Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 6/2 and Beyond

Happy Pride Month! It's the beginning of June and of course there is something great going on this weekend in Chicago! Whether you're staying within the city limits or heading out to Highwood for their Pride Fest, there is something really fun for you to do this weekend! It's feeling a little more normal to go out since Chicago dropped the masking and vaccination proof mandates on February 28 (for better or worse) and events are rolling in.

While it may seem like we're 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 doesn't require it. And if you still feel that wearing a mask is a 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, JUNE 2n d

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. Be on the lookout for updates to the upcoming season as their website is constantly updated with new talks.  Check out the links below for the current lineup of talks on their schedule!

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.

THURSDAY - SUNDAY, JUNE 2nd - JUNE 5th

Maifest 2022 @ Lincoln Square, 4700 N. Lincoln Ave. Various times, All Ages
WHAT: Think Oktoberfest, but in May (well, June but close enough)
SO WHAT:  Mayfest (Maifest in German) is the traditional German celebration of the arrival of spring. Maifest is still celebrated throughout Germany with the maypole (maibaum) decorated to show off the history and crafts of the local village or town. Maifest Chicago benefits a number of German organizations including the DANK HAUS, The Rheinischer Verein, St. Hubertus Jagd Club,the American Aid Society, the Donauschwaben Youth Group,Edelweiss Trachten Verein, D’Lustigen Holzhacker Buam, Egerlander Dance Group, and others. Expect lots of delicious food, live entertainment, and cultural activities to fill your weekend! Check out their schedule here!
NOW WHAT: Come out and support Lincoln Square’s cultural center!

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

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JUNE 3rd - 5th

Do Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale @ Division, between Damen & Leavitt; Friday 5:00pm -10:00pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Local vendors and restaurants between two amazing stages full of music.
SO WHAT: The Do Division Street Fest is back again, taking over Division Street from Damen to Leavitt. The wonderful festival features two live music stages, a family stage, and a wide variety of local vendors and food! Empty Bottle Presents and Subterranean have curated the stages, which will include performances from NNAMDÏ, Cadence Weapon, Tune-Yards, Torres, Minor Moon, Spun Out, Oso Oso, Ric Wilson, Emily Blue, Lowdown Brass Band, Impulsive Hearts and so many more! There will also be plenty of vendors, a Family Fun fest Section, DO Fashion show, and tons more!! Check out the full lineup and everything going on at the event at their event page!
NOW WHAT: The festival requests a $10 donation that will benefit the West Town Chamber of Commerce and local schools.

Lincoln Park Greek Fest @ St George Greek Orthodox Church, 2701 N. Sheffield Ave, Friday 5:00pm – 11:00pm, Saturday Noon – 11:00pm, Sunday Noon – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Take a trip to Lincoln Park as it throws its Greek Fest!
SO WHAT: St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln Park, established in 1923 by Greek immigrants, is throwing a fun Greek festival! This fantastic fest will allow you to celebrate Greek traditions with authentic food, great modern and traditional Greek music, a beautiful craft fair, and dancing performances from some incredible dance troupes!
NOW WHAT: There is a suggested $10 donation, so just head over to Lincoln Park and enjoy all the activities.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4th

Windy City Hot Dog Fest @ Six Corners, 4000 N Milwaukee Ave, Noon – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Hot dogs, need we say more?
SO WHAT: Some of Chicagoland’s favorite hot dog spots will compete for who has the best dog at the inaugural Windy City Hot Dog Fest! You’ll get the chance to try some delicious hot dogs and enjoys some fun jams from some great local and regional acts! There will also be kids’ area, arts & crafts vendors and a top dog parade on Sunday.
NOW WHAT: Just head over, bring some cash for some dogs, and have a great time!

PorchFest Lakeview @ Between Grace to Wolfram and Ravenswood to Racine, Various Locations, 1:00pm – 5:00pm, All ages
WHAT: Some fun music out on the porch
SO WHAT: PorchFest Lakeview is a community-building festival featuring local musicians performing on front porches across 15 front porches throughout the afternoon! Lakeview residents volunteer their porches to host the concerts by local musicians throughout the afternoon. Head over to their event page for a full lineup of artists participating in the fest!
NOW WHAT: Register on Eventbrite to receive an event map with porch locations and showtimes sent via email the day before the program. Registration is $15 per person or $40 for a group of 4, and children 12 and under are free!

Chicago Gospel Music Festival @ Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., 3:00pm – 9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Celebrate Gospel music in the genre’s birthplace!
SO WHAT: The Chicago Gospel Music Festival will be presenting the top gospel artists in the country at Jay Pritzker Pavilion for an evening of beautiful music. The festival has always highlighted the diverse sounds of Gospel Music with a variety of styles from traditional choirs to contemporary urban gospel mixed with hip-hop and house music. Check out this year’s schedule here!
NOW WHAT: Admission is free! Head over to Millennium Park and enjoy this great festival

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 4th & 5th

75th Annual 57th Street Art Fair @ 57th & Hyde Park, 11:00am - 6:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: The 75th anniversary of the 57th Street Art Fair, the Midwest’s oldest juried art fair
SO WHAT: The 57th Street Art Fair is back with an in-person celebration featuring nearly 200 artists displaying and selling their incredible works of art in a variety of styles and media. Perfect for art lovers, the art fair features artists from around the country and an opportunity to speak with them about their process and more!. There will also be live music presented by Buddy Guy’s Legends and a Food Court presented by the Ray School PTA.
NOW WHAT: Admission is free! Get ready to see and buy some beautiful art at this great Hyde Park event!

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!

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND

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 really to fill that art house need in you with some excellent movies including with The Northman (Thursday Only), Hit the Road (Thursday Only), Men, Crimes of the Future (!), Watcher, Skate or Die, midnight screenings of Prince: Sign o' the Times, Filmspotting Presents Buster Keaton's The Cameraman Part of: The Restored Films of Buster Keaton, 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!

Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ Fulton Street Collective, Prairie Moon (635 Chicago Ave, Evanston), & Their YouTube channel, 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, which has a great back catalog for you to enjoy! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective.

NOW WHAT: The shows are free, but there is usually a $15 suggested donation to help support the musicians and Fulton Street Collective. ! Also you should definitely support Fulton Street Collective by becoming a member!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLZdrtsaHis

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