We're in the middle of July, arguably the most summery of the summer months, and after that big bout of rain we're in for some hot and humid days! There are so many amazing things to do this weekend from concerts at our favorite venues, great movies throughout the city, markets, art exhibitions, and much more just waiting for you! Don't let these fantastic events pass you by; start planning your perfect weekend in Chicago!
Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!
ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! RIGHT NOW they are showing "REGULARS"A Solo Show by PITR! Plus you can check out some of their prints from their Vertical Gallery collab, which you can purchase here!! There is also a virtual gallery featuring all the works! You can also see "Saturday Morning Fever” featuring the works of Griffin Goodman through their virtual gallery! And don't forget to check out the virtual edition of JC Rivera's new exhibition "Still Undefeated" ! Or the All Decked Out virtual show!
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm!
- Galerie F has a fun stock of prints from concert posters, pop culture prints and more!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stocks and on display in their gallery space!
- WNDR Museum is an ever-evolving immersive art and technology experience designed to ignite your curiosity! See exhibits like the Light Floor, Try to Get Higher, and the Digital Gallery. Plus Keith Haring!
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely!
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely
- “Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future” @ Museum of Science and Industry
- Art on the Mart
- Wonderverse takes popular franchises like Ghostbusters, Bad Boys, and more and puts them together in this immersive venue! Enjoy tons of activities including escape rooms, virtual reality games, racing simulators, and more! Plus there are plenty of themed food and drinks for you to try.
- NOW- 11/30 Green City Market @ Lincoln Park on Saturdays and Wednesdays!
- NOW - 10/31 Chicago: Home of House Exhibit @ Navy Pier
- NOW - 10/27 Wicker Park Farmers Market on Sundays!
- NOW - 10/27 "007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond" @ Museum of Science and Industry
- NOW - 10/27 Wolff's Flea Market @ Allstate Arena on Sundays!
- NOW - 9/2 "Titanic: The Exhibition"
- NOW - 9/2 Rooftop Cinema Club Fulton Market @ The Emily Hotel
- NOW- 9/1 Sportsman’s Club Summer BBQ Series
- NOW - 9/15 Ravinia Festival
- 7/12, 7/27 Roaring Nights @ Brookfield Zoo
- 7/21, 8/18, 9/22 Andersonville Vintage Market
THIS WEEKEND!
- 7/12 - 7/14 G-Fest @ Hyatt Regency O'Hare
- 7/12 - 7/14 Windup Watch Fair @ Venue West
- 7/13 RE:fest @ ReBuilding Exchange
- 7/13 BTN Big 10K @ Soldier Field
- 7/13 - 7/14 EEEEEATSCON @ Salt Shed
- 7/13 - 7/14 Edgewater Greek Fest @ St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church
- 7/13 - 7/14 Bucktown Garden Walk
- 7/13 Amalfi Coast Festa @ Eataly
- 7/13 - 7/14 Southport Arts Festival @ Waveland & Southport
- 7/13 - 10/13 Mercury Canine Cruise
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JULY 12 - JULY 14 (& BEYOND)
Square Roots Festival 2024 @ Lincoln Square, on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson, Friday 5:00pm -10:00pm, Saturday Noon – 10:00pm, Sunday Noon – 9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Lincoln Square’s excellent summer party!
SO WHAT: Join this bustling neighborhood for the Square Roots Festival featuring great food and regional craft beer, as well as unique and exciting market vendors. There will also be some amazing bands and artists from around the world entertaining the crowd on four stages throughout the fest! Artists include X, The New Pornographers, The Big Star Quintet, Jon Spencer, Sinkane, Dos Santos, Neptune's Core, Finom, Lydia Loveless, and more!
NOW WHAT: Square Roots entry is free with a suggested donation is $10
West Fest 2024 @ Chicago Ave. between Damen Avenue and Wood Street, Friday 5:00pm – 10:00pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon – 10:00pm
WHAT: This wonderful fest is perfect for your July weekend!
SO WHAT: Celebrate all of the best of West Town Chicago with a three-day fest filled with plenty of food, vendors, fest areas specifically for kids and pets, and some of the best music you could ask for. West Fest will feature a Bass by the Pound DJ stage and an Empty Bottle-curated stage. The lineup includes Bully, Deeper, Cortex, Bitchin Bajas, Mark Farina, ZEBO, Sam Binga, Derrick Carter, and so many more. Check out the full lineup on their website.
NOW WHAT: A $10 optional donation gets you entry to this family and pet friendly fest! Proceeds benefit local non-profits and the West Town Chamber of Commerce
Jefferson Park Arts & Music Festival aka Jeff Fest @ Jefferson Park, 4822 N Long Ave
WHAT: The 23rd annual Jefferson Park Arts & Music Festival aka JEFF FEST!
