Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 11/30 and Beyond

Start your final month of the year right with all the fun things going on this weekend! Tons of events are going on like concerts, movies, plays, markets, and so much more! Don't let the chilly temps scare you away, go out and enjoy the winter festivities!

Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

SPECIAL WINTER EVENTS

THIS WEEKEND ONLY

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24

Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along @ Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., 6:00pm – 7:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Sing out and celebrate Chicago’s diverse holiday traditions
SO WHAT: The new Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along series near Cloud Gate (previously “Caroling at Cloud Gate”) will invite Chicagoans and visitors to come together and sing their hearts out. This series has been reimagined to be more inclusive of Chicago’s many faith backgrounds, cultures and holiday music traditions. Each night will feature a different theme and musical group. Tonight will feature Northeastern Illinois University
NOW WHAT: It’s free!  Head over to their website for more info!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 & 2 (& BEYOND)

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, DECEMBER 2

Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) performs the festive Winter Glow concert at Chicago Symphony Center. This concert will showcase Uniting Voices singers from across Chicago harmonizing an enchanting mix of original songs, classical works, winter hits and music from around the world. The incredible harmonies of Uniting Voices youth will get you tapping your feet and feeling all the joys of the season! 

Choirs will sing a wide-ranging set featuring classics like “This Christmas,” the traditional Hebrew folk song “El Yivneh Hagalil,” the anti-apartheid South African song “Asimbonanga,” an Arabic peace song “Ya Hadi Allah,” and Uniting Voices’ latest single “Go Tell It, a high octane track that reconceptualizes the holiday classic. Proceeds from the concert will support Uniting Voices Chicago, a nonprofit organization that empowers and unites thousands of youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music. Kick off the season with a blast of cheer for the whole family at this spectacular matinee!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1-3 (& BEYOND)

Holiday Magic @ Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St (1st Avenue and 31st Street), Brookfield, 3:00pm – 9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Add some holiday cheer to your zoo visit!
SO WHAT: Celebrate the holiday season as over two million lights wrap around Brookfield Zoo! Holiday Magic lets attendees explore the zoo as the synchronized lights dance to the music. You’ll have fun discovering all the enormous illuminated animal structures, taking a trip to the skating rink, riding on the Carousel, taking some special holiday photos, and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $29.95 for adults 12- 64, $20.95 for children ages 3 – 11,  $24.95 for Seniors. Parking is $15.18

The Neo-Futurists' The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and 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!
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $15! 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, DECEMBER 3

Chicago Vinyl Connection 021 @ Whiner Beer Company, 1400 W 46th St, Noon – 5:00pm,
WHAT: A vinyl popup at a great brewery
SO WHAT: Chicago Vinyl Connection capping off their 2023 with a nice lineup of vendors selling some choice slabs of wax at a brand new location! Presented by Miyagi Records, South Rhodes Records, Beverly Phono Mart, and Community Cannabis, this vinyl market will feature amazing record dealers like A1 Records + CDs, Groove Thang, Jay Too Pinwheel Records, Roger's Records, Shady Rest, Tropicalazo! While you look for a hidden gem or have a drink at the bar you can enjoy some DJ sets from DJ Cruz, Kida Darling, Kinky P, Sonido del Wero, and Twelve Gage!
NOW WHAT: Entry is free!

Angel Olsen with Kara Jackson, Natural Information Society & Joanna Sternberg @ Thalia Hall, 1807 S Allport St, 7:00pm, 17+
WHAT: Two amazing musicians performing at an amazing venue!
SO WHAT: Angel Olsen is a bonafide treasure and every show tends to be special. This weekend she will be taking over Thalia Hall for three nights of gorgeous voices and amazing instrumentation alongside Kara Jackson on Friday, Natural Information Society on Saturday, and Joanna Sternberg on Sunday.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are going quickly so head over to Thalia Hall's website and grab some before they disappear.

Chicago Humanities: 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 brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Be on the lookout for updates to the current season as their website is constantly updated with new talks.  Here is a taste of what's coming up!

