We may have been enjoying those unseasonably warm February days the last week, but it's back to chilly temps this weekend with maybe a little snow in the forecast. Alas, fools spring never lasts and we're back in the muck. But fret not! All the amazing weekend events will be going strong with the final weekend of this year's Chicago Black Restaurant Week and two amazing festivals in Music Frozen Dancing (Check out our full preview of the festival here!) and University of Chicago Folk Festival! So get ready for some amazing shows, great food, and everything else Chicago has to offer!
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 "ParkLife" BY Blake Jones and Friends!
- 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 Further Isn't Far Enough, Paintings and Prints by Chuck U!
- 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
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!
FRIDAY & SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20 & 21
Rupture & Repair @ Free Street Theater in the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk St., Floor 3, Friday 7pm, & Saturday 2pm
WHAT: A one-of-a-kind theatrical exploration of conflict resolution.
SO WHAT: Free Street artist-in-residence Tanuja Jagernauth and co-creators Marilyn Carteno, Kirsten Baity, and Marya Spont-Lemus partnered with F.L.Y. Radical Therapy for Rupture & Repair, a 50-minute show that tells the stories of three different conflicts told through puppetry, movement and text. Read our review of Rupture & Repair.
NOW WHAT: This show is free/pay what you can at the door; tickets may be reserved for $5.
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 - 22 (& BEYOND)
University of Chicago Folk Festival @ Mandel Hall 1131 E. 57th St., and Your favorite spot in your home, All Ages
WHAT: A fantastic folk festival
SO WHAT: University of Chicago Folk Festival is back again with both an in-person and digital presence, making sure the wonderful music reaches as many people as possible! This year's performers include Gap Civil, High Fidelity, Lissa Schneckenburger & Garrett Cameron, Ethan Leinwand, Jontavious Willis, Luke Huval Band, Mariachi Flor de Primavera, and many more! There will also be plenty of workshops! You can check out the past few years of performances on their Facebook page and their YouTube channel any time you want!
NOW WHAT: Tickets for in-person performances are $30 regular, $20 senior, and $5 students and the workshops on Saturday are free! Shows are streaming free on their Facebook page and their YouTube channel! We highly encourage you to donate to help support this great folk festival!
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, FEBRUARY 21
Music Frozen Dancing 2025 @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, 1:00pm 'til dark
WHAT: Another freezing cold year of this little block party in the middle of winter
SO WHAT: Clearly the most logical thing to do in February is to throw a party outside the Empty Bottle. So grab that winter coat and rock out with the best of them at Music Frozen Dancing! Presented with their pals at Goose Island Beer Co, Music Frozen Dancing 2026 will be welcoming some fine artists to their chilly stage including Los Thuthanaka, Lip Critic, Good Flying Birds, Snuffed, Body Shop, and inside you'll get to enjoy DJs Decoder and Trakqwn all day!! Check out our full preview of the festival here!
NOW WHAT:It’s free! Bundle up and rock out! While the show is free, they will be accepting donations at the gate for Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights with a portion of the proceeds used to keep Music Frozen Dancing alive and well and free to the public.
Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration @ Argyle & Winthrop, 10am- 4pm, all ages
WHAT: Join Uptown United and the local business, nonprofit, and cultural organizations on Argyle Street in 2026 as Uptown continues its annual tradition (going back 40+ years) of celebrating the Lunar New Year!
SO WHAT: Welcome the Year of the Horse with the Lunar New Year Parade (kick-off at 1pm sharp at Argyle & Sheridan) featuring 20+ local community groups, cultural institutions, dancers and performers! There will also be some fun pop-ups with family-friendly activities and performances! Check out their website for more details! And of course check out all the amazing art in the area any time (and for some guidance, check out the Uptown Public Art Map)!
NOW WHAT: It’s free!
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Chicago Black Restaurant Week @ Various Locations, Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: Two weeks of this incredible dining opportunity
SO WHAT: Chicago Black Restaurant Week is on February 8-22 with another exciting lineup of local eateries. CBRW was designed to create a platform for Black-owned eateries inviting foodies to check out our town’s hidden gems and maybe find some new favorite locales in the process.
NOW WHAT:Check out all the participating restaurants on their website and get ready for some great food!
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. This weekend is the start of their month long festival TNK, so you can check out what those show have going on just above this!
- 2/19 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM and SAM SELBY @ Schubas (Upstairs)
- 2/20 - HAFFWAY The Wither Tour + RYMAN @ Schubas
- 2/20 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Anthony Cruz and Double Dipp Present: Full Circle Moorhaus @ Schubas (Upstairs)
- 2/21 - Blood Cultures + Julius Barber@ Lincoln Hall
- 2/21 - Dope After Dark Presents: Pleasures @ Schubas
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
Winterland @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St, various times,All Ages
WHAT: Some more winter festivities
SO WHAT: Enjoy the return of Gallagher Way’s Winterland with all the fun activities! Enjoy Holiday Movie nights, ice skating, the Holiday train, and plenty of popups around the area!
NOW WHAT: Entry to the Winterland is FREE!
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 Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie,2026 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films, 2026 Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films, Space is the Place, The Furies, Safe, midnight screening of Frostbiter, Iced & Blade 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! Check out their talk with Ed Helms below!
- 3/5 Jokermen Live: Cut Worms with Jeff Tweedy
- 4/15 Michael Pollan: A World Appears @ Francis W. Parker School
- 4/18 Dr. Ibram X. Kendi: Chain of Ideas @ Ramova
- 4/23 A Night With NPR’s Planet Money @ Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
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
