Guess that cool front was just a little blip of refreshing weather as the next week is going to be filled with 80+ temps! All the better for all the outdoor festivals and shows taking place. Plus there are plenty of indoor activities if the late summer heat is a little too much to endure.
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! Right Now they're showing Cosmic Collections A Series of Imaginary Products New Works by Michelle Romo
- 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!
- 9/10-9/14: Sound & Gravity Festival @ Avondale
- 9/12-9/13: Norwood Park Fall Fest
- 9/12-9/14: Urban Birding Festival @ Various locations
- 9/13: Food Truck Festival @ West Pullman
- 9/13-9/14: Highland Park Vintage Shindig
- 9/13-9/14: Highwood Arts, Crafts and Drafts
- 9/14: Maxwell Street Market
- 9/14: Family Fall Fest @ Rosemont
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12-14 (& BEYOND)
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 & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 & 14
Ravenswood ArtWalk @ Ravenswood Ave between Lawrence and Irving Park, 11am – 6pm
WHAT: Celebrate the local Ravenswood creative community!
SO WHAT: The Ravenswood ArtWalk will include open studios and galleries, pop-up performances, inventive activations, and an outdoor arts market featuring dozens of local artists. There will also be music across two stages, Big Teeth 60-Second Film Festival, and so much more! This a perfect way to get to know the community and take home some beautiful art for you or your friends.
NOW WHAT: The art walk is free! Check out their website for more details!
Lakeview East Festival of the Arts @ Broadway from Belmont to Hawthorne, 11am – 7pm
WHAT: A great art festival in East Lakeview
SO WHAT: The Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, on Broadway from Belmont to Hawthorne, showcases over 150 juried artists featuring paintings, sculpture, photography, furniture, jewelry and more. You’ll get the chance to purchase these original pieces and appreciate the hard work that went into them. The festival also features live demonstrations, family activities, local food, garden oasis and live music throughout the day.
NOW WHAT: The festival is open to the public and a great way to spend the weekend. Plus the music goes until 10pm on Saturday, so don’t forget to stick around.
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!
- 9/11 Mean Girls (the orginal!) 7:30pm
- 9/11Halloween (the 1978 Original!) 9:30pm
- 9/12 Hocus Pocus 7:30pm
- 9/12 Friday the 13th 9:30pm
- 9/13 Sinners 7:30pm
- 9/13 Halloween (the 1978 Original!) 10pm
- 9/14 Grease 7:30pm
- 9/14 Scream (The Original!) 9:30pm
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
- 9/11 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM and SAM SELBY @ Schubas
- 9/11 - Kendra Morris + ADIA @ Schubas
- 9/11 - Rich Robbins In Good Taste Album Release Show + Recoechi + Moyana @ Lincoln Hall
- 9/12 - Nature TV + Pretoria @ Schubas
- 9/12 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Family Affair + Valeria Fride + Darumakjo + Cyberbully + Adam Atrix @ Schubas
- 9/13 - Mystery Skulls + Jacob Polhill @ Lincoln Hall
- 9/13 - lots of hands + deadharrie + Josephine @ Schubas
- 9/7 - ivri The Theory of You Tour + DUSTY @ Schubas
- 9/6 - VOLA + Daedric + Outrun the Sunlight@ Lincoln Hall
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 A Little Prayer, The Baltimorons (Jay Duplass and Michael Strassner in attendance for a post-film Q&A), Reveries: The Mind Prison, Naked Ambition, Hong Kong Cinema Classics, El Topo, Blind Husbands, midnight screenings of Stop Making Sense & Rocky Horror Picture Show 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:
- 9/21 Chefs Jesse Valenciana and Rick Bayless Celebrate Mexican Cuisine @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 NMMA Parking Lot Pop Up @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 In Context: A Docent Tour of Mexican Identity in Art 12:15pm @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 Pilsen Public Art Tour 12:15pm @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 David De Baca: Inside the World of Teen Angel's Magazine @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 In Context: A Docent Tour of Mexican Identity in Art 3:00pm @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 Pilsen Public Art Tour 3:00pm @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21Zosia Mamet: Does This Make Me Funny? @ Apollo's 2000
- 9/21Inside the Lens of Photographer Estevan Oriol @ National Museum of Mexican Art
- 9/21 Cheech Marin: Culture, Comedy, and Chicano Art @ Apollo's 2000
- 11/12 GOOD THINGS: An Evening with Samin Nosrat @ Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
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!
