It's a bit of a bittersweet weekend as this was typically the time of year when Pitchfork Music Festival would be taking over Union Park. However last year's edition was unceremoniously the indie rock staple's last year in Chicago. Our writer Aviv Hart had a few things to say about one of our favorite festivals going away. But let's not fret too much since this weekend is chock full of markets, festivals, concerts, movies and so much more ready to entertain and get you in high spirits!
Let's get on with your 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 Dead Presidents! 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!
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stock 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.
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens! See what current exhibits are on display now.
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens
- 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.
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!
- 7/17 - 7/20 Highwood Days With Taste of Highwood
- 7/18 Roaring Nights @ Brookfield Zoo
- 7/18 - 7/19 Naper Nights @ Naperville Settlement
- 7/18 - 7/19 Taste of River North
- 7/19 Taste of Pullman Park
- 7/19 Jarvis Square Music & Art Festival @ Rogers Park
- 7/19 - 7/20 Glencoe Festival of Art
- 7/20 Voyage en France @ Wheaton
- 7/20 Dearborn Garden Walk
THURSDAY, JULY 17 (& BEYOND)
Taco Crawl @ 6950 N. Clark St., 3:00pm to 6:00pm
WHAT: Celebrate the delicious culinary masterpiece that is TACOS!
SO WHAT: This taco-themed food crawl will let you experience a huge variety of filled tortilla goodness! The crawl will take place along two fantastic routes, allowing you to partake from some incredible participating restaurants serving their signature tacos! Check out the full lineup of restaurants over at their website!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $35! Online sales are sold out, but there will be a limited number of tickets the day of the event! Tickets can be purchased in person on Thursday, July 17 starting at 3 p.m. at 6950 N. Clark St First come, first served!
Rockin’ in the Park @ Parkway Bank Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont
WHAT: A long lineup of great bands ready to rock
SO WHAT: Rockin’ in the Park will take over Parkway Bank Park for 18 shows full of fun tribute bands and rock-focused bands. Then after the shows enjoy a musical fireworks display (except on Fridays)!
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Head out and enjoy the shows!
FRIDAY, JULY 18 (& BEYOND)
Horner Brew Fest 2025 @ Horner Park, 2741 W Montrose Ave., 6:00pm – 10:00pm
WHAT: Brews for a good cause
SO WHAT: Horner Brew Fest is a beer-centric fest bringing tons of incredible breweries, food trucks and live music from Bumpus all to support the sustainability initiatives of the Horner Park Advisory Council! Enjoy the warm weather, over 40 varieties of beer, and great festivities as they raise sufficient funds to treat and preserve 79 critically endangered ash trees!
NOW WHAT: Tickets will be $58.40 and include a tasting glass and samples from all the breweries! There are also $15 tickets for designated drivers!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JULY 18 - JULY 20 (& BEYOND)
West Fest 2025 @ 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 Les Savy Fav, Edging, Narrow Head, Mavi, Bianca Oblivion, Hiroko Yamamura, 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
El Gran Festival Colombiano – Chicago 2025 @ Humboldt Park, 3100 W North Ave, Friday 3pm –10pm, Saturday 1pm – 10pm, Sunday Noon – 10pm
WHAT: A celebration of Colombian culture
SO WHAT: Head over to the Northeastern Illinois campus to experience Colombia’s culture from its cuisine, dance, its cumbia and vallenato music. Enjoy the explosive colors, festival carnival costumes, wonderful music and joyous celebrations. El Gran Festival Colombiano will have a live main stage with international artists (including Elder Dayan Diaz, Lucas Dangond, Tony Succar, Grupo Gale, and more), food, drinks,and plenty of fun for the whole family!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are available now!
Renegade Craft Fair @ Wicker Park, Division Street between Damen and Ashland, 11:00pm – 7:00pm, all ages
WHAT: A craft fair focused on independent makers!
SO WHAT: Hundreds of independent crafters and makers will be at Renegade Craft Fair celebrating DIY spirit for two amazing days! With a sprawling 250+ makers, it's sure to be a great one! Head over to their event page for a full vendor list and more info!
NOW WHAT: The event is free and open to the public, but there is a suggested entry of $5 The contribution supports Renegade Craft’s vision of an accessible, equitable, & inclusive creative economy for all.
Tacos y Tamales Festival @ Pilsen, Ashland & Blue Island., Friday 5pm – 10pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon – 10:00pm, , All Ages
WHAT: Some Latin American staples highlighted in this fun fest
SO WHAT: Discover authentic and delicious tacos and tamales from several regions of Latin America at this great looking street festival. In addition to all the great food you’ll get a chance to experience local art installations, buy some goods from vendors, and enjoy some Latin music and dance performances! And let’s not forget a nice beer garden from Modelo!
NOW WHAT: Donations are encouraged and benefit the local community organizations Pilsen.
Roscoe Village Burger Fest @ Belmont and Damen, 2000 W Belmont Ave, Friday 5:00pm – 10:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 11:00am – 10:00pm, all ages
WHAT: Fire up the grills for a good ole burger party!
