Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 3/10 and Beyond

We're all looking for something to do on the weekend, especially since it's St. Patrick's Day weekend.  Add to that the pandemic numbers slowing down and it feeling a little more normal to go out since Chicago dropped the masking and vaccination proof mandates on February 28 (for better or worse). While we're hopefully at the tail end of things, many venues are keeping their mask and vaccination requirements for the foreseeable future. So if you do plan to go out this weekend, make sure you check out the venue's policies and take initiative. Wear a mask, social distance, and get your vaccination shots and your booster even if the venue/event requires it. And if you still feel that wearing a mask is must (like many still do), then please wear one. Protect yourself and those around you. If you still don't feel entirely safe to go out (and quite honestly, who can blame you?) you can always stay in and support these places from home. Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!

THURSDAY, MARCH 10th

Sports & j ember @ Lincoln Hall, 2424 N Lincoln Ave, 7:30pm, 18+ WHAT: A psychedelic journey with SPORTS SO WHAT: Sports‘ shows are always a treat, sending audiences into a cosmic trip full of soothing bedroom pop vibes with a groovy psychedelic twist. Fresh off their latest album Get A Good Look, Sports are set to give Schubas one hell of a mesmerizing show! Joining them will be j ember! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $20 Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ ​Fulton Street Collective & Their YouTube channel, 1821 W. Hubbard St, Suite 307, or the coziest spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: Some excellent jazz for your evening SO WHAT: Fulton Street Collective are back with in-person events, but they are still determined to give Chicago its much needed dose of jazz at home! Most of their shows are also streaming so you can see and hear the beautiful music on their YouTube channel! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective. NOW WHAT: The shows are free! Also you should definitely support Fulton Street Collective by becoming a member!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, MARCH 11th - 13th

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 below for showings this weekend and in the future! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $33 per car for these movies, so bring the family for a safe movie watching experience

SATURDAY, MARCH 12th

Handmade Market Chicago @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, Noon – 4:30pm WHAT: Shopping, eating, and drinking all in one place SO WHAT: Grab some food next door at Bite Cafe, maybe a drink from the Empty Bottle Bar, and start shopping the Handmade Market Chicago! They will bring over 30 makers of beautiful and unique items to the Empty Bottle! Join in and see what all the sellers will have to offer. You can check out some of the sellers that will be featured over on their Facebook page. NOW WHAT: This event as always is free! 312 Day @ Various Locations, Various Times, WHAT: The annual celebration of Chicago and Goose Island’s 312 beer, named after the familiar area code SO WHAT: It’s that time of year!  Goose Island’s 312 Day is here and there are plenty of great shows to going on! The lineup is as diverse and interesting as ever, delivering some fantastic jams and great beer! Check out the lineup below and start planning your 312 Day! NOW WHAT: Click the links above for tickets and celebrate 312 Day with a great show!
Parquet Courts Photo by Ponneh Ghana
Parquet Courts & Mdou Moctar @ Riviera Theatre, 4746 N Racine Ave. 6:30pm, WHAT: A exuberantly noisy evening for your weekend! SO WHAT: Parquet Courts at times defy definition. Blending elements of garage rock, post punk noise, and a healthy dose of unfiltered energy, Parquet Courts just doles out some entertaining jams. They are currently on tour in support of last year’s Sympathy for Life, which was a welcome ode to nightlife during a time we certainly weren’t going out. Joining this evening will be Mdou Moctar! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $31 for this show! ¡Pachanga! 5 Year Anniversary @ The Giant Penny Whistle, 1854 S Blue Island Ave, 9:00pm – 3:00am, 21+ WHAT: Pachanga turns 5! SO WHAT: Stop by this wonderful event and join in on the fun as the Pachanga team will celebrate five years of fantastic gatherings! There will be live music and an all-star deejay line-up playing a variety of hits from Cumbia, Banda, Reggaeton, Merengue, Salsa y more. And don't forget the tianguis artist market, and more for you to enjoy! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $20 for this evening!