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 2023

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

Light Up the Lake @ Navy Pier, 600 E Grand, Various times, All ages
WHAT: Winter festivities without all the cold!
SO WHAT: Navy Pier will be putting on Chicagoland’s biggest indoor, temperature-controlled winter celebration! Light Up the Lake will feature a light garden, featuring large-scale light-sculpture displays; an Alpine ice rink, kiddie train rides, gift market—and, of course, a chance to visit with SANTA!
NOW WHAT: It's free but there are ticketed activities ranging from $5 to $20.

Winterland @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St, various times, All Ages
WHAT: Some more winter festivities
SO WHAT: Enjoy the return of Gallagher Way’s Winterland with the fun expanding into Wrigley Field itself!! Enjoy fun rides (Wintertube, Infield Express, Hot Cocoa Cups, and Winter Whirl), games (Chimney Toss, Tree Topper, and Snow Pitch), and of course the usual ice skating, ice bumper cars, and the Christkindlmarket will be on hand!
NOW WHAT: Entry to the Wrigley Field portion starts at $5 and attraction tickets are $4 (10 for $36 & 20 for $69)! Ice Skating + Skate Rental is 5 attraction tickets or $20, rink access only is 3 tickets or $12.

ZooLights @ Lincoln Park Zoo, pedestrian entrance at Stockton Drive and Webster Street, 4:30pm – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: One of the largest displays of the season’s lights!
SO WHAT: ZooLights, presented By ComEd and Invesco QQQ,  at Lincoln Park Zoo makes the most wonderful time of year even better with the most wonderful lighting event. The one-of-a-kind experience offers fun family-oriented holiday celebrations that feature beautiful  displays and incredible seasonal activities all under the glow of millions of lights! Check out their event page for a full rundown of all the fun that is waiting for you at the annual ZooLights event!
NOW WHAT: Entry is free on Mondays, $7 on most other weeknights and Sundays, and Fridays and Saturdays are $10! Tickets for the Winter Experiences are additional.

Christkindlmarket @ Daley Plaza (50 W Washington St) & Gallagher Way (3635 N Clark St) & RiverEdge Park (360 N. Broadway, Aurora), Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: The Chicago Christmas time tradition is back in person!
SO WHAT: After going digital last year, Christkindlmarket is back with all the familiar foods, music, and ornaments you expect! Head over to their website for info on special events, hours, and more!
NOW WHAT: It’s free! But if you want to skip the lines and take home one of those Souvenir Mugs you can buy an advance fast pass for $25

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 and Lincoln Hall!
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!

Movies on the Big Screen and Home @ 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 ready to fill that art house need in you with some excellent movies including The Holdovers, Fallen Leaves, The Sound of Music Sing-a-Long; Silent Night, Deadly Night; Linnea Quigley’s Horror Workout. Rocky Horror Picture Show and more! But if you want to watch some first-run movies at home, you can still watch great movies online! The theater's sister company, Music Box Films, offers a wide range of films available to stream any time via The Music Box Direct series! There are also tons of select titles available on their new platform!
NOW WHAT: Digital subscription is $4.99 a month, $49.99 a year, in person screenings vary, so sit back and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GET699ZC7eM

University of Chicago Folk Festival @ Your favorite spot in your home, All Ages
WHAT: A fantastic folk festival
SO WHAT: University of Chicago Folk Festival might have come and gone but their digital presence is still around, making sure the wonderful music reaches as many people as possible! You can check out the past few years of performances on their Facebook page and their YouTube channel any time you want! This past year's performers included Balfa Toujours, Donka & Nikolay Kolev, Juan Rivera, Henry Barnes & Conner Vlietstra, Po' Ramblin' Boys, Jerron Paxton; Tim Britton, John Williams and Katie Grennan!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their Facebook page and their YouTube channel and enjoy the show! We highly encourage you to donate to help support this fantastic folk festival!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY&t=3s

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 watch this fun piece!

Julian Ramirez