Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 2/20 and Beyond

The below freezing tempts have been dominating this week but the weekend is looking a little better! So let's take a look at what's coming up this weekend including all the fun concerts, plays, literary events (which you can plan even further ahead with Elizabeth Niarchos Neukirch's literary event roundup) movies, markets, restaurant experiences and more!

Let's get on with your Chicago Curated Weekend!

ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

SEASONAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20

2025 Chicago Auto Show

2025 Chicago Auto Show @ McCormick Place, 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, 10:00am -9:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: Chicago Auto Show is back for another year
SO WHAT: Head out to McCormick Place to see the latest vehicles, experience added outdoor test tracks, or take a test drive on city streets! It’s North America’s largest auto show and will be open to the public February 11 – 20, so indulge in your love of automobiles! Check out our photo gallery of 2024’s show here!
NOW WHAT: Ticket are $17 adults, $12 seniors 62+, $12 for children 4-12, and children 0-3 are free!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 - 23 (& BEYOND)

MagicCon: Chicago featuring Dungeons & Dragons @ McCormick Place Lakeside Center, 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, Friday & Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm
WHAT: A chance to dive into the world of Magic the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons!
SO WHAT: MagicCon brig the Magic the Gathering fan base together for a full weekend to participate in the best play events, explore the coolest merch, and jump into the the most exciting experiences! There are tons of opportunities to make new friends and put your deck to the test! Plus Dungeons & Dragons will be on hand to share that unique and vast world with new and veteran players alike!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available for this weekend so get ready for some deck building fun!

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The Neo-Futurists’ The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7pm, 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!
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $20!  The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral will be continuing til February (and possibly beyond) over at their Patreon

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22 (& BEYOND)

Music Frozen Dancing 2025 @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, 1:00pm 'til dark
WHAT: Another freezing cold year of this little block party in the middle of winter
SO WHAT: Clearly the most logical thing to do in February is to throw a party outside the Empty Bottle. So grab that winter coat and rock out with the best of them at Music Frozen Dancing! Presented with their pals at Goose Island Beer Co, Music Frozen Dancing 2025 will be welcoming some fantastic artists to their chilly stage including The Egyptian Lover, Bib, Double Over, Landowner, Clickbait, and inside you'll get to enjoy Rent Control and Signal Records DJs all day!!
NOW WHAT: It’s free! Bundle up and rock out! While the show is free, they will be accepting donations at the gate – all proceeds will go towards Mutual Aid LA Network to benefit those in Los Angeles impacted by the ongoing wildfires.

THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND

Chicago Black Restaurant Week @ Various Locations, Various Times, All Ages
WHAT: Two weeks of this incredible dining opportunity
SO WHAT: Chicago Black Restaurant Week returns with another exciting lineup of local eateries. CBRW  was designed to create a platform for Black-owned eateries inviting foodies to check out our town’s hidden gems and maybe find some new favorite locales in the process.
NOW WHAT: Check out all the participating restaurants on their website and get ready for some great food!

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!

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Movies on the Big Screen and Home @ Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Ave, various times
WHAT: A great way to support a great local movie theater
SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre recently underwent some great renovations,and are ready for all your movie needs with some excellent films like 2025 Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts, 2025 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts, The Monkey, Invader (Director Mickey Keating in attendance for a post-film Q&A), Felidae, To Have and Have Not, Dog Day at the Music Box Theatre: The Secret Life of Pets, The Woman King, No Other Land, Rounding, Only Angels Have Wings, The Unknown, The Thing from Another World, midnight showings of Scary Movie and so much more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theaters in the city!

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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. There's tons of talks going on this season, so head over to their website which is constantly updated with new talks. In fact they just announced a good portion of their Spring lineup! And be sure to check out their podcast Chicago Humanities Tapes, which features conversations with some of their best presenters and other great humanities-minded minds! Take a look at some of their upcoming events below:

Check out their talk "Edward Burns Shares a Pint with Chicago" below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vXcQNqQfTc

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 2025

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 bohola – Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders; Rhys Jones, Joseph Decosimo & Nokosee Fields; The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee; Nathan Gourley, Laura Feddersen, and Brian Miller; T'Monde; Izaki Metropoulos, Sophia Metropoulos Laouto & Geroge Lawler; Gabe Carter, and many more!
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!

Julian Ramirez