It's Labor Day weekend! While the season has a couple more weeks to go, it's looking pretty clear that summer is on its way out. The kids are back in school and the temps are dropping a bit,but that doesn't mean the events are any less fun and enjoyable! Celebrate this weekend with some great shows, markets, festivals and more!
Let's get on with your curated weekend!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th
Sauced Night Mini Market @ The Promontory, 5311 S Lake Park Ave, 5:00pm - 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A night time market in a fun venue
SO WHAT: SAUCED has expanded their reach with Mini Night Markets presented by New Belgium Brewing’s Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza. These beer loving pop-ups bring Chicago’s finest makers together for a unique shopping experience! This is stop number four now making its way to Hyde Park, where guests can check out some vintage clothing, enamel pins, healing crystals, beard oil and more. The mini night market will also feature food, a DJ and other SAUCED-style surprises.
NOW WHAT: It’s free !
TIME | SPACE Jazz Series @ Freehand Chicago, 19 E Ohio St,7:00pm - 9:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Some excellent music to help end your day the right way
SO WHAT: This excellent jazz series at Broken Shaker you will be hearing some of the best musicians in the city. This evening will feature
Resavoir performing their debut album while you enjoy a drink or two.
NOW WHAT: Entry is free!
Beginning|Middle|End @ The Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave, 8:30pm, 21+
WHAT: Beginning|Middle|End is a narrative variety show combining comedy, documentary, film, singing and dancing! Basically it’s a live children’s book about cannibalism.
SO WHAT: B|M|E is the brainchild of comedy writer Megan Henricks and documentarian Steven Jackson (Love + Radio), two people who love narrative structure but are deathly afraid of commitment. Together they conceived the ghastly, but engaging, night of stories in a myriad of mediums, organized tidily into beginnings, middles, and ends.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10! Get yourself to the Hideout and enjoy the show!
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th & 31st
North Coast Music Festival @ Northerly Island, 1300 S Linn White Dr, 2:00pm - 11:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Summers Last Stand!
SO WHAT: North Coast Music Festival has changed things up for their 10th anniversary. From moving to a new location, switching to 2 days of fun in the sun and bringing their focus to more EDM-centric acts! Headliners include Major Lazer, Bassnectar, Flux Pavilion, and Jauz alongside a great undercard lineup witht he likes of Yung Bae, Wooli, Tchami, and much more!
Check out their full lineup here!
NOW WHAT: Tickets for North Coast Music Festival: Summer’s Last Stand are currently available!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, AUGUST 30th - SEPTEMBER 1st
The Great American Lobster Fest 2019 @ Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Noon - 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Another year of lobster goodness at Navy Pier
SO WHAT: The Great American Lobster Fest is three full days of fresh lobster flown in from the east coast that will be accented some
great live music performances including Rico!, Verzatile, Brass Buckle Band and many more! There will also be plenty of fun family friendly activities and unique shopping experiences for you to indulge in!
NOW WHAT: Entry to to the festival grounds is free!
Meal tickets for the fest are currently available for $44 and $119 for VIP !
Taste of Polonia Festival @ Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence, Friday 5:00pm - 10:30pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 10:30pm, All Ages
WHAT: Don't know what to do with the kids this Labor Day weekend? Check out the Taste of Polonia for pierogis, kabobs, Polish sausage and potato pancakes.
SO WHAT: Non-stop live music, food and fun for days! It’s a must-do family event with enough scheduling to keep both little kids and adults happy. Cooking classes, carnival rides, craft beer tent and more.
NOW WHAT: Proceeds benefit the Copernicus Foundation.Tickets are $5 (before 3 pm), $10 (after 3 pm), kids 12 and under - Free. Shuttle and parking available. For more info visit
Taste of Polonia.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30th
Whitney Day @ Various Locations, Various Locations, Noon - Midnight
WHAT: It's Whitney Day!!!
SO WHAT: Mayor Lori Lightfoot has proclaimed August 30th to be Whitney Day in Chicago to celebrate the release of the band’s sophomore album,
Forever Turned Around. Throughout the day fans will have a chance to celebrate with the band around the city, including the band’s interview on legendary Chicago-based talk show/podcast, Sound Opinions, airing in the evening. Check out the schedule below!
- 12pm - WXRT Performance
- 2pm - 4pm - Lunch Party at Parson’s Chicken and Fish, 2952 W. Armitage Ave., All Ages
- 5pm - 6pm - Shuga Records in-store performance & signing, 1272 N. Milwaukee Ave., All Ages
- 5pm-12am - Block Party at Bungalow by Middle Brow, 2840 W. Armitage Ave., 21+
NOW WHAT: It's all free! Bungalow will be serving a special Middle Brown Whitney beer and portions of sales from the Whitney beer will go towards the Chicago Period Project and Project Fire - charities selected by Whitney’s Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek
Fire Talk Records showcase feat. Dehd, Deeper, Patio and Fran In The Round @ Thalia Hall, 1807 S Allport St, 8:00pm, 21+
WHAT: A show that will sure get you in the perfect mood for a Friday night in the round at thalia hall
SO WHAT: Fire Talk will be gathering some amazing artists together for one hell of night! Headlining the night are
DEHD, the trio of local musicians that make the kind of music you just want to groove along to all night long. Their latest release
Water, brings DEHD’s tunes to their haziest peak, full of all the reverb and a touch of surf rock vibes that is down right magical to experience live. Joining them at the FIre Talk Showcase will be
Deeper and their spacey/driving guitar soundscapes, the pitch perfect post punk of
Patio, and
Fran‘s enveloping folk songs!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, AUGUST 31st & SEPTEMBER 1st
Murphy’s Red Hots Pop-Up @ Schubas!, 3159 N Southport Ave, 11:00am - 4:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Another shot at some excellent encased meats
SO WHAT: Murphy’s Red Hots, the 32-year-old hot dog stand that closed last August is returning to Schubas for another pop up this Labor Day weekend! Stop in for some of the best damn hot dogs this city has ever seen.
Half Acre Beer Company will also be taking over Schubas taps with old favorites and specialty drafts!
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Just bring some cash for some tasty hotdogs and delicious brews!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31st
Helltrap Nightmare feat. Tums @ the Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave., 10:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Guts, eyes, monster hands and oh yeah, comedy!
SO WHAT: You know what goes great with comedy? Horror and a huge gooey chunk of grossness. Join amazing comedians like Sarah Squirm, Shrimp Boys, Scott Egleston, and special musical guest Tums as they prove just how fun that odd concoction can be! There will be special guests and drop ins!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 for this odd night of
comedy and craziness.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st
¡Pachanga! Block Party @ River North, 216 W Ohio St, 1:00pm - 8:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Pachanga takes over the block!
SO WHAT: Stop by this wonderful event and join in on the fun as the Pachanga team will celebrating their first ever block party!
There will be live music from Grupo Rimel, Freddy Favela y sus Compas de Durango, and Calaveras LD; plus an all-star deejay line-up playing a variety of hits from Cumbia, Banda, Reggaeton, Merengue, Salsa y more. There will be live painting, a tianguis artist market, and more for you to enjoy!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $5 (or $10 is the early bird tickets sell out, and $15 the day of the party!
Check out the full lineup of vendors, DJs, and more at their event page and prepare for the fun day!