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MARCH 12th & 13th

St. Patrick's Day Festivities @ Various Locations, Various Times, WHAT: St. Patrick's Day in Chicago can be a lot, so why not plan ahead and decide exactly what you'll be doing this weekend! March 12
  • 10am - Dyeing of the Chicago River @ The River West of Columbus to East of Orleans
  • Noon - 6:30pm - Shamrock'n the Block @ Old St. Patrick’s Church in parking lot on DesPlaines Street between Monroe & Adams (700 W. Adams) SOLD OUT
  • 12:15pm (entry starts at 10am) - Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade @ Jackson Ave. and Ida B. Wells (entry point) & broadcast on ABC-Channel 7!
    • Parade starts at Balbo and Columbus and proceeds north on Columbus Dr.
  • 1pm - 11:30pm - St. Patricks Fest 2022 @ Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave.
    • Enjoy traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and drink for purchase, children’s activities, and an Arts and Craft Fair with vendors selling Irish gifts.
March 13
  • 10am - Northwest Side Irish Parade @ Neola & Raven
  • 11am - St. Patrick's Day @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St.
    • Live Irish Music and mini Irish Dancing lessons form Old Town School of Folk Music, Irish Dancing performance by the Trinity Irish Dancers, Face Painting, balloon artists, a wandering magician, arts and crafts, complimentary cake balls for the first 500 guests. Let's not forget the adults with green beer, Irish Coffee, specialty cocktails and more!
  • Noon - South Side Irish St. Patrick;s Day Parade @ 103rd and Western Avenue, marching south to 115th and Western.
NOW WHAT: Click the links above for more details and have a splendid St. Patrick's Day Weekend!
The Neo-Futurists' The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7:00pm, 16+ WHAT: Quick plays live and online! SO WHAT: The Neo-Futurists are back! Their Infinite Wrench is an  ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Now it's actually a live audience that will be enjoying the performance in person! With plenty of COVID precautions in place, you'll be able to enjoy the funny, disgusting, profound, terrifying, irreverent, and downright entertaining show with friends! Plan ahead as vaccination cards will be checked and booster will be required to be fully vaccinated. NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $10! Head over to their website to see all they have planned now that in-person audiences are a thing again! If you're still a little anxious about going out, The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral will be continuing til February (and possibly beyond) over at their Patreon!

SUNDAY, MARCH 13th

Chicago Vinyl Connection 006: Southside @ Marz Community Brewing, 3630 S Iron St, Noon – 5:00pm WHAT: A vinyl pop up at a great brewery SO WHAT: Chicago Vinyl Connection is back for 2022 with a nice lineup of vendor selling some choice slabs of wax.  Presented by Miyagi Records & South Rhodes Records and powered by The Underground Sessions, this vinyl market will feature amazing record dealers like A1 Records & CDs, Aadam Jacobs, Beverly Phono Mart, Cartridge Thunder, Jaytoo, Mississippi Records, No Requests, Shady Rest Vintage & Vinyl, Sonorama Discos, Third Hand Records, Tropicalazo, and Wild Prairie Vintage & Vinyl! While you look for a hidden gem or have a drink at the bar you can enjoy some DJ sets from Hameedullah, Backback Beatz, La Queen, DJ Volcán, and Kida Darling! There will also be plenty of vintage sellers on hand like Black Moon Vintage, Dimo Dolls, Molasses, NotNotSry, Very Gaudy, and the aforementioned Wild Prairie Vintage and Vinyl! NOW WHAT: Entry is free! Fire Talk Showcase w/ Cola, Wombo & Fran @ Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont, WHAT: Three amazing bands you should already be listening to from an amazing label! SO WHAT: Fire Talk Records is putting out some of the best albums in recent memory. So a showcase of three artists that are on their label is a must see show. Headlining the night is Cola, the new project from former Ought members Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy formed with US Girls drummer Evan Cartwright. Joining them will be the kaleidoscopic sounds of Wombo and the cool sound of local favorite Fran! NOW WHAT: Tickets are only $15, you'd be silly to miss this amazing lineup!

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND

Chicago Irish Film Festival @ Your Place, the best spot to watch a movie at home, Various Times WHAT: A little cinematic trip to Ireland SO WHAT: The Chicago Irish Film Festival is back for another year of splendid Irish films, spreading the love with both in-person and virtual programming. Boasting an impressive collection of feature-length films, shorts of both the live action and animated variety, and documentary films, Chicago Irish Film Festival is ready to give you a glimpse into the creativity of Irish filmmaking! Check out their full program on their website and their PDF guide! NOW WHAT: Tickets are  $100 for the all access virtual passes! Three film/program packages are $25 for virtual screenings. Individual passes are also available! 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! 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! NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows! Please note: proof of vaccination is required for entry to all shows at Lincoln Hall and Schubas in Chicago. Click here for more information on this policy.

