Before we jump into our event recommendations, we want to remind you that Third Coast Review is one of 43 local independent media that are members of the Chicago Independent Media Alliance. You can help #savechicagomedia by donating to our 2021 campaign. Here’s our CIMA website where you can donate to all or select your favorites to receive donations.
Now, let's get on with your #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend!
- Drive-In Movies & Concets!
- ChiTown Movies - This weekend and beyond will feature screenings of The Lion King, Mean Girls, Friday the 13th, Shrek, Despicable Me, The Twilight Saga: A New Moon, Jaws, and Black Panther!
- Dino Safari – A Drive Thru Adventure - EXTENDED TO JUNE 6th!
- Support Local Venues
- Kingston Mines is open with some great lineups this weekend
- Sleeping Village is opening up Patio Reservations this weekend including Vagabond Vegan Club dishing out brunch on Sunday!
- Fitzgerald's Patio is also back in full swing with tins of artists playing throughout the week
- Evanston Space's shop is open and you should consider donating to help the venue during these weird times
- Head over to the Hideout 's regular shop and get yourself some great merch! Their 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! While the annual Music Frozen Dancing may not be going on, celebrate with some special merch where a portion of the proceeds go to the Empty Bottle Staff! Plus they just added some new stuff designed by some awesome people that is sure to catch your eye!
- Art Galleries and Special Events
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! They've started a whole new year long series Naturally Beautiful with "1991" by Langston Alllston having released last week! 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! And don't forget to check out the virtual edition of JC Rivera's new exhibition "Still Undefeated" and his latest collab with the gallery "Mind Games"!
- Galerie F has a fun stock of prints from concert posters, pop culture prints and more!
- Rotufugi will be showing a new exhibit from JC Rivera It's Tricky. So if you feel comfortable mask up and see the work in person.
- WOMANISH Experience is a cool pop up featuring the work of female and gender non-confirming artists exploring womanhood from a diverse range of perspectives.
- Nom Nom: 40 Years of Pac-Man Design and History @ Chicago Gamespace will give you a deep dive into the world of Pac-Man
- Immersive Van Gogh does exactly what its name says: immerses you into Van Gogh paintings via huge projections that bring the already lively art to life!
- Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes at The Museum of Science and Industry
- WNDR Museum is back
- The ‘Friends’ Experience Chicago
- Jeppson’s Pop Up Shop at Cobra Lounge!
- Art on theMART will be projecting the spacey visuals of Astrographics alongside a soundtrack assembled out of by Experimental Sound Studio's Sun Ra Arkestra archives
- Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show: Saturation is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely!
- Lincoln Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show: Pretty in Pink! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely!
- Fireworks at Navy Pier are back! The 10 minute show stats at 9:00pm every Saturday in May!
- Pop up Grocer is coming to 1555 N. Milwaukee Avenue from 4/3 to 5/30 for you to discover hundreds of new products from the most innovative and exciting food, beverage, home, pet, and body care brands today.
- 1 Cancer Patient is an exhibition of art created by cancer thriver Traci Asher, Chicago photographer Warren Perlstein and curator Rosa Gallagher. The intent of the show is to ease fears of the unknown often felt by women diagnosed with cancer. The exhibit will display works by Jane Michalski, Nancy Pirri, Sara Peak Convery, Kaitlyn Keely, and Warren Perlstein as well as Traci Asher in a variety of media including photography, painting, ceramic and encaustic. The exhibit will run through June 25. Free registration is required to limit attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Explore the five towering sculptures by South African artist Daniel Popper at the Morton Arboretum!
- Opening weekend for the Chicago Dogs (because what's a better name for a Chicago baseball team?) playing against the Sioux City Explorers! ! In celebration, they will be givinig away a commemorative mustard costumes and actual bottles of Vienna Yellow Mustard.
