Its gonna be a rainy weekend but don't let that stop you from enjoying everything that Chicago has to offer! From markets to concerts, movies to festivals, and so much more, it's another weekend chock full of fantastic events!
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 Your Happy Space: Charr solo exhibition!
- 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
- “Harry Potter: Magic at Play” @ Water Tower Place
- “Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future” @ Museum of Science and Industry
- Wicker Park Winter Market Series @ the Robey
- Mozart Immersive: The Soul of a Genius
- Karen's Diner - A pop up dining establishment where you get an extra dose of sass with your order
- Art on the Mart
- THIS WEEKEND ONLY
- 7/14-7/15 Naper Nights @ Naper Settlement 523 S Webster Street
- 7/14-7/16: Forge Fest @ 1001 Main Street, Lemont, IL
- 7/14-7/15: Chicago Craft Beer Fest @ 1001 W. Wrightwood Ave,
- 7/15: Jazz Up Glen Ellyn @ downtown Glen Ellyn on Main between Duane and Hillside
- 7/15: iFest @ Village of Bolingbrook Festival Grounds and Performing Arts Center 375 W Briarcliff Rd Bolingbrook, IL
- 7/15-7/16: Bucktown Garden Walk
THURSDAY, JULY 13th
French Market @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St , 4:00pm – 8:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A little taste of France in Wrigleyville!
SO WHAT:French Market will be a perfect way to spend your Thursday evening with its casual, European flair and wide variety of vendors. Each day of the market will feature 20+ vendors! Whether your looking for some tasty treats, hand made goods, or just a good time in the setting summer sun, French Market is there for you! Plus there will be a kids craft corner to keep the kid’s imaginations growing. You can bring your blanket on the grass or pick a patio table to sit back and enjoy the live music each week! Check out the music schedule below!
- July 13:Jared Rabin Band ( Americana )
- July 27:Breezy Rodio ( Blues )
- August 10:Big Sadie ( Folk Country )
- August 17:Dario Napoli Trio ( Gypsy Jazz )
- August 31:Cajun Vagabonds ( Zydeco )
- September 14:The Hoyle Brothers ( Honky Tonk )
- September 28:Bowmanville ( Gypsy Jazz )
NOW WHAT: Entry is free, just bring your totes and stock up on some amazing food and wares!
Protomartyr with Stuck @ Thalia Hall, 1807 S Allport St, 8:00pm, 17+
WHAT: The Detroit post-punk band makes their way back to Thalia Hall
SO WHAT: Ever since Protomartyr started cranking out their sound, it seems like nothing can stop them. Add to that collaborations with Kelley Deal of The Breeders and last year's exceptional album Formal Growth in the Desert, and you have a band performing at their best. They were just in town last year, so if you missed them then or are in need of another serving of their complex sound, this is the night. Joining them at Thalia hall will be fellow post-punk band Stuck.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $25 for this great night!
FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JULY 14th - JULY 15th (& BEYOND)
Concerts for Conservation @ Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st Street, Brookfield, IL, 6:00pm
WHAT: A series of concerts at Brookfield Zoo
SO WHAT: Enjoy four incredible nights of live music at Brookfield Zoo's summer concert series, Concerts for Conservation! You'll have the chance to check out some amazing bands in the zoo's beautiful park while surrounded by all the fantastic wildlife and nature. Check out the lineup for the series below and get ready for a great time!
- 7/14 Soul Asylum with Special guests The Verve Pipe
- 7/15 Macy Gray
- 7/21 Vertical Horizon
- 7/22 Plain White T's
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $45 for GA (nonmembers)
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JULY 14th - JULY 16th (& BEYOND)
Millennium Art Festival @ Michigan Avenue & E Lake St., 10:00am – 5:00pm
WHAT: Three days of great art in the middle of downtown
SO WHAT: Millennium Art Festival will have an wide range of artwork on display including paintings, ceramics, photography, and furniture from over 140 juried artists! There will also be plenty of festival food, live music, face painting, a Kid's Art Stop, and artist demonstrations throughout the fest!
NOW WHAT: It’s free!
El Gran Festival Colombiano – Chicago 2023 @ Northeastern Illinois University, 3702 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Friday 3:00pm –10:00pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon – 10:00pm
WHAT: A celebration of Colombian culture
SO WHAT: Head over to the Northeastern Illinois campus to experience Colombia’s culture from its cuisine, dance, its cumbia and vallenato music. Enjoy the explosive colors, festival carnival costumes, wonderful music and joyous celebrations. El Gran Festival Colombian will have a live main stage with international artists (including La Jara NYPD Band, Willy Garcia, Yeison Jimenez, Milly Quezada, and more), food, drinks, fun for the whole family!
NOW WHAT: Friday is the free community day, but tickets for VIP are avaialable! Head over to Ticketon and Eventbrite to purchase!
