The temps may be going down, but the events are at an all-time high! So don't let the chilly days ahead stop you from enjoying everything the city has to offer. There are markets, festivals, music and so much more going this weekend that you shouldn't miss!
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 their Vertical Gallery collab, which you can purchase here!! There is also a virtual gallery featuring all the works! You can also see "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" ! Or the All Decked Out virtual show!
- 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! Currentyl they are showing Abe Froman Sausage King Screen Prints by Jeremy Fish!
- 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 Farmers Market Series
- 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
- 9/14 - 9/24 Glendale Heights Oktoberfest
- 9/15 - 9/16 Norwood Park Fall Fest
- 9/16 Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest
- 9/16 Little Village Mexican Independence Day Parade @ 26th St from Albany Ave to Kostner
- 9/16 Half Acre Octoberfest
- 9/16 Fulton Fest
- 9/16 Oktoberfest at the Zoo @ Lincoln Park Zoo
- 9/16 - 9/17 Celebración de los Árboles @ The Morton Arboretum
- 9/16 - 9/17 Riverwalk Fine Art Fair @ Downtown Naperville
- 9/16 - 9/17 West Loop Bavarian Block Party @ Washington Blvd. at Sangamon St.
- 9/16 - 9/17 Deer Park Art Show
- 9/16 - 9/17 Edgewater Arts Festival
- 9/17 Fancy Women Bike Ride
- 9/17 Bringin' Trashy Back Market @ Gallagher Way
- 9/17 Family Fall Fest @ Rosemont
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 (& BEYOND)
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!
- 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!
THURSDAY - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 - 16 (& BEYOND)
Englewood Jazz Fest @ Hamilton Park and Cultural Center, 513 W 72nd St, Thursday 6:00pm, Friday 6:00pm, Saturday 11:00am – 6:00pm, all ages
WHAT: The 24th anniversary of the Englewood Jazz Festival!
SO WHAT: The Englewood Jazz Festival will be celebrating its 23rd year with sensational jazz artists performing at Hamilton Park and Cultural Center.. Check out the schedule below!
- Thursday
- 6:00pm – Live the Spirit Residency Big Band: Ernest Dawkins Live!
- Friday
- 6:00pm – Isiah Collier and the Chosen Few
- Saturday
- 11:30am – Live the Spirit Residency presents Young Masters Directed by Ernest Dawkins
- 12:30pm – Alexis Lombre
- 1:30pm – Frank Russell Band
- 3:00pm – New horizons Nesemble Delmark Allstars w Jeff Parker
- 3:35 Spirit of Jazz Awards
- 4pm – Joel Rose
- 5pm – Trumpet Summit
NOW WHAT: The whole event is free and a wonderful way to experience Chicago jazz!
Impromptu Fest @ Epiphany Center for the Arts & High Concept Labs, 201 S Ashland Ave & 2233 S. Throop, Suite #401, Various times
WHAT: After a one-year hiatus, Chicago’s Impromptu Fest returns in an expanded format!
SO WHAT: Over five days, Impromptu Fest will welcome some incredible local musicians to share their new classical music across 15 concerts. This year's festival includes many newcomers to the storied gathering, really putting an emphasis on the up and coming sounds of the genre and its many facets. You can check out our full preview here!
NOW WHAT: It's free!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 - 17 (& BEYOND)
Riot Fest 2023 @ Douglass Park, 1401 S Sacramento Dr, 11:00am – 10:00pm, all ages
WHAT: It’s another edition of the three-day fest of punk, rock, hip-hip and everything in between!
SO WHAT: This year’s very different festival season is coming to an end soon but not before one of the most raucous and notorious events: Riot Fest! This awesome three-day festival brings together the loudest and most fun sounds in the music world for a wild time. This year’s headliners include Foo Fighte rs, Turnstile, The Postal Service/Death Cab for Cutie, Queens of the Stone Age, The Cure, and The Mars Volta! However the undercard is nothing to scoff at with fantastic acts including Tegan and Sara, Mr. Bungle. The Breeders, God Speed You Black Emperor, and tons more! Add in the carnival, Arcade and Skate Ramp sections, and every other odditiy you can imagine and you have a perfect weekend!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available but are selling out fast!!
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 & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 & 17
Ravenswood ArtWalk @ Ravenswood Ave between Lawrence and Irving Park, 11:00am – 6:00pm
WHAT: Celebrate the local Ravenswood creative community!
SO WHAT: The Ravenswood ArtWalk will include open studios and galleries, pop-up performances, inventive activations, and an outdoor arts market featuring dozens of local artists. There will also be music across two stages, Big Teeth 60-Second Film Festival, and so much more! This a perfect way to get to know the community and take home some beautiful art for you or your friends.
NOW WHAT: The art walk is free! Check out their website for more details!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
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 current season as their website is constantly updated with new talks. Here is a taste of what's coming up!
- 9/17 Millie Bobby Brown in Conversation
- 9/19 Naomi Klein
- 9/19 Novelist Zadie Smith
- 10/5 Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key
- 10/7 Around the World in 80 Trees with Jonathan Drori
- 10/14 Oliver Jeffers
- 10/14 Bob and Erin Odenkirk in Conversation with Peter Sagal
- 10/19 Rachel Maddow in Conversation with Kathleen Belew
- 10/21 Improving the American Experiment
- 10/21 Queer Eye's Bobby Berk
- 10/30 Chef Eric Ripert and Christopher Kimball
- 11/1 An Evening with Thurston Moore
- 11/4 Henry Winkler
- 11/5 David Brooks in Conversation with Jonathan Capehart
- 12/5 Montgomery and the Blacknificent 7
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
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
The CHIRP Music Film Festival @ Davis Theater, 4614 N. Lincoln Ave., Various times
WHAT: Amazing music-focused films for your weekend!
SO WHAT: CHIRP Radio, behemoths in the local music world, are dipping their toes in to the world of film with their very first film festival. Showing a nice variety of music-centered movies from concert films to narrative features, this inaugural fest has something for everyone! You can check out our full preview of the festival here!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $12-$20 and you can buy them here
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!
- September 14- LHST Comedy Presents: Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SUZ BALLOUT, Sharron Palm, and Sam Selby @ Schubas
- September 14- Youth Lagoon + Urika's Bedroom@ Lincoln Hall
- September 15 - Madeline Kenney + Ben Sloan @ Schubas
- September 15 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Drasii @ Schubas
- September 15 - Pluko + Pods@ Schubas
- September 16 - The Bright Light Social Hour + Choses Sauvages @ Schubas
- September 16 - Middle Aged Dad Jam Band with Ken Marino and David Wain @ Lincoln Hall
- September 17 - Ryan Beatty @ Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
- September 17 - Stavroz Kick Up the Dust Tour @ Schubas
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!
- 9/14 Guardians of the Galaxy 3 -10pm
- 9/15 Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse - 7:30pm
- 9/15 Friday the 13th - 10:30pm
- 9/16 The Notebook -8pm
- 9/16 Us - 10:30pm
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $33 per car for these movies, so bring the family for a safe movie watching experience
Movies on the Big Screen and Home @ 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 Scrapper, In Dreams, The Others, Friday midnight screenings of New Jack City and more! But if you want to watch some first-run movies at home, you can still watch great movies online! The Theatre's sister company, Music Box Films, offers a wide range of films available to stream anytime via 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!
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!