It's a big weekend as we are right smack dab in the middle of the final days of summer and the beginning of fall activities. Riot Fest is a pretty good marker of that last hurrah. Sunny festival season and the Oktoberfest parties and all the fall events are starting to roll in! So let's indulge in some fun and make the most out of the next few days!
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!
- Sept. 18-Nov. 2: Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up @ West Town
- Sept. 19: ‘80s vs ‘90s Night at the Zoo @ Lincoln Park Zoo
- Sept. 19-20: Naperville Irish Fest
- Sept. 19-21: Old Town Oktoberfest
- Sept. 20: Tacos and Tequila Festival @ Geneva
- Sept. 20: Oktoberfest @ Highland Park
- Sept. 20-21: Riverwalk Fine Art Fair @ Naperville
- Sept. 20-21: Woodstock Art Fair on the Square
- Sept. 20-21: Halfway to St. Patrick’s Corned Beef Festival @ West Loop
THURSDAY - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18-20 (& BEYOND)
Englewood Jazz Fest @ Hamilton Park and Cultural Center, 513 W 72nd St, Thursday 6:00pm, Friday 6:00pm, Saturday Noon, all ages
WHAT: The 26th anniversary of the Englewood Jazz Festival!
SO WHAT: The Englewood Jazz Festival will be celebrating its 26th year with sensational jazz artists performing at Hamilton Park and Cultural Center. Check out the schedule below!
- Thursday, September 18, 2025 (indoors - Fieldhouse)
- 6pm - Ernest Dawkins presents "Great Black Music - Ancient To The Future"a work dedicated to the founders of theAACM - Muhal Richard Abrams, Jodie Christian,Phil Cohran, and Steve McCall.
- Friday, September 19, 2025 (indoors - Fieldhouse)
- 6pm -Renee Baker - Modern Black Ensemble Renée Baker conducts her composition "Infinite Opus. Score Eternal," featuring Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, Dee Alexander, vocals; Taalib din Ziyad vocals, Flutes; Edwin Daugherty Saxophones; Mwata Bowden,Clarinet and saxophones; Alex Wing, Carlos Pride and Art Burton percussion; Bruce Nelson Vibes; and Carl Siegfried Bass
- Saturday, September 20, 2024 (outdoors)
- Noon to 1pm The Young Masters - Under the direction of Ernest Dawkins
- 1:10 to 2:10: - JoVia Armstrong
- 2:20 to 3:20: - Isaiah Spencer
- 3:20 to 3:30 - Spirit of Jazz Spirit of Jazz Awards
- 3:35 to 4:45pm - Adegoke Steve Colson’s new work “On The Back Porch." featuring Iqua Colson, vocals; Ernest Dawkins, Sax; Derrick Gardner, Trumpet; Adegoke Steve Colson, pIano; Isaiah Keith, vibes; Micah Collier and Darius Savage, bass; and Reggie Nicholson, Drums.
- 5:00 to 6:00: Alexander McLean Project,
NOW WHAT: The whole event is free and a wonderful way to experience Chicago jazz!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19-21 (& BEYOND)
Riot Fest 2025 @ Douglass Park, 1401 S Sacramento Dr, 11:00am – 10:00pm, all ages
WHAT: It’s another edition of the three-day fest of punk, rock, hip-hop and everything in between!
SO WHAT: Riot Fest is celebrating 20 years of amazing festivals this year! This awesome three-day festival brings together the loudest and most fun sounds in the music world for a wild time. This year’s headliners include Weexer, Blink 182 Green Day! However the undercard is nothing to scoff at with fantastic acts including Weird Al Yankovic, Jack White, Idles, Rilo Kiley, The Beach Boys, Sparks, and tons more! Add in Logan Arcade, the Q101 tower, Butter Stamosand every other oddity you can imagine and you have a perfect weekend!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available! Don't miss out on this fantastic festival!!
Reeling: the Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival @ Chicago Filmmakers – 1326 W Hollywood Ave; & Landmark Theater - 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. Head over to their website for more info!
NOW WHAT: See info on all the ticket options and passes here.
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 20 & 21
Chicago Live! @ Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Saturday Noon – 9:30pm, Sunday Noon -6pm
WHAT: Take a look at some of the amazing acts and artists.
SO WHAT: This weekend is the fourth annual Chicago Live! The event showcases Chicago's incredible arts and cultural organizations with over 100 artists performing across an upgraded FIVE of Navy Pier's stages. Head over to their event page for their full lineup, which includes performances from NuBlu Band feat. Carlise Guy with Special Guest Buddy Guy and more!
NOW WHAT: Check out the full schedule here! It’s all free !
Jerk, Seafood & Vegan Festival @ Washington Park, 2400 S State St, 11am- 9:30pm, All Ages
WHAT: A food lovers festival!
SO WHAT: The Jerk, Seafood & Vegan Festival will be serving op some amazing food and fun this weekend with a long list of vendors and performances going on all day! Enjoy a wide mix of music while enjoying some delicious meals!
NOW WHAT: Entry is a $10 donation and there is a VIP advance ticket for $65 ($100 at the gate) that includes Limited Back Stage Access,VIP Beer Garden, Seats in the VIP pavilion, Free Festival Magazine/Discount from most vendors and free water and snacks between 6 pm and 7 pm.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
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
- 9/21 Zosia Mamet: Does This Make Me Funny? @ Apollo's 2000
- 9/21 Inside 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
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!
- 9/18 Sinners 7:30pm
- 9/18 Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original!) 10pm
- 9/19 Hocus Pocus 7:30pm
- 9/19 Halloween (the 1978 Original!) 9:30pm
- 9/20 Beetlejuice! 7:30pm
- 9/20 Halloween (the 1978 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
- 9/18 - Yaya Bey+ Bathe + Gayun Cannon @ Lincoln Hall
- 9/19 - High Five Presents: Grace Bloom + Josephine + Ruben Jai@ Schubas
- 9/19 - Who Killed The DJ? An Interactice Dance Party Presented By Nanoos + Special Guests @ Lincoln Hall
- 9/19 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: digitalth0t @ Schubas
- 9/20 - @ + Rain Garden @ Schubas
- 9/20 - spill tab Maddy Davis + Oyeme @ Lincoln Hall
- 9/21 - Sunday (1994) The Prairie Tour + Carver Jones @ 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 The Baltimorons, The Summer Book, , Crucemos al Otro Lado, Clean Plate Club: A Food and Film Series, Hong Kong Cinema Classics, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar, Vogue Mini-ball, midnight screenings of Mad God & Altered States (Preshow performance by Grelley Duvall 11:15pm-11:45pm!) and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theaters in the city!
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!
