Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 2/15 and Beyond

It's a post-Valentine's Day weekend and whether you're keeping the love going or are happy to be done with the holiday, there's a full and fun weekend ahead! There are plenty of markets, shows, and delicious food ready to wow you this weekend! Grab your coat and put on your mask (since COVID numbers are unfortunately rising) and enjoy!

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

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

SPECIAL WINTER EVENTS

THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16

B-sides & Seasides a Chance the Rapper Performance @ Ramova Theatre, 3520 S Halsted St, 6pm, all ages
WHAT: A Chance the Rapper performance at the recently renewed theater owned by Tyler Nevius, Quincy Jones, Jennifer Hudson, and Chance himself.
SO WHAT: This Chance the Rapper show is the perfect opportunity to catch a local icon performing inside a historic venue. The Ramova started off as a Bridgeport movie theaster from 1929 to 1985, before being shuttered and eventually renewed and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $99.50 for this show!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16-18 (& BEYOND)

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!
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $20!  The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral will be continuing til February (and possibly beyond) over at their Patreon

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration @ Argyle & Winthrop, 11:30am- 4pm, all ages
WHAT: Join Uptown United and the local business, nonprofit, and cultural organizations on Argyle Street in 2024 as Uptown continues its annual tradition (going back 40+ years) of celebrating the Lunar New Year!
SO WHAT: Welcome the Year of the Dragon with the Lunar New Year Parade (kick-off at 1pm sharp at Argyle & Winthrop) featuring 20+ local community groups, cultural institutions, dancers and performers!  There will also be some fun pop-ups with family-friendly activities and performances! Check out their website for more details! And of course check out all the amazing art in the area anytime (and for some guidance check out the Uptown Public Art Map)!
NOW WHAT: It’s free!

Best Friends Turn 11 @ Artifact Events, 4325 N Ravenswood, 6pm-11pm
WHAT: Begyle Brewing and Bottles and Cans are throwing a party!
SO WHAT: Celebrate 11 years of brews at Begyle Brewing and Bottles and Cans second annual birthday bash! There will be plenty of beer, cocktails, wine, games, and live music for you to enjoy your Saturday night. There will also be food from some local food trucks and pop ups. Bands will include The Box Band, Salt Sweat Sugar, and Yacht Rockettes!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $65 and will include a commemorative glass!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18

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 Dragon! 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!

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

Chicago Theatre Week @ Various Locations, various times
WHAT: A glorious return of Chicago Theatre Week
SO WHAT: Chicago Theatre Week is meant to give theater-lovers a chance to discover a new theater company in person. This year they are back in person with over 100 performances throughout the city ready to dazzle you with improv, dramas, musicals and more! Check out the lineup of theaters and shows over at their website!
NOW WHAT: Tickets range from $15 to $30 or even less! head out and discover some incredible shows!

2024 Chicago Auto Show, Feb. 10-19

2024 Chicago Auto Show @ McCormick Place, 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, 10:00am -9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Chicago Auto Show is back for another year
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 11 – 20, so indulge in your love of automobiles! Check out our photo gallery of 2021’s show here!
NOW WHAT: Ticket are $17 adults, $12 seniors 62+, $12 for children 4-12, and children 0-3 are free!

Chicago Black Restaurant Week @ Various Locations, Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: Two weeks of this incredible dining opportunity
SO WHAT: Chicago Black Restaurant Week returns with another exciting lineup of local eateries. CBRW  was designed to create a platform for Black-owned eateries inviting foodies to check out our town’s hidden gems and maybe find some new favorite locales in the process.
NOW WHAT: Check out all the participating restaurants on their website and get ready for some great food!

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, various times
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 35mm screenings of Perfect Days, Anselm, To Kill a Tiger, 2024 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts, 2024 Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts, midnight screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, And God Said to Cain, Door, The Room, and more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theatres in the city!

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. Their year may be over, but certainly be on the lookout for updates for next year's season as their website is constantly updated with new talks. 

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

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 The Price Sisters, Brian Conway, Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton, Ruby John, Sean "Mack" McDonald, and many more!
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