Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 11/3 and Beyond

Halloween is behind us and the holiday season is in full effect! Get ready for all the markets and late fall/early winter events popping up! So whether you're looking to pick up some gifts, try a few new beers, or catch an awesome show, this coming weekend is ready with some excellent events!

It's feeling a little more normal to go out since Chicago dropped the masking and vaccination proof mandates (for better or worse) and events are rolling in. While it may seem like we're at the tail end of things, many venues still have 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 - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd - 5th

Lit & Luz Festival @ Various Locations, various times
WHAT: Lit & Luz Festival is a one-of-a-kind series of events featuring renowned authors and visual artists from Chicago and Mexico City in cultural exchange and conversation.
SO WHAT: Lit & Luz Festival is back for another year of amazing programming! You’ll have a chance to experience some excellent storytelling and extemporaneous performances that explore the relationship between the languages, art forms, and cultures of the United States and Mexico. This year’s theme is “Revision”—re-envisioning the arts in light of the pandemic, reconsidering the canon, and revising for the future. You can check out previous talks, including some from earlier this week, over on the online section of their website!
NOW WHAT: It's free! Head over to their website and check out their schedule!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4th - 6th

The 9th Annual Black Alphabet Film Festival @ Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts University of Chicago, 915 E 60th St, Friday 6:00pm-11:00pm, Saturday 9:00am-9:00pm, Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm
WHAT: A film fest focused on black LGBTQ+ experiences
SO WHAT: The Black Alphabet Film Festival promotes "filmmakers and stories that portray the diverse people and experiences of the community, as well as create opportunities to have discussions with filmmakers that are centered around those unique experiences." This is great opportunity to see films from a unique perspective, wither live in person at home through their virtual platform!
NOW WHAT: Tickets for the virtual edition of the fest are $10 and reservations for the rest of the fest are available on their website!

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

The Neo-Futurists' The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and 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

FRIDAY - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th - 5th

Sauced Night Market @ House of Vans, 113 N Elizabeth, 5:00pm – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A night time market in Chicago’s coolest venue
SO WHAT: Sauced Night Market returns to House of Vans to help kick off the holiday season. The roving night market has been showcases vendors for quite a few years now and they’ll be returning to the West Loop warehouse/skate park/concert hall with another great lineup of local vendors slinging their awesome wares across two nights! The full lineup of vendors  can be found at their website. This market will feature artists Christina Hryc aka Ceeboots, from Vancouver, and Chicago’s own Zeyeone doing some live painting on a 16-foot work of art.!
NOW WHAT: It’s free with RSVP!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1teUHLOoXU

The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers @ Credit Union 1 Arena & Your Place, 525 S. Racine Ave. or the spot where you can best appreciate a good barrel-aged brew awards show, Friday 6:00pm – 10:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm – 5:00pm, 21+
WHAT: The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers is celebrating 20 years of delicious brews!
SO WHAT: FoBAB‘s incredible popular festival has breweries send in their rarest and best barrel-aged drinks to be judged! Breweries from across the country submitted a wonderful variety of beers, ciders, meads and perrys, so there will be plenty for you to taste. The award ceremony on Saturday will also be livestreamed.
NOW WHAT: You can watch the livestreamed ceremony for free but if you’re up for the in-person tastings tickets are $85!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th

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.  Here is a taste of what coming in September!

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6th

Yollocalli Youth Market @  National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W 19th Street ,2:00pm
WHAT: A market full of great art !
SO WHAT: National Museum of Mexican Art's youth initiative, Yollocalli presents their second Youth Art Market! Yollocalli will be hosting 35 vendors, all under the age of 25 offering up stickers, buttons, zines, clothes, jewelry, candles and more!. Get a head start on Christmas and shop youth-made art!
NOW WHAT: Entry is free!

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 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!

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 Decision to Leave, Please Baby Please, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, 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!

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