Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 12/7 and Beyond

We're inching closer and closer to the end of the year and the events keep rolling in. Tons of fun things are going on like concerts, movies, plays, markets, and so much more! Don't let the chilly temps scare you away, go out and enjoy the winter festivities!

Now, let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

SPECIAL WINTER EVENTS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8

Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along @ Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., 6:00pm – 7:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Sing out and celebrate Chicago’s diverse holiday traditions
SO WHAT: The new Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along series near Cloud Gate (previously “Caroling at Cloud Gate”) will invite Chicagoans and visitors to come together and sing their hearts out. This series has been reimagined to be more inclusive of Chicago’s many faith backgrounds, cultures and holiday music traditions. Each night will feature a different theme and musical group. Tonight will feature Windy City Performing Arts
NOW WHAT: It’s free!  Head over to their website for more info!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 & 9

Numero Year End Close Out Sale @ Numero Factory Outlet, 2533 S. Troy St., Noon - 6pm
WHAT: Discounts on some amazing music
SO WHAT: Numero Group has curated some of the best releases across genres and this sale is the perfect way to dive into the label or fill out you collection! They'll have their store open with plenty of discounts plus a sectioopn of their warehouse with some worthwhile surprises!
NOW WHAT: Just head out to the Outlet Factory and unearth some amazing music!

Sauced: The Night Market Before Xmas @ Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, 12 S Michigan Ave, 5:00pm – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Merry whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year from Sauced and the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
SO WHAT: It’s the Night Market Before Xmas and Sauced knew exactly what to get everyone! A fantastic event with amazing art and retail vendors taking over the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel for your shopping enjoyment! DJ Johnny Walker will be on hand to help the festivities get going! Check out their event page for a full list of vendors.
NOW WHAT: Admission is free and it’s all ages! Go out, shop, and party!

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, DECEMBER 8-10 (& BEYOND)

Holiday Magic @ Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St (1st Avenue and 31st Street), Brookfield, 3:00pm – 9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Add some holiday cheer to your zoo visit!
SO WHAT: Celebrate the holiday season as over two million lights wrap around Brookfield Zoo! Holiday Magic lets attendees explore the zoo as the synchronized lights dance to the music. You’ll have fun discovering all the enormous illuminated animal structures, taking a trip to the skating rink, riding on the Carousel, taking some special holiday photos, and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $29.95 for adults 12- 64, $20.95 for children ages 3 – 11,  $24.95 for Seniors. Parking is $15.18

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

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10

The Trashy Market @ Ignite Glass, 401 N. Armour St., 1pm-5pm, all ages
WHAT: A unique market brought to you by Nowhere Collective, Ignite Glass Studios, and Patagonia x Worn Wear.
SO WHAT: One person's trash is another person's treasure at the Trashy Holiday Market! Ingenious local artisans most-trash into one-of-a-kind wonders. Shop from eco- and socially conscious local businesses offering upcycled and hand-crafted wares including home goods, planters, art, fashion, bath and body and more. Plus there will be plenty of hands-on, trashy activities for all ages!
NOW WHAT: It's Free! Head over to their event page for the full lineup of artisans!

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

One of a Kind Holiday Show @ The Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Thursday – Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm, Sunday 10:00am – 5:00pm, all ages
WHAT: The One of a Kind show back at The Mart
SO WHAT: Need some gifts for the holiday season? Head over to the Mart as they are hosting One of a Kind’s Holiday Show featuring over 500 artists with tons of amazing goods. There is something for everyone from hand-crafted goods, clothes, toys, a Gourmet Market for all your foodie needs, and so much more! There will also be plenty of live music and workshops to make the whole event even more fun.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 and are valid for all four days of the show (children under 12 are free) and a portion of all ticket sales will benefit the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. There are also additional bundles available!

Light Up the Lake @ Navy Pier, 600 E Grand, Various times, All ages
WHAT: Winter festivities without all the cold!
SO WHAT: Navy Pier will be putting on Chicagoland’s biggest indoor, temperature-controlled winter celebration! Light Up the Lake will feature a light garden, featuring large-scale light-sculpture displays; an Alpine ice rink, kiddie train rides, gift market—and, of course, a chance to visit with SANTA!
NOW WHAT: It's free but there are ticketed activities ranging from $5 to $20.

Winterland @ Gallagher Way, 3635 N Clark St, various times, All Ages
WHAT: Some more winter festivities
SO WHAT: Enjoy the return of Gallagher Way’s Winterland with the fun expanding into Wrigley Field itself!! Enjoy fun rides (Wintertube, Infield Express, Hot Cocoa Cups, and Winter Whirl), games (Chimney Toss, Tree Topper, and Snow Pitch), and of course the usual ice skating, ice bumper cars, and the Christkindlmarket will be on hand!
NOW WHAT: Entry to the Wrigley Field portion starts at $5 and attraction tickets are $4 (10 for $36 & 20 for $69)! Ice Skating + Skate Rental is 5 attraction tickets or $20, rink access only is 3 tickets or $12.

ZooLights @ Lincoln Park Zoo, pedestrian entrance at Stockton Drive and Webster Street, 4:30pm – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: One of the largest displays of the season’s lights!
SO WHAT: ZooLights, presented By ComEd and Invesco QQQ,  at Lincoln Park Zoo makes the most wonderful time of year even better with the most wonderful lighting event. The one-of-a-kind experience offers fun family-oriented holiday celebrations that feature beautiful  displays and incredible seasonal activities all under the glow of millions of lights! Check out their event page for a full rundown of all the fun that is waiting for you at the annual ZooLights event!
NOW WHAT: Entry is free on Mondays, $7 on most other weeknights and Sundays, and Fridays and Saturdays are $10! Tickets for the Winter Experiences are additional.

Christkindlmarket @ Daley Plaza (50 W Washington St) & Gallagher Way (3635 N Clark St) & RiverEdge Park (360 N. Broadway, Aurora), Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: The Chicago Christmas time tradition is back in person!
SO WHAT: After going digital last year, Christkindlmarket is back with all the familiar foods, music, and ornaments you expect! Head over to their website for info on special events, hours, and more!
NOW WHAT: It’s free! But if you want to skip the lines and take home one of those Souvenir Mugs you can buy an advance fast pass for $25

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!

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 ready to fill that art house need in you with some excellent movies including Fallen Leaves, Raging Grace, The 40th Annual Music Box Christmas Sing-A-Long & Double Feature, and more! But if you want to watch some first-run movies at home, you can still watch great movies online! The theater's sister company, Music Box Films, offers a wide range of films available to stream any time 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!

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. Their year may be over, but certainly be on the lookout for updates for next year's season as their website is constantly updated with new talks. 
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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GET699ZC7eM

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY&t=3s

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 watch this fun piece!

Julian Ramirez