It's the second weekend of March, with plenty of amazing concerts, markets, restaurant weeks, and shows of all kinds are happening all weekend long.
While it feels like the pandemic is behind us, you still need to be mindful when you go out this weekend and beyond. The winter season has seen a lot of colds, flu, RSV, and of course bouts of COVID. It's better to be safe and wear a mask when you go out to big events. And if you're still a little hesitant to go out, there are many events and things to do from home. So whether you're staying in or going out, keep safe and stay healthy!
Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!
- Support Local Venues
- Kingston Mines is open with some great lineups this weekend
- Fitzgerald's is also back in full swing
- Evanston Space
- Head over to the Hideout's regular shop and get yourself some great merch! Their 2020 Holiday Sale page is also still up with links to great local artists!
- Metro shop is full of fantastic concert posters from yesteryear and cool merch
- Lincoln Hall/Schubas always has great items in their shop waiting for you! Plus Schubas/Tied House is open and events are on their way back!
- Same goes for Thalia Hall's merch store (those holiday socks? *chef's kiss*)
- Let's not forget Empty Bottle's fantastic merch shop! Plus they just added some new stuff designed by some awesome people that is sure to catch your eye! Shows are going on now as well, so head over to their venue site and go to some concerts if you're comfortable
- Art Galleries and Special Events
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm! Currently they are showing LIGHT CYCLES: 40 Years of TRON in Games & Film
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! Plus you can check out some of their prints from last year's Vertical Gallery collab, which you can purchase here!! There is also a virtual gallery featuring all the works! You can see their previous show "Saturday Morning Fever” featuring the works of Griffin Goodman through their virtual gallery! And don't forget to check out the virtual edition of JC Rivera's new exhibition "Still Undefeated" !
- Galerie F has a fun stock of prints from concert posters, pop culture prints and more!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stocks and on display in their gallery space! They are currently showing Ghosting Through Life New Works by MUMBOT.
- 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. Plus Keith Haring!
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely!
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely
THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 9th - 11th
Rosemont Restaurant Week 2023 @ Various Restaurants, Various Times
WHAT: A great way to explore cuisine and fine dining at restaurants throughout Rosemont
SO WHAT: Take a break from eating at home and make the trek out to Rosemont as they celebrate foodies with their Restaurant week! Restaurants in will highlight their dining options with special prix fixe menus to enjoy at a variety of price points and with tons of other activities and places to stay in Rosemont, you can make a little staycation out of it!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their website and check out all the participating restaurants and their offer
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, MARCH 10th - 12th (& BEYOND)
Unicorn World Chicago @ Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave,Noon - 8:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A unicorn paradise
SO WHAT: Immerse yourself in life-sized unicorns, a magical forest, and a fun-filled day of unicorn activities and rides for the whole family at Unicorn World! It's a perfect family event that will fill your day with all the magic you could want!
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $49 and you can add a ton of extras to make your unicorn adventure all the more fun!
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
SATURDAY, MARCH 11th
Handmade Market Chicago @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, Noon – 4:30pm
WHAT: Shopping, eating, and drinking all in one place
SO WHAT: Grab a drink from the Empty Bottle Bar, and start shopping the Handmade Market Chicago! They will bring a nice collection of makers with 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!
Chicago Got Sole @ Donald E Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N River Rd, Rosemont, IL, Noon – 6:00pm,
WHAT: A sneaker lovers dream come true
SO WHAT: Head over to Rosemont and find that perfect show this weekend! Shop all the newest and most hyped shows at this gigantic event! You'll be able to trade for something different all while enjoying some live performances, contests, giveaways and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $30 !
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MARCH 11th & 12th
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 11
- 10am – Dyeing of the Chicago River @ The River West of Columbus to East of Orleans
- 11:30am – 5:30pm – Shamrock’n the Block @ Old St. Patrick’s Church in parking lot on DesPlaines Street between Monroe & Adams (700 W. Adams) Advance tickets sales are sold out! A very limited amount of general admission tickets will be sold at the door.
- 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 and streaming on their website and app! The parade will also be available on-demand after the event on their website
- 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. Tickets are $15 in advance for adults, $20 the day of the party, and children 12 and under are free.
March 12
- 10am – Northwest Side Irish Parade @ Neola & Raven
- 11am - 4:00pm – 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, Irish Bag Pipe Performance by the Shannon Rovers, 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 - 3:00pm – 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!
MOST OF THE 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 !
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $100 for the all access virtual passes! 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 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!
- March 9 - LHST Comedy Presents: Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY NAOMI SPUNGEN, ADRIENNE STOUT, AND SUZ BALLOUT @ Schubas
- March 9 - VÉRITÉ / Sizzy Rocket @ Lincoln Hall
- March 9 - Carlie Hanson / Halo Boy + senses @ Schubas
- March 10 - Your Stepdad / Ace_santana02 + doxia @ Schubas
- March 10 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Zeetus Lapetus @ Schubas
- March 10 -Os Mutantes / Ghost Funk Orchestra + St. Stephen@ Lincoln Hall
- March 11 -Jessie Murph / charlieonnafriday @ Schubas
- March 12 - Joshua Ray Walker / Vandoliers @ Schubas
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
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 All Quiet on the Western Front, Return to Seoul, The Trial, The Haunting of Julia, Lost in Translation Part of: Sofia Coppola March Matinees, Lost in Translation, 2023 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts, 2023 Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts, midnight screenings of Calvaire & 48 Hrs., 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 subscription is $4.99, in person screenings vary, so sit back and enjoy!
University of Chicago Folk Festival @ Your favorite spot in your home, All Ages
WHAT:A fantastic folk festival
SO WHAT: University of Chicago Folk Festival might have come and gone but their digital presence is still around, making sure the wonderful music reaches as many people as possible! You can check out the past few years of performances on their Facebook page and their YouTube channel any time you want! This past year's performers included Balfa Toujours, Donka & Nikolay Kolev, Juan Rivera, Henry Barnes & Conner Vlietstra, Po' Ramblin' Boys, Jerron Paxton; Tim Britton, John Williams and Katie Grennan!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their Facebook page and their YouTube channel and enjoy the show! We highly encourage you to donate to help support this fantastic folk festival!
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's coming up!
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
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