Back on the Big Screen and Virtual Cinema @ Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Ave and at your home, any time you want to watch a movie WHAT: A great way to support a great local theater SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre is currently open to the public, so if you feel comfortable you can go out and have a theater experience this weekend with The Worst Person in the World, The Power of the Dog, Monster of Minsk, the Highs and Lows series (Thursday only), The Witches of Eastwick Part of: Cher!, 2022 Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts, 2022 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts, and more! But if you want to watch some first-run movies at home, you can still watch great movies and support them online! They are currently screening films via their The Music Box Direct series! There are also tons of select titles available on their new platform! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, in person screenings vary, so sit back and enjoy! Remember that a physical/digital vaccination card is required for entrance!
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 bring some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Be on the lookout for the upcoming season as their website is constantly updated with new talks. They just announced their first talk of the new year!  Click the link below for more details! 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 2022.
Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand @ Your favorite streaming device, the most lavish spot in your home WHAT: The Lyric Opera at home SO WHAT: Revisit some of your favorite Lyric moments, or experience for the first time performances you've missed.Check out their website for schedule of upcoming shows. Currently streaming is Luisa Miller (2019), The Queen of Spades (2020), and Die Walküre (2017). NOW WHAT: It's free!!
Concerts Livestreams and Local Shows Archives @ Your House, Any time you please, All Ages WHAT: There's tons of concerts from Chicago's yesteryear available online for your enjoyment! SO WHAT: Oh My Rockness and Do312 has done a fantastic job of cataloging some of the upcoming live-streams from the awesome musical acts out there! Check out Oh My Rockness' listings here, Do312's roundup of shows here, and tune in to these great shows from the comfort of home! Do312 have also shared some past Chicago shows that are certainly worth a watch. There are also so many great local concerts recorded for posterity and what better time to check them all out than during this self isolation period. Audiotree has a fantastic and huge list of sessions with links to band's websites and merch to help support them even more. In addition to our previous recommendations like Fran, Tasha, KAINA, Divino Nino, and The Ophelias, we also recommend ROOKIE, Emily Blue, Sen Morimoto, Beach Bunny, Tennis, and Gia Margaret! Then head over to their record concerts from Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and beyond to check out Orville Peck, of Montreal, and so many more! JBTV is also a fantastic resource for sessions from bands that have come through Chicago! Just take a look at this playlist of Blind Melon's '95 set at Metro! NOW WHAT: Stay home, watch some live music, and be sure to check out your favorite artists' social media, you never know who might be live streaming next! Video Games @ Your home PC or Console, As long as it takes, Just check the game rating WHAT: Video-games for all! SO WHAT: Check out our games page for some recommendations of what games to download (and avoid) while we're stuck at home. If you're a PC user, head over to the Epic Games store as they will be releasing a few new FREE games for you to download ! There are also tons of free games on Twitch Prime waiting for you to download! NOW WHAT: Wash your hands and dive head first into some fun games! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY
Masque of the Red Coronavirus! @ Black Button Eyes Productions, Any time on your computer or mobile device. For 18+. WHAT: Written by Black Button Eyes Productions producing artistic director Ed Rutherford, this short satirical piece is available online free as a combined script-and-video experience. SO WHAT: In addition to reading the play, you will see various Chicago artists act out portions of the script on video, recorded remotely. The event includes puppets, burlesque, original music, fire dancing and more in a brief, darkly comedic confection. With the Red Coronavirus running rampant across the countryside and a vaccine still months away, what's a Prince to do? Lock himself in a secure bunker in an undisclosed location along with a cohort of his top donors, of course. To prevent him and his rich supporters from becoming bored, the Prince has also brought a few artists into the bunker to entertain the crowd. But as the hour grows later and the night grows weirder, it's clear that something else has also invaded the party. NOW WHAT: Settle down for an evening of magical weirdness. Click here and begin reading and watching the videos.
Julian Ramirez