SO WHAT: Roscoe Village Burger Fest returns for its 18th mouth-watering year of delicious burgers! This year’s vendors include Aussom Aussie BBQ, Byron’s Hot Dogs, Bust Outs, Epic Burger, Cheesie’s Pub & Grub, Chicago Dog House, Fatso’s Last Stand, Lola’s Coney Island, Reclaimed Bar & Restaurant, Reggies Chicago, Robinson’s, The StopAlong , and Tandoor Char House. Add in two stages of music featuring (Trippin Billies, 16 Candles, and more), arts and crafts, and the action-packed “Kids Zone” area, and you got yourself a certified good time! Weekend visitors even have the opportunity to vote for Chicago’s Best Burger!
NOW WHAT: The $10 suggested donation benefits the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce.
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' Infinite Wrench is an ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience.
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $15-20! The Infinite Wrench and more is also available over at their Patreon!
SATURDAY, JULY 19
Volleywood @ North Avenue Beach, 1600 North Lake Shore Drive, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, 21+
WHAT: A 2-day beachfront music festival
SO WHAT: Immerse yourself in Volleywood, a day full of Chicago’s skyline views, breezy beats, full-service bars, and local food. The festival will feature music from Claptone, Hayden James, Beachcrimes, and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are available now for this fun beach affair!
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 19 & 20
Ravenswood on Tap @ Ravenswood Corridor, Ravenswood and Berteau Avenues, Saturday Noon – 10pm, Sunday Noon – 8pm,
WHAT: Craft brew from Malt Row!
SO WHAT: Discover some new drinks or enjoy old favorites at Ravenswood on Tap! You’ll get the chance to try brews from Malt Row including some special tappings, experience some KOVAL Distillery cocktails, test your skills at some axe throwing, live music, local artisans, and some of Chicago’s favorite food vendors. Live music acts include Toronzo Cannon & Joanna Connor , She's Crafty, Serengeti, The Microphone Misfitz, Punk’d,and more! Check out the full details of this excellent street fest at their website!
NOW WHAT: There is a suggested donation of $10 to enter the event which benefits small business support and community programming from the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (501c6), and public art and placemaking projects from the Ravenswood Community Council (501c3).!
The 6th Annual Illinois Hot Sauce Expo @ Louis Joliet Mall, 3340 Mall Loop Dr, 11:00am – 11:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: The intersection of tasty pleasure and indescribable pain
SO WHAT: Come to The IL Hot Sauce Expo 2025 for two days of fiery foods to get the ultimate endorphin rush. The weekend promises to be like no other. There will be hot sauce tastings from around the world, an epic amount of challenges including the Guinness Book of Records Reaper Eating Contest, wrestling, craft beers, specialty cocktails & tons more! Check out everything going on at this devilish tasty event!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are available now! General admission is $10! The Craft Beer Package includes 3 Craft Beer Tokens, Limited Edition Expo Poster & Bottle of High River Hot Sauce for $35! The Ultimate VIP pass includes an All-Access Back Stage Pass into their exclusive VIP area, which features an open bar with cocktails and spirit/craft beer tastings, Limited Edition Expo Poster & Bottle of hot sauce, & VIP Gift bag stuffed with sponsorship goodies for $75!
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & 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 at their website for showings this weekend and in the future!
- 7/17 Grease 8:30pm
- 7/17 Halloween (the 1978 Original!) 10:45pm
- 7/18 The Notebook 8:30pm
- 7/18 Night of the Living Dead (The Original) 10:45pm
- 7/19 Ferris Bueller's Day Off 8:45pm
- 7/19 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 10:30pm
- 7/20 Shrek 8:45pm
- 7/20 Scream (The Original!) 10:30pm
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 17 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM, and SAM SELBY @ Schubas FREE
- July 17 - Home Entertainment + Time Room + Dogcatcher @ Schubas
- July 18- Jacob On The Moon Album Release Show + Naked Brunch + Bird X Butterfly @ Schubas
- July 18 - House Calls Presents: House Calls + NOYA + Rika B + Virago @ Lincoln Hall
- July 18 -Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Hungu + PCPETE @ Schubas
- July 19 -How Long Gone @ Lincoln Hall
- July 20 - Girls Rock! Chicago Girls Rock! Chicago End-of-Camp Extravaganza @ Lincoln Hall
- July 20 - 4x4 Animal Style + Pool Hall + Leo Paterniti @ Schubas
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 movie theater
SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre recently underwent some great renovations,and it's ready for all your movie needs with some excellent films like The Phoenician Scheme, In the Mood for Love, Kill the Jockey, 2025 Cinema Femme Short Film Fest, Eddington, Sex, Love, & Liberation: The Films of Arthur J. Bressan, Jr., The Big Picture, Alligator, Eephus (Actor/pitcher Bill Lee and co-writer/actor Nate Fisher in attendance for a post-film Q&A moderated by Matt Spiegel, host of 670 The Score), Rocky Horror Picture Show, Rats: Night of Terror, and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theaters 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. There's tons of talks going on this season, so head over to their website which is constantly updated with new talks. And be sure to check out their podcast Chicago Humanities Tapes, which features conversations with some of their best presenters and other great humanities-minded minds! Take a look at some of their upcoming events below:
Check out their talk "Edward Burns Shares a Pint with Chicago" below!
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 2025
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 bohola – Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders; Rhys Jones, Joseph Decosimo & Nokosee Fields; The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee; Nathan Gourley, Laura Feddersen, and Brian Miller; T'Monde; Izaki Metropoulos, Sophia Metropoulos Laouto & Geroge Lawler; Gabe Carter, 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!
