a look at their past events here! You should also sign up for their email list to get updates on upcoming talks in 2021. Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand @ Your favorite streaming device, the most lavish spot in your home WHAT: The Lyric Opera at home SO WHAT: Revisit some of your favorite Lyric moments, or experience for the first time performances you've missed.Check out their website for schedule of upcoming shows. Currently streaming is Luisa Miller (2019), The Queen of Spades (2020), and Die Walküre (2017). NOW WHAT: It's free!! Steppenwolf NOW @ Your best streaming device, the most theatrical spot in your place, Any time through August 31, 2021 WHAT: The talented voices of Steppenwolf's ensemble beamed straight into your home SO WHAT: Steppenwolf NOW is a new virtual programming stream featuring a dynamic and innovative slate of immersive and visual experiences crafted and produced for the virtual platform. Membership will let you experience a one-time screening of the current lineup of six projects each until August 31, 2021. The newest production is Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! NOW WHAT: The membership is $75 and a great way to experience six great shows and support a local institution. The Great Grow Along @ Your home, next to your soon-to-be-thriving home garden, Friday 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm - 3:45pm WHAT: A chance to make your thumb a little greener SO WHAT: The Great Grow Along was a three-day virtual garden festival that will provide gardeners with 40+ hours of sessions with plant pros to help up everyone's growing game! There will be learning tracks to guide you through the talks and they have made the festival's content available on demand to watch at your own pace over the next six months! NOW  WHAT: Tickets are $29.95 for this great collection of gardening talks! Fun Times with Local Museums @ the comfort of your own home, a various collection of websites, whenever you want a little dose of educational fun, All Ages WHAT: A chance to explore and help out some great local museums during these quarantine days SO WHAT: Our incredible Museums editor Mariel Bokor has compiled a great list of interesting programming available from museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, MSI, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium during this stay at home time. It also notes which are closed for the season and how you can help support them during these times! NOW WHAT: Check out our most recent update on what museums are doing as they reopen and continue their online presence!
The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutes @ The Neo Futurists' Patreon, one episode a week, 14+ WHAT: Quick plays online! SO WHAT: The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral! 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutesis the online adaptation of the Neo-Futurists', ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Since live audiences are still a no-no, this is the perfect way to experience this fun project from home! They also just released 45 Plays for America’s First Ladies, a series of 1-5 minute plays that adopt a variety of shapes, tones, and theatrical conventions centered around the lives of the women who have served in the role of First Lady. NOW WHAT: Join the Neo Futurists' Patreon page for either $3, $5, or $9 a week (with added incentives in the higher tiers) and enjoy the 30 plays in an hour every week! Concerts Live-streams and Local Shows Archives @ Your House, Any time you please, All Ages WHAT: There's tons of concerts from Chicago's yesteryear available online for your enjoyment! SO WHAT: Oh My Rockness and Do312 has done a fantastic job of cataloging some of the upcoming live-streams from the awesome musical acts out there! Check out Oh My Rockness' listings here, Do312's roundup of shows here, and tune in to these great shows from the comfort of home! Do312 have also shared some past Chicago shows that are certainly worth of a watch. There are also so many great local concerts recorded for posterity and what better time to check them all out than during this self isolation period. Audiotree has a fantastic and huge list of sessions with links to band's websites and merch to help support them even more. In addition to our previous recommendations like Fran, Tasha, KAINA, Divino Nino, and The Ophelias, we also recommend ROOKIE, Emily Blue, Sen Morimoto, Beach Bunny, Tennis, and Gia Margaret! Then head over to their record concerts from Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and beyond to check out Orville Peck, of Montreal, and so many more! JBTV is also a fantastic resource for sessions from bands that have come through Chicago! Just take a look at this playlist of Blind Melon's '95 set at Metro! NOW WHAT: Stay home, watch some live music, and be sure to check out your favorite artists' social media, you never know who might be live streaming next! Video Games @ Your home PC or Console, As long as it takes, Just check the game rating WHAT: Video-games for all! SO WHAT: Check out our games page for some recommendations of what games to download (and avoid) while we're stuck at home. If you're a PC user, head over to the Epic Games store as they will be releasing a few new FREE games for you to download ! There are also tons of free games on Twitch Prime waiting for you to download! NOW WHAT: Wash your hands and dive head first into some fun games! Bring the Zoo to You @ Brookfield Zoo's Facebook page, when you want to see some animals besides your pets or specifically 11:00am, All Ages WHAT: A great way to make your kids' time at home entertaining and educational NOW WHAT: Join Brookfield Zoo on Facebook every weekday at 11:00am for a "Bring The Zoo To You" Facebook Live featuring one of their animals as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. If you can't make it at 11, that's okay. The video will be saved afterward on Facebook as well as on their YouTube channel. SO WHAT: Just jump in to the chat at their Facebook page to learn something new Ravinia TV @ Ravinia's YouTube Channel, On the best sounding device that can play YouTube channel, Fridays 7:00pm WHAT: Some excellent performances to hold you over during this time of no live concerts SO WHAT: RaviniaTV was a 20-minute weekly variety show webcast on their YouTube channel and Facebook page every Friday. Their first season of the series is over, but all their shows are achieved and ready to re-watch or experience forth e first time! NOW WHAT: Head over to their website and tune in to the show. You can also check out previous episodes of the show Grant Park Music Festival 2020 Virtual Season: Festival Remixed @ YouTube and WFMT, at home with your favorite streaming device, Fridays and Wednesday 6:30pm WHAT: Live music for your free time SO WHAT: This year the Grant Park Music Festival went virtual with plenty of great concerts and events being livestreamed online on YouTube and WFMT (both on their website and FM). You can check out our preview of the season here. While the season is officially over, you can still check out their archive of 2020 shows here! NOW WHAT: Head over to the Festival Remixed website, catch some of the previous shows, and enjoy!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY Masque of the Red Coronavirus! @ Black Button Eyes Productions, Any time on your computer or mobile device. For 18+. WHAT: Written by Black Button Eyes Productions producing artistic director Ed Rutherford, this short satirical piece is available online free as a combined script-and-video experience. SO WHAT: In addition to reading the play, you will see various Chicago artists act out portions of the script on video, recorded remotely. The event includes puppets, burlesque, original music, fire dancing and more in a brief, darkly comedic confection. With the Red Coronavirus running rampant across the countryside and a vaccine still months away, what's a Prince to do? Lock himself in a secure bunker in an undisclosed location along with a cohort of his top donors, of course. To prevent him and his rich supporters from becoming bored, the Prince has also brought a few artists into the bunker to entertain the crowd. But as the hour grows later and the night grows weirder, it's clear that something else has also invaded the party. NOW WHAT: Settle down for an evening of magical weirdness. Click here and begin reading and watching the videos.
Julian Ramirez