Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 8/1 and Beyond

It seems a little crazy but we're at the end of the month! Summer is going by so quickly, but don't let that get you down. There are still plenty of sunny days ahead with fantastic events to fill your time. So start planning your weekend with some incredible concerts, festivals, movies, and so much more!

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

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

THIS WEEKEND!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 - AUGUST 4 (& BEYOND)

Dancing In The Streets 2024 @ Chicago Brewing District, Hubbard Street between Paulina and Wood, Friday 5pm-10pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 10pm
WHAT: A chill and laidback festival amid some of the best breweries in Chicago!
SO WHAT: Dancing In The Streets is the brainchild of On Tour Brewing Company founder, and major jam band fan, Mark Legenza. The fest will feature tons of tasty craft beer and jam bands providing great live music including Terrapin Flyer, Rock & Rye, and more! Breweries will include some Chicago Brewing District brewers serving up some tasty beers throughout the fest! The street festival is kid and pet friendly!
NOW WHAT: There is a $10 suggested donation benefiting West Town Chamber of Commerce and Arts of Life

Sabor Taco & Tequila Fest @ 18th & Blue Island, Friday 5pm-10pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 10pm
WHAT:
A wide assortment of the perfect pairing
SO WHAT: Spend the weekend trying some incredible food and drinks over at the Sabor Taco & Tequila Fest! Try a variety of tequila-based drinks (there will be other tasty drinks as well) while you scarf down some delicious tacos from the best local vendors. There will also be live music throughout the event as well as local art and merch for you to peruse.
NOW WHAT: There is a $5 suggested donation for this fun and savory event!

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, AUGUST 3

Bronzeville Neighborhood Jazz Festival @ Mariano's Bronzeville, S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive between 37th and 38th Streets, Noon - 8:30pm, All Ages
WHAT: Take in some wonderful jazz performances!
SO WHAT: Bronzeville's history with jazz and blues is unparalleled, so this is a great opportunity to celebrate that history with some amazing music! Curated by music producer Frank Goss III, the festival will feature a full day of performance as well as food and drinks from local vendors! This year's musicians include Carlos Cannon, Corey Wilkes and Marqueal Jordan, and the Chris Miskel band.
NOW WHAT: It's free! Don't miss out on this fun festival

Wave Wall Wax & Summer Fireworks @ Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, 5:30pm – 10:10pm
WHAT: Enjoy the spectacle of fireworks and great music 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. Plus before the fireworks the fantastic Wave Wall Wax event will be dishing out some incredible tunes!

  • August 3 | 5:30PM-10PM
    • Gabriel “Rican” Rodriguez, Juan “Too Big” Perez & DJ Cool Carlos
  • August 10 | 5:30PM-10PM
    • Oliver Fade, DJ Film 42 & Janesita B2B Czboogie
  • August 17 | 5:30PM-10PM
    • Axsent, DJ Lego & Charlie Glitch
  • August 24 | 1PM-10PM (LatiNxt)
  • August 31 | 5:30PM-10PM
    • Ron Carroll & Ariana DJ

NOW WHAT: It’s free!  Just make your way to Navy Pier, find a spot, and enjoy the show !

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3

CollectedCon @ Navy Pier Grand Ballroom, 600 E Grand Ave, 600 E Grand Ave, 10am-6pm
WHAT:
Designer toys as far as the eye can see!
SO WHAT: The inaugural CollectedCon will be launching at Navy Pier with a great lineup of designer toys! This event bridges the gap between toys you play with and works of art, combining them into a beautiful and diverse package. You'll get to meet some of the most talented designer toy artists in the world, learn about the process of creating such incredible figures, and purchase some items to add to your collection or maybe even start one!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $30 per day or $50 for the weekend! Children 13 and under entry free

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

Lollapalooza @ Grant Park & Streaming on Hulu, 601 South Michigan Avenue
WHAT:
The over-the-top, too many days of music, is back at Grant Park and streaming safely at home on Hulu
SO WHAT:  Lollapalooza is back in Grant Park with a lineup featuring the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Hozier, Sza, Stray Kids, The Killers, Future X Metro Boomin, Blink-182, Melanie Martinez, Skrillex, and TONS more! If you don’t feel like getting into the usually massive crowds, you can sit back at home and watch selected sets over on Hulu, which is Lollapalooza’s official digital home this year!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available. If you’re opting to stay at home like we are, tune in for some live sets over on Hulu!

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 $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 Longlegs, Didi, The Nature of Love, Crumb Catcher, Glorious (Writer Joshua Hull in Attendance for a Post-Film Q&A), The Linguini Incident, CatVideoFest and midnight screenings of The Warriors 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

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.

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!

Julian Ramirez