Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 2/10 and Beyond

We're all looking for something to do on the weekend, especially with pandemic numbers slowing down and it feeling a little more normal to go out. Stores, restaurants, and venues still have mask and vaccination requirements, but things are changing rapidly. If you still don't feel entirely safe to go out (and quite honestly, who can blame you?) you can always stay in and support these places from home. But if you do plan to go out this weekend, make sure you check out the venue's policies and take initiative. Wear a mask, social distance, and get your vaccination shots and your booster even if the venue/event is lax. Protect yourself and those around you. Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10th & 11th

Cosmic Country Showcase @ The Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave, 9:00pm, 21+ WHAT: Take an interstellar trip to where country jams and psychedelic vibes meet SO WHAT: Escape the typical Valentine’s plans and head to the Hideout for one of our favorite series: the Cosmic Country Showcase! This time around they’ll be visiting the Planet of Love alongside incredible performers like Wyatt Waddell, Sabine McCalla, Elizabeth Moen, Dylan Bragassa, and Skyler Higgley. Oh let’s not forget the Cosmic Country Band featuring Sima Cunningham, Spencer Tweedy, Liam Kazar, Sullivan Davis, and Dorian Gehring, and the queer country crooner and host himself Andrew Sa. NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 for this lovey dovey affair! Thursday tickets are available here and Friday tickets here!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10th

Photo by Shawn Brackbill The War on Drugs: Live DRUGS @ Chicago Theatre, 175 N State St , 7:00pm, $35 WHAT: Fantastic rockers are back for more! SO WHAT: In a time where rock feels like it's a little lost, The War on Drugs are providing some excellent tracks that embody the wide spectrum of the genre. Back with I Don’t Live Here Anymore, their first album in four years, The War on Drugs are sure to have the Chicago Theatre rocking out this evening. NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $35 and are going fast! Friday night is already sold out so don’t miss out on this great show.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th

photo by Julian Ramirez
Nora O’Connor & Soft Opening @ Fitzgerald’s, 6615 W Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, 7:00pm, 21+ WHAT: Some amazing Chicago musicians all in one place SO WHAT: Nora O’Connor has carved out a nice spot for herself in the Chicago music scene. Whether it’s solo, with bands like The Blacks and The Flat Five, or just collaborating with the likes of Kelly Hogan and more, O’Connor is a true Chicago gem. Joining her this evening will be Soft Opening, a dream team of local musicians making the soft rock sounds you yearn for! NOW WHAT: Tickets are only $10!
Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ ​Fulton Street Collective & Their YouTube channel, 1821 W. Hubbard St, Suite 307, or the coziest spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: Some excellent jazz for your evening SO WHAT: Fulton Street Collective are back with in-person events, but they are still determined to give Chicago its much needed dose of jazz at home! Most of their shows are also streaming so you can see and hear the beautiful music on their YouTube channel! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective. NOW WHAT: The shows are free! Also you should definitely support Fulton Street Collective by becoming a member!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11th & 12th

62nd Annual University of Chicago Folk Festival @ UC Folk Fest Website, the folkiest spot in your home, Livestreamed shows – 7:00pm, Workshops Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm, All Ages WHAT: Livestreamed folk for your weekend SO WHAT: Another festival goes digital, this time it’s University of Chicago Folk Festival giving everyone a chance to experience some fantastic folk music at 7:00pm! Performers will include Jesse Legé and Friends, Perizat Kopobaeva, the Kevin Prater Band; Chirps Smith, Fred Campeau, and Steve Rosen; Taildragger & the All-Stars, Kennedy’s Kitchen, and Lone Piñon! There will also be workshops on Saturday, which you can register for here. The workshops run from 10:00am – 5:00pm! NOW WHAT: Shows and workshops are free! We highly encourage you to donate to help support this fantastic folk festival at the Folklore Society’s website!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11th - 13th

ChiTown Movies @ Pilsen Neighborhood, 2343 S. Throop St, Various Times, All Ages WHAT: An old school experience for the modern age SO WHAT: Take a trip back in time and head out to a drive-in movie with ChiTown Movies. Ever since the pandemic started and shut down traditional movie screening, a few pop up drive-ins have arrived and ChiTown Movies has persevered, offering up modern movies in this retro setting. Check out their lineup below for showings this weekend and in the future! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $33 per car for these movies, so bring the family for a safe movie watching experience

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12th

Handmade Market Chicago @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, Noon - 4:30pm WHAT: Shopping, eating, and drinking all in one place SO WHAT: Grab some food next door at Bite Cafe, maybe a drink from the Empty Bottle Bar, and start shopping the Handmade Market Chicago! They will bring over 30 makers of beautiful and unique items to the Empty Bottle! Join in and see what all the sellers will have to offer. You can check out some of the sellers that will be featured over on their Facebook page. NOW WHAT: This event as always is free!
Warrior Wrestling 19 @ Cicero Stadium, 1909 S Laramie Ave, 6:30pm, All Ages WHAT: Some insanely good wrestling a little closer to the city this time around! SO WHAT: Pro Wrestling is going through a renaissance and Warrior Wrestling is a perfect example of it. Some amazingly talented performers including Thunder Rosa, Athena, Skye Blue, WARHORSE, Bandido, Dante Martin, The Briscoe Brothers and many more will be putting on one hell of a show! NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $40! If you don’t feel like going out top the event, you can watch it on FITE.tv for $19.99! Go catch some of the best pro wrestling talent out there!
Virgil Abloh Mural Unveiling @ Time Out Market Chicago, 916 W Fulton Market, 6:30pm WHAT: A tribute to one of Illinois’ own SO WHAT: Virgil Abloh has been an icon in the art, fashion and music world year and his death late last year left an immense void. His work has reached heights that few expected but so richly deserved, leaving an undeniable mark on the world. To celebrate his life artist Rahmaan Statik and Time Out Market Chicago will unveil a mural dedicated to Abloh at the venue. The evening will also feature a panel discussion with the mural’s artist and a DJ set from Mike Slugs. NOW WHAT: Admission to the event is free!  The event will be accepting donations to the Virgil Abloh™“Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which aims to “foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to students of academic promise of Black, African-American, or African descent.”