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!
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $15! 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, JULY 8th
Summer Fireworks @ Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue, 10:00pm – 10:10pm
WHAT: Enjoy the spectacle of fireworks all summer long
SO WHAT: Take a trip to Navy Pier and check out their dazzling display of fireworks!. Each show features dramatic and popular music soundtracks with some special occasion soundtracks sprinkled throughout the season. It’s the first fireworks show of the year so kick off summer with this explosive tradition.
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Just make your way to Navy Pier, find a spot, and enjoy the show !
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 15th & 16th (& BEYOND)
Volleywood featuring Corona Electric Beach @ North Avenue Beach, 1600 North Lake Shore Drive, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, 21+
WHAT: A 2-day beachfront music festival
SO WHAT: Immerse yourself in Volleywood featuring Corona Electric Beach, a day full of Chicago’s skyline views, breezy beats, full-service bars, and local food. The festival will feature music from Don Diablo, Sam Feldt, Dillion Francis, Crankdat, and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $60 for single day passes and $100 for two day passes for this fun beach affair!
SUNDAY, JULY 16th
Yellowcard: Celebrating 20 Years of Ocean Avenue @ Hunting Bank Pavillion, 1300 S Linn White Dr, 7:00pm
WHAT: The 2000s pop punk staple returns to honor their landmark album
SO WHAT: While the band may have disbanded in 2017, how could they not come back together again and celebrate the birthday of one of their biggest albums? Yellowcard will be touring in support of Ocean Avenue's 20th birthday and the bands upcoming EP Childhood Eyes! They're not coming to Chicago alone either as Mayday Parade, Story of the Year, The Wild Life, and Emo Night Brooklyn are all going to be on the show enjoying the special anniversary!
NOW WHAT: Tickets start at $29.50 for this incredible show!
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Windy City Smokeout @ United Center, 1901 W Madison St, Various Times
WHAT: BBQ, beer, and all the country music you could wish for!
SO WHAT: Your favorite country music festival is back at the United Center parking lot for four(!) full days of summer fun! In addition to all the great BBQ from the world’s best pitmasters and beers from fantastic breweries that Windy City Smokeout provides, you’ll get the chance to check out headliners like Zach Bryan, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Zac Brown Band, and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are sold out but there are a few on Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange
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!
- July 13 - LHST Comedy Presents: Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY NAOMI SPUNGEN, ADRIENNE STOUT, AND SUZ BALLOUT @ Schubas
- July 13 - Madilyn Mei / Mae Krell @ Schubas
- July 13 - The Crane Wives / Phabies @ Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
- July 14 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Tommy Kladis @ Schubas
- July 14 - The Family Crest / Zorila @ Schubas SOLD OUT
- July 14 -Deerhoof / Serengeti + Products @ Lincoln Hall
- July 15 - School of Rock Adult Bands of Chicoland @ Schubas
- July 15 - These Days Chicago Artists to Watch Spring / Summer 2023 Gayun Cannon + Kayo + Khaliyah X + D2X @ Schubas
- July 16 -Modern Nostalgia Tour: Jeremy Passion, Jesse Barrera, Gabe Bondoc, Albert Posis @ Lincoln Hall
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
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!
- 7/13 Shrek– 8:45pm
- 7/14 Creed III - 8:45pm
- 7/14 Friday the 13th – 11:00PM
- 7/15 Super Mario Brothers - 8:45pm
- 7/16 Scream 6 – 11:00PM
- 7/16 Grease - 8:45pm
- 7/19 Super Mario Brothers- 8:30pm
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $33 per car for these movies, so bring the family for a safe movie watching experience
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 The YouTube Effect, Asteroid City, New Adventures in 70MM )featuring Inception, Boogie Nights, Nope, and Babylon), 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 a month, $49.99 a year, in person screenings vary, so sit back and enjoy!
Raw Hope @ Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, opening artist talk and book signing on June 1 at 7 p.m.; exhibition runs June 2-August 9. FREE.
WHAT: Post-pandemic explorations via mixed media fiber art, a book, and Buddhism.
SO WHAT: Area native and SAIC graduate Janet Jaffke returns to Chicago from her tiny French farm to share new works that are crafted from burlap or hessian, thread, gauze, plant material and other natural fibers. “I also use reclaimed coffee bags that originate from all over the world,” Jaffke said. “Each has distinctive physical characteristics. Their diverse colors and weaves are unique to their origin and represent the beauty of diversity in the world. I use the inherent qualities and associations of burlap to explore the resilience of the human spirit. No matter how torn or unraveled life becomes, there are ways to patch the pieces back together.”
NOW WHAT: Jaffke’s book Catch was co-created with Laurie ShoulterKarall, who wrote short narratives remotely in response to the art.
Chicago Humanities: 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 2023
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!
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 a great watch!