SO WHAT: Enjoy all the fun activities and ambiance of Jefferson Park in this three-day festival! You’ll get the chance to enjoy some great bands, tasty foods, and tons of family fun while enjoying the warm Chicago weather!
NOW WHAT: Take in all the great music and more at this great neighborhood fest!
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 & SUNDAY, JULY 13 & 14
Miche Fest @ Oakwood Beach, 4100 S Lake Shore Dr., Noon-10:00pm, all ages
WHAT: A tasty fest in Harrison Park gets a little bigger!
SO WHAT: The beer, food, music, and cultural celebration that is Miche Fest is back at a new location! In addition to plentiful styles of the iconic mixed drink and general festivities, there will also be tons of music throughout the weekend including Kali Uchis, Junior H, Los Angeles Azules, Luiis R Conriquez, and many more!
NOW WHAT: Check out all the details at their website! Single-day tickets start at $169 and three-day passes start at $279
SATURDAY, JULY 13
Chosen Few DJs Picnic and Festival @ Jackson Park, E Hayes Dr & E 63rd St, 8:00am – 10:00pm
WHAT: A full day of great music and more!
SO WHAT: After a pair of digital editions of the fest, Chosen Few DJs Picnic and Festival are returning to an in-person event! The wonderful day will include DJ sets from The Chosen Few DJs Alan King, Andre Hatchett, Jesse Saunders, Mike Dunn, Terry Hunter, Tony Hatchett, and Wayne Williams. There will also be sets from special guests Joe Claussell b2b Timmy Regisford, Jihad Muhammad, Sundance and Neil Pierce along with featured Guest Performers Julie McKnight, Fast Eddie and Jasper Street Company.
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $60 for this amazing outdoor fest! Kids 12 and under are free to enter!
Passport Vibes Street Festival 2024 @ The Promontory, 5311 S Lake Park Ave West, Noon - 10:00pm
WHAT: A fun sample of Afrobeat jams
SO WHAT: The Vibes: Passport Vibes started in April 2018 hosting three popular DJs from different genres and bringing them together to play to one diverse crowd. Expanding that initial experience, this street festival has become an Afrobeats playground. The energetic vibes at the street fest aims to expose more people to the beautiful genre and letting the lifelong lovers of Afrobeat & African music have a fun-filled day to groove. In addition to the local & international DJs, there will be plenty of food and retail vendors, games, photo installations and much more!
NOW WHAT: It's Free!
Summer Fireworks @ Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, 10:00pm – 10:10pm
WHAT: Enjoy the spectacle of fireworks all summer long
SO WHAT: Take a trip to Navy Pier and check out their dazzling display of fireworks! Each show features dramatic and popular music soundtracks with some special occasion soundtracks sprinkled throughout the season. It’s the first fireworks show of the year so kick off summer with this explosive tradition.
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Just make your way to Navy Pier, find a spot, and enjoy the show !
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Windy City Smokeout @ United Center, 1901 W Madison St, Various Times
WHAT: BBQ, beer, and all the country music you could wish for!
SO WHAT: Your favorite country music festival is back at the United Center parking lot for four(!) full days of summer fun! In addition to all the great BBQ from the world’s best pitmasters and beers from fantastic breweries that Windy City Smokeout provides, you’ll get the chance to check out headliners like Thomas Rhett, Parker McCollum, Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood, and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets for Saturday and 4-Day Passes are sold out but the other days are still available!
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!
- 7/11 -Mean Girls (2004)- 8:45pm
- 7/12 - Shrek - 8:45pm
- 7/12 - Friday the 13th - 11pm
- 7/13 - The Notebook - 8:45pm
- 7/13 - Scream (The Original) - 11pm
- 7/14 - Jurassic Park - 8:45pm
- 7/6 - Scream (the Original!) - 11pm
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $35 per car for these movies, so bring the family for a safe movie watching experience
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 like Kinds of Kindness, MaXXXine, Gamer, Mantrap, Looney Tunes on 35mm and more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theatres in the city!
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
- July 11 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM, and SAM SELBY @ Schubas FREE
- July 11 - 53 Thieves + Rachel Ana Dobken @ Schubas
- July 11 - The Family Crest + Jane Hobson @ Lincoln Hall
- July 12 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: DJ MR DR + Limited Hangout @ Schubas
- July 12 - Winnetka Bowling League + Caroline Baniewicz + Akira Galaxy @ Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
- July 12 - wht.rbbt.obj + 50K Check + Creaturefight @ Schubas
- July 13 - Cut Your Losses + Truss + Inpo @ Schubas
- July 13 - Cox n' Crendor @ Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
- July 14 - Rain Garden Release Show + Adelaide + The Blank Stairs @ Schubas
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
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.
- 9/29 aja monet @ Thalia Hall
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!
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