THURSDAY, MAY 27th
Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ Their YouTube channel, the coziest spot in your home, 8:00pm
WHAT: Some excellent jazz for your evening
SO WHAT: Fulton Street Collective may not be able to perform for you in person, but they are determined to give Chicago its much needed dose of jazz through these streamed shows! You can see all their shows on their YouTube channel! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective
- 5/27 Costa/Alger Brazilian Quartet livestream
- 5/31 Jack Smith Trio & Quartet livestream
- 6/1 Nathan Hatter Quartet
- 6/2 Harry Tonchev 3 perform Metheny's QUESTION & ANSWER
- 6/3 Scott Hesse's Move Ensemble
- 6/4 Resin and Riesling: In-Person Art-Making Party @ Fulton Street Collective - $40
FRIDAY, MAY 28th
Audiotree Live @ Audiotree, the spot where you’ve been watching all the best streaming shows these past few months, 8:00pm
WHAT: Live music from Lincoln Hall and Audiotree to make staying at home a little better
SO WHAT: Audiotree has been providing some quality live sessions to music fans for years, letting artists do their thing right from Audiotree's studio. The shows have always been excellent, offering you a nice taste of live shows. Check out this week's lineup below
NOW WHAT: Audiotree Live sessions are always free!
FRIDAY & BEYOND, MAY 27th - JUNE 6th
The 9th Annual Pivot Arts Festival: Reimagining Utopia @ Your favorite streaming device and Various locarions around Chicago, Various Times
WHAT: A celebration of contemporary performance
SO WHAT: This year's Pivot Arts Festival presents 12 selected artists and artistic groups commissioned to create video installations or short, live works responding to the theme of a better world post-pandemic. The performances will take place either in person will safety precautions or virtually throughout the festival. You can check out the lineup of performances over on their website!
NOW WHAT: Head over to the Pivots Arts website and start scheduling your festival experience!
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 28th & MAY 29th
Sima Cunmningham & Erwin Helfer with John Brumbach and Lou Marini @ Constellation, the most musically inclined room in your home, Friday 8:00pm, Saturday 8:00pm & 10:00pm
WHAT: An amazing show for your weekend!
SO WHAT: Constellation has been putting on some incredible shows during the pandemic and this weekend is no different! First up on Friday Sima Cunningham of the incredible OHMME will be performing a set of her solo work for this wonderful evening! Then on Saturday prepare for a boogie woogie and blues kind of night as Erwin Helfer, John Brumbach, and Lou Marini will surely add some liveliness to your night!
NOW WHAT: Stream tickets are $15, so sit back and enjoy the incredible show this weekend! There are also limited in-person seating tickets available for the weekend shows!
The Hideout Online @ Hideout's current streaming Home: NoonChorus , on your favorite streaming device, usually in the evening
WHAT: Miss the good times spent at the Hideout? Well here's the digital version!
SO WHAT: While we may not be able to properly hang at the Hideout just yet, we can still experience all the dancing, bingo, talk shows, music, comedy, and Robbie Fulks we can handle from home! You just jump on over to the brand new Hideout Online at NoonChorus to join in on the Hideout digital community. They are offering a monthly subscription to watch their amazing lineup of shows for only $25! You can still check out individual shows without the subscription, but that subscription is a fantastic deal! Check out their schedule below or at their website and get ready for some fun!
- Friday May 28 – Pixel Grip: Arena Live Debut – 7:00pm – $12 Goth dance trio PIXEL GRIP celebrate the release of their sophomore album ARENA with a live performance at the Hideout
- Saturday May 29 – grelley. – 8:00pm – $15 Bringing together the worlds of music and dance through film, Grelley’s past live performances are cult-hits that take you on an ambitious journey of VHS madness and film parody!
- Tuesday June 08 – A Scientist Walks into a Bar: The Secret Life of Plants – 7:00pm – $5 In June, A Scientist Walks into a Bar hosts botanist Beronda L. Montgomery, a professor at Michigan State, whose book Lessons from Plants came out this year. They'll ask Beronda about the creative behaviors and adaptations of plants, what we can learn from them beyond facts and data, and what it's like to write a meditative look at these beings so different, but so similar, to ourselves.
SATURDAY, MAY 22nd
- May 29 - That Shit's Trans (Talkshow) - Diva Latina Irregular Girl invites one trans guest to discuss a formative piece of media that was DEFINITELY trans—even if it isn't!
Dennis Walkins @ The Magic Parlour at Home, on your favorite streaming device in the most magical spot in your home, 8:00pm
WHAT: A little bit of magic to spice up your weekend!
SO WHAT: While Dennis Watkins is usually conjuring up wonderful effects and illusions live and in person, for the time being he's only sticking to the live part as he takes his magical act to Zoom! Gather your bubble together, dress to the nines, and experience some fantastic magic right at home!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $49 and they usually go fast, so book a magical evening as soon as you can!
THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6ZcTuldLNM Chicago Japan Film Collective Film Festival @ Their Website's streaming platform, the comfiest movie watching spot in your home, various times WHAT: The FIRST Japanese film festival in the Midwest. SO WHAT: The Chicago Japan Film Collective is bringing some of Japan’s most original voices to the Midwest with this awesome film fest. The festival has a strong focus on narrative, documentary, and animated work created by women, the LGBTQ community, and minority filmmakers. Through these films, they hope to connect Japanese and American cultures and create mutual understanding and respect. NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 for single fims, $15 for an All Access Pass ($12 for students)! Go watch some incredible films
The Quarantine Concerts @ Experimental Sound Studios, Your best sounding internet-connected device, at various times
WHAT: Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts and the Hideout's Resonance Series come together for a series of amazing livestreamed concerts
SO WHAT: The Quarantine Concerts is a collaborative series that aims to give artists a space to share their work and continue earning a living during this time when live, in person, performances have been cancelled due to COVID-19. This is a perfect opportunity to unite the community for a few hours of amazing musicians. This weekend features:
- 5/27 - TQC: Carolina Vélez Muñiz presents Huele de Noche - 7:00pm
- 5/28 - TQC: Hausu Mountain presents: HausMo x ESS Fun One: May Edition - 8:00pm
- 5/29 - TQC: ears&eyes Records Festival 202 - 7:30pm
- 5/30 - TQC: soundpocket presents: Swinging By - 11:00pm
- 5/31 - Place of Assembly: Is the Internet a Real Place? Pt. 2 - Club Matryoshka- 8:30am
- 5/31 - OPTION: Kate Mohanty - 7:00pm
You can check out their full schedule here. NOW WHAT: Head over to their Twitch stream and start watching some great shows. There is a suggested donation of $5-$10 per evening. 100% of the donations contributed during each performance go to the artists who played that night.

Film Center from Your Sofa @ The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute, your couch or preferred movie watching spot in your place, pretty much any time
WHAT: The Film Center at Home
SO WHAT:The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute is continuing their excellent series Film Center from Your Sofa .This is a fun way to stay in digital touch with the Film Center and watch some great films from the comfort of home! Enjoy films like Dead Pigs; New French Shorts, The Story of a Three Day Pass, Spring Blossom, RK/RKAY; There Is No Evil; Us Kids; Slalom; Wet Season; The County; About Endlessness; My Wonderful Wanda; Hope; Beast Beast; Downstream to Kinshasa; and Oscar nominated Documentary, Live Action, and Animated Shorts! Head over to their listings and start watching!
NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy!
New Talks and Video Archives @ Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube's app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages
WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people!
SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Their website is constantly updated with new talks, so check out the wealth of upcoming and previous events in their archives! Below is just a taste of what is coming in the next few weeks
- June 2 - Cecil McDonald Jr. on Cuts and Beats - 7:00pm
- June 9 - Community Journalism - 7:00pm
- June 10 - Cornelius Eady and Joe Morton: Brutal Imagination - 7:00pm
- June 15 - Museums - 7:00pm
Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand @ Your favorite streaming device, the most lavish spot in your home
WHAT: The Lyric Opera at home
SO WHAT: Revisit some of your favorite Lyric moments, or experience for the first time performances you've missed.Check out their website for schedule of upcoming shows. Currently streaming is Luisa Miller (2019), The Queen of Spades (2020), and Die Walküre (2017).
NOW WHAT: It's free!!
Steppenwolf NOW @ Your best streaming device, the most theatrical spot in your place, Any time through August 31, 2021
WHAT: The talented voices of Steppenwolf's ensemble beamed straight into your home
SO WHAT: Steppenwolf NOW is a new virtual programming stream featuring a dynamic and innovative slate of immersive and visual experiences crafted and produced for the virtual platform. Membership will let you experience a one-time screening of the current lineup of six projects each until August 31, 2021. The newest production is Duchess! Duchess! Duchess!
NOW WHAT: The membership is $75 and a great way to experience six great shows and support a local institution.
The Great Grow Along @ Your home, next to your soon-to-be-thriving home garden, Friday 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm - 3:45pm
WHAT: A chance to make your thumb a little greener
SO WHAT: The Great Grow Along was a three-day virtual garden festival that will provide gardeners with 40+ hours of sessions with plant pros to help up everyone's growing game! There will be learning tracks to guide you through the talks and they have made the festival's content available on demand to watch at your own pace over the next six months!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $29.95 for this great collection of gardening talks!
Fun Times with Local Museums @ the comfort of your own home, a various collection of websites, whenever you want a little dose of educational fun, All Ages
WHAT: A chance to explore and help out some great local museums during these quarantine days
SO WHAT: Our incredible Museums editor Mariel Bokor has compiled a great list of interesting programming available from museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, MSI, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium during this stay at home time. It also notes which are closed for the season and how you can help support them during these times!
NOW WHAT: Check out our most recent update on what museums are doing as they reopen and continue their online presence!
The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutes @ The Neo Futurists' Patreon, one episode a week, 14+
WHAT: Quick plays online!
SO WHAT: The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral! 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutesis the online adaptation of the Neo-Futurists', ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Since live audiences are still a no-no, this is the perfect way to experience this fun project from home! They also just released 45 Plays for America’s First Ladies, a series of 1-5 minute plays that adopt a variety of shapes, tones, and theatrical conventions centered around the lives of the women who have served in the role of First Lady.
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo Futurists' Patreon page for either $3, $5, or $9 a week (with added incentives in the higher tiers) and enjoy the 30 plays in an hour every week!
Concerts Live-streams and Local Shows Archives @ Your House, Any time you please, All Ages
WHAT: There's tons of concerts from Chicago's yesteryear available online for your enjoyment!
SO WHAT: Oh My Rockness and Do312 has done a fantastic job of cataloging some of the upcoming live-streams from the awesome musical acts out there! Check out Oh My Rockness' listings here, Do312's roundup of shows here, and tune in to these great shows from the comfort of home! Do312 have also shared some past Chicago shows that are certainly worth of a watch. There are also so many great local concerts recorded for posterity and what better time to check them all out than during this self isolation period. Audiotree has a fantastic and huge list of sessions with links to band's websites and merch to help support them even more. In addition to our previous recommendations like Fran, Tasha, KAINA, Divino Nino, and The Ophelias, we also recommend ROOKIE, Emily Blue, Sen Morimoto, Beach Bunny, Tennis, and Gia Margaret! Then head over to their record concerts from Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and beyond to check out Orville Peck, of Montreal, and so many more! JBTV is also a fantastic resource for sessions from bands that have come through Chicago! Just take a look at this playlist of Blind Melon's '95 set at Metro!
NOW WHAT: Stay home, watch some live music, and be sure to check out your favorite artists' social media, you never know who might be live streaming next!
Video Games @ Your home PC or Console, As long as it takes, Just check the game rating
WHAT: Video-games for all!
SO WHAT: Check out our games page for some recommendations of what games to download (and avoid) while we're stuck at home. If you're a PC user, head over to the Epic Games store as they will be releasing a few new FREE games for you to download ! There are also tons of free games on Twitch Prime waiting for you to download!
NOW WHAT: Wash your hands and dive head first into some fun games!
Bring the Zoo to You @ Brookfield Zoo's Facebook page, when you want to see some animals besides your pets or specifically 11:00am, All Ages
WHAT: A great way to make your kids' time at home entertaining and educational
NOW WHAT: Join Brookfield Zoo on Facebook every weekday at 11:00am for a "Bring The Zoo To You" Facebook Live featuring one of their animals as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. If you can't make it at 11, that's okay. The video will be saved afterward on Facebook as well as on their YouTube channel.
SO WHAT: Just jump in to the chat at their Facebook page to learn something new
Ravinia TV @ Ravinia's YouTube Channel, On the best sounding device that can play YouTube channel, Fridays 7:00pm
WHAT: Some excellent performances to hold you over during this time of no live concerts
SO WHAT: RaviniaTV was a 20-minute weekly variety show webcast on their YouTube channel and Facebook page every Friday. Their first season of the series is over, but all their shows are achieved and ready to re-watch or experience forth e first time!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their website and tune in to the show. You can also check out previous episodes of the show
Grant Park Music Festival 2020 Virtual Season: Festival Remixed @ YouTube and WFMT, at home with your favorite streaming device, Fridays and Wednesday 6:30pm
WHAT: Live music for your free time
SO WHAT: This year the Grant Park Music Festival went virtual with plenty of great concerts and events being livestreamed online on YouTube and WFMT (both on their website and FM). You can check out our preview of the season here. While the season is officially over, you can still check out their archive of 2020 shows here!
NOW WHAT: Head over to the Festival Remixed website, catch some of the previous shows, and enjoy!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY
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.

