Get ready for a mini heat wave as the temps rise to nearly 90 this weekend! Pull out those summer get-ups and take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. There's no reason not to get out there and enjoy all the events going on in the city including these fantastic literary events happening throughout the month!
Let's get on with your curated weekend!
ART GALLERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! RIGHT NOW they are showing "ParkLife" BY Blake Jones and Friends!
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stock and on display in their gallery space! Right Now they're showing Further Isn't Far Enough, Paintings and Prints by Chuck U!
- 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.
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens! See what current exhibits are on display now.
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!
- 5/15 The Meadowlark Lemons @ Fitzgeralds
- 5/15 - 9/7 Chicago Dogs @ Impact Field
- 5/16 Spring Fun Fest 2026 @ Parkway Bank Park
- 5/16 - 9/5 Millennium Park Summer Workouts
- 5/17 Ravenswood Community Garage Sale
- NOW - 7/12 David Byrne’s Theater of the Mind @ Reid Murdoch Building
- NOW - 9/7 EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel @ The Fields Studios
- NOW - 6/1 Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color @ The Art Institute of Chicago
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, MAY 15 - 17 (& BEYOND)
Anime Central (ACen) @ Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N River Rd., Friday 10:00am – Sunday 4:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A place to get your fill of anime and more!
SO WHAT: Anime Central (ACen) is the largest anime, manga and Japanese popular culture convention in Chicago and the Midwest. The event brings fans together to enjoy their fandom with a huge exhibit hall, a massive video-game room, concerts, dances, educational panels and workshops, premiere screenings, autograph sessions, 24-hour video rooms, tabletop gaming, and much more!
NOW WHAT: Registration for the event is currently open. Three-day passes are $90 for adults and $25 children aged 6-12. Single-day passes are $60 for Friday or Saturday and $50 for Sunday at the con!
Lincoln Park Mayfest @ Lincoln Park (Armitage & Sheffield), Friday 5pm-10pm,, Saturday Noon – 10pm, Sunday Noon – 9pm
WHAT: Fun times in Lincoln Park!
SO WHAT: Lincoln Park Mayfest offers a wide variety of entertainment for all ages. There will be plenty of live entertainment at two stages showcasing Chicago’s most acclaimed musicians. There will also be delicious summertime food and all the libations needed to light up your weekend! The Spring Fine Art Mart will also be on hand with plenty of amazing works on display for you to purchase and take home!
NOW WHAT: There is a suggested donation of $10 that will help support RANCH Triangle Community Conservation Association
Renegade Craft Fair @ Andersonville, Clark St. between Bryn Mawr Ave. + Edgewater Ave., 11:00pm – 6:00pm, all ages
WHAT: A craft fair focused on independent makers.
SO WHAT: Over 250 independent crafters and makers will be at this Renegade Craft Fair celebrating DIY spirit for the first time in Andersonville! This great market/fair has been bringing some of the best vendors to Chicago for years and this one is sure to be great.Head over to their event page for a full vendor list and more info.
NOW WHAT: The event is free and open to the public. The fair will be on Clark St. between Bryn Mawr Ave. + Edgewater Ave., giving you tons of space to shop and support DIY crafters.
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' Infinite Wrench is an ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience.
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $15-20! The Infinite Wrench and more is also available over at their Patreon!
SUNDAY, MAY 17 (& BEYOND)
The Andersonville Wine Walk @ Andersonville, North (5706 N Clark), Middle (5344 N Clark), and South (4872 N Clark), 3:00pm - 6:00pm, 21+
WHAT: The 20th year of this wine tasting walk!
SO WHAT: The Andersonville Wine Walk turns businesses throughout the district into wine tasting destinations! You’ll check in at one of 3 locations (North - 5706 N Clark, Middle - 5344 N Clark, and South - 4872 N Clark) between 2pm-4:30pm and then head to their long list of participating shops and try samples of delicious wines. Head over to their website for full details on the route and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $50 for this wine walk
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. 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! Check out their talk with Ed Helms below!
- 5/17 Chef Curtis Duffy: Fireproof @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Choose Your Own Adventure With Author Griffin McElroy @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel: A Guide to Living a Full and Healthy Life @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Mary Beard: Talking Classics @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Northwestern University Day Member Reception @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Congresswoman Lauren Underwood in Conversation with Valerie Jarrett @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Casa Kahlo: Frida Kahlo's Home and Sanctuary @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Walter Isaacson: The Greatest Sentence Ever Written @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Peter Sagal’s Constitution Sessions: Who Are the “We” in “We the People?” @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 The John Waters Screenplays: A Reading and Conversation @ Northwestern University
- 5/17 Veronica Roth: Seek the Traitor's Son @ Northwestern University
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
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Chicago Cabaret Week @ Various Locations, Various Times
WHAT: Chicago Cabaret Week returns for its second year!
SO WHAT: Chicago Cabaret Week is a 10-day festival featuring a variety of blues, jazz, American songbook, world music, pop, and Broadway by some of Chicago’s finest artists. This is the perfect opportunity to experience Chicago’s revitalized cabaret scene. There will be 95