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12th & 13th

The Neo-Futurists' The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7:00pm, 16+ WHAT: Quick plays live and online! SO WHAT: The Neo-Futurists are back! Their Infinite Wrench is an  ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Now it's actually a live audience that will be enjoying the performance in person! With plenty of COVID precautions in place, you'll be able to enjoy the funny, disgusting, profound, terrifying, irreverent, and downright entertaining show with friends! Plan ahead as vaccination cards will be checked and booster will be required to be fully vaccinated. NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $10! Head over to their website to see all they have planned now that in-person audiences are a thing again! If you're still a little anxious about going out, The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral will be continuing til February (and possibly beyond) over at their Patreon!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13th

Valentine’s Market @ The Plant, 1400 W 46th St, 11:00am – 3:00pm, All Ages WHAT: A little Valentine’s Weekend market to help grow your love SO WHAT: Head over to the The Plant as they will be hosting a Valentine’s Day Market with a great lineup of local vendors and small businesses offering up some perfect gifts for your loved one! Plus the Turtle Shop will be open with bonus hours with more gift option and Whiner’s taproom will be open for beers and Le Pizza kitchen will be slinging delicious pizzas. Check out the full lineup of vendors and pre-order goodies over at their event page. NOW WHAT: Entry to the market is free!  Just mask up and get ready to shop! Tarot-Inspired Valentine’s Pop Up @ Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave, Noon - 5:00pm, WHAT: Get everything set for Valentines Day SO WHAT: Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Hideout with a fun tarot-inspired market featuring great local artists and tons to do! You can taste some wines, have your cards read, and pick up that perfect gift for your significant other! NOW WHAT: It’s Free! A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Midwest Access Coalition.
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!
Lunar New Year Celebration @ Chinatown, 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, All Ages WHAT: Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Chicago’s Chinatown! SO WHAT: Take part in this wonderful tradition in Chinatown as the community gathers to celebrate the Year of the Tiger! The parade will begin at the intersection of 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue and travel north on Wentworth towards the viewing stand at Cermak and Wentworth.  This magnificent cultural display will feature traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, colorful floats, marching bands and marching groups. NOW WHAT: It’s Free! Violent Valentines @ B House Live, 1000 N Rohlwing Rd, Lombard, 1:30pm, All Ages WHAT: A little matinee wrestling show SO WHAT: Spend your midday indulging in one of the funnest types of live events you can imagine! Zelo Pro Wrestling will be dishing out some hard-hitting matches at B House Live  featuring their Women's Champion Jordynne Grace, Zelo Pro Champion GPA, Kylie Rae, Trish Adora, Warhorse, Davey Richards and more! NOW WHAT: General admission is $20 for adults, $5 for children (2-11).

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND

WHAT: Chicago Auto Show is back SO WHAT:Head out to McCormick Place to see the latest vehicles, experience added outdoor test tracks, or take a test drive on city streets! It’s North America’s largest auto show and will be open to the public February 10 – 21, so indulge in your love of automobiles! Check out our photo gallery of last year’s show here! NOW WHAT:Ticket are $15 adults, $10 seniors 62+ and $10 for children 12 & under! Masks are required for all attendees age 2 and over, except when eating and drinking. Proof of COVID-19 vaccine will not be required for admission. However, designated areas will be set up for the consumption of food and beverage and proof of COVID-19 vaccine will be required for entry into those areas. Weekend Shows @ Lincoln Hall & Schubas, 2424 N Lincoln Ave & 3159 N Southport Ave, various times, 18+ WHAT: A full weekend of amazing shows at Schubas! SO WHAT: Lincoln Hall and Schubas are some of our favorite venues in the city and they always have something great going on. Check out what's going this weekend at these great venues! NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows! Please note: proof of vaccination is required for entry to all shows at Lincoln Hall and Schubas in Chicago. Click here for more information on this policy. Winterland @ Gallagher's Way, 3635 N Clark St, Various times, All Ages WHAT: Some more winter festivities SO WHAT: Just because the holiday season is over doesn't mean you can't still have some winter time fun. Gallagher Way's Winterland is still offering up some great events over the weekend with Curling lessons on Thursday and ice skating Friday and beyond! NOW WHAT: Ice Skating admission is free for kids 12 and under, $6 for those 13+, and skate rental is $12. You can find more information at their website!

Back on the Big Screen and Virtual Cinema @ Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Ave and 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 theater experience this weekend with Licorice Pizza (Thursday only), Jeen-yuhs (Thursday only), Out of the Blue (Thursday only), The Worst Person in the World, Compartment No. 6, the first weekend of the Highs and Lows series and more! But if you want to watch some first-run movies at home, you can still watch great movies and support them online! They are currently screening films via their The Music Box Direct series! There are also tons of select titles available on their new platform! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, in person screenings vary, so sit back and enjoy! Remember that a physical/digital vaccination card is required for entrance!
New Talks and Video Archives @ Various Locations & Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people! SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival always bring some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Be on the lookout for the upcoming season as their website is constantly updated with new talks. They just announced their first talk of the new year!  Click the link below for more details! 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 2022.
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!!
Concerts Livestreams 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 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! 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