Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 9/26 and Beyond

It's the end of the month, so let's get all the last bit of Septemeber energy out before we venture into the scary October vibes! There are tons of markets, concerts, great movies, and plenty of wonderful literary events (highlighted by our own Elizabeth Niarchos Neukirch) throughout the weekend! So while the temps may be going down, the events are as high as ever! And don't forget to check out our Riot Fest coverage including huge photo galleries from Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

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

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

THIS WEEKEND!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 - 29 (& BEYOND)

Cold Waves Festival XII @ Metro, 3730 N. Clark St.

WHAT: A synthy three nights at the Metro!

SO WHAT: Cold Waves is an annual celebration of synth-punk, industrial, and intense music beyond those labels. This iteration of the fest will feature DRAB MAJESTY, SRSQ, KORINE, URBAN HEAT, MALE TEARS, and CARRELLEE!

NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available!

The Neo-Futurists’ The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7pm, 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, SEPTEMBER 28

Liquid Dreams: Marz 10 Year Anniversary Party @ Marz Community Brewing, 3630 S Iron St, 4pm - 11:59pm
WHAT: Celebrate a decade of amazing brews
SO WHAT: Don't miss this special anniversary party of Marz Community Brewing's 10th year! there will be plenty of drinks, amazing food (from the likes of Chicago Secret Burger, Ćevapčići Chicago, Seb’s Snacks and Taco Sublime) and magical live music curated by International Anthem. Lineup includes Booker Stardrum, Josh Johnson, Jeremiah Chiu / Marta Honer, Anna Butterss, and a SPECIAL SUPER SECRET Quartet! There will also be guest breweries on hand, art and music vendors from Members of the Buddy System, and music in the taproom the whole time from the Lumpen Radio DJs.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 and includes a tasting glass and drink token. VIP tickets are $45 and includes a Tasting Glass, 6 tasting tokens, a bottle of their Ten Sour Foeder Aged Saison, a Marz 10 Years Tote Bag/ or Silk Screened Shirt, Luke Pelletier Matchbook, and Mystery Swag.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 & 29

The 18th Annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival @  Various locations around Hyde Park, Saturday 1:00am-11:59pm, Sunday 1:00pm– 7:00pm
WHAT: Some beautiful music throughout Hyde Park
SO WHAT: The Hyde Park Jazz Festival is back in its original form. As always, there is an amazing lineup featuring the likes of Natural Information Society Community Ensemble with Ari Brown, The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective, Brandee Younger & Courtney Bryan, The Chicago WIndy City Ramblers, Mai Sugimoto Trio and so many more! Check out their full schedule over at their website!
NOW WHAT: There is a suggested donation of $10, but the shows are always meant to be free! So donate some cash, keep this wonderful fest alive, and enjoy the show!

Half Acre Beer Co Vintage & Artisan Market @ Half Acre Brewery Balmoral @ 2050 W Balmoral Ave, 1pm - 7pm
WHAT: Some brews and vendors for your last weekend in September
NOW WHAT: Head over to Half Acre Beer Co for a huge Artisan Market! There will be over 120 vendors offering unique vintage items, artisan works, delicious food, and so much more!
SO WHAT: Event is free to attend, all ages, and pets are allowed in the outdoor portion of the event! Plus free Red Bulls while supplies last!

Randolph Street Market Festival @ 1341 W Randolph St., 10am – 5pm
WHAT: This fun street market is back for a fall affair for their 20th year
SO WHAT: Celebrate the  Randolph Street Market Festival where you can experience incredible vendors with a wide variety of items perfect for the fall season! Shop for vintage and antique items while enjoying a drink and the live music playing throughout the market!
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $12, which are good for both days and go up with a nice selection of tiers including drink packages, totes, and more!

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

World Music Festival Chicago @ Various Locations, Various Times
WHAT: A little taste of music from around the world
SO WHAT: World Music Festival Chicago brings award-winning artists from around the world to share their amazing music for this citywide, multi-venue festival. Across 10 days and 11 venues, the World Music Festival Chicago will feature artists from all over the world This is their 24th year of live, in-person performances, and they will also be celebrating 12 years of Ragamala, the largest all-night-long presentation of live Indian classical music in the United States.
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Head over to their website to check out this year’s schedule and RSVP for all the shows you want to see!

Reeling: the Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival @ Music Box Theatre (opening night only) – 3733 N Southport Ave; Chicago Filmmakers – 1326 W Hollywood Ave; & Landmark Century Centre Cinema - 2828 N Clark St, various times
WHAT:This LGBTQ+-focused festival returns in both in-person theater screenings and online!
SO WHAT: Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival is the second longest-running film festival of its kind, showcasing the best LGBTQ+ films and videos each year. The festival always delivers a great range of films from award-winning international feature films to social documentaries to experimental shorts. Since things are a little better now, there will be both in person screenings and events in addition to the streaming options from the last couple of years. Head over to their website for more info!
NOW WHAT: See info on all the ticket options  and passes here. Individual tickets for the Landmark Theater and Chicago Filmmakers screenings are $15 and a Full In Person pass is $150! Tickets for the Opening Night at Music Box Theatre are $15 for the film, $50 for the film and pre-party. Single film streaming tickets are $11 and an all-access streaming pass is $80.  Virtual film screenings are September 27 through October 6.

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 recently underwent some great renovations,and are ready for all your movie needs u with some excellent films like The Substance, In the Summers, Chicago International Film Festival Presents: BIG ART FILMS, Caligula: The Ultimate Cut with Producer and Re-constructionist Thomas Negovan in attendance for a post-film Q&A, midnight screenings of The Spongebob Squarepants Movie and Party Monster and more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theatres in the city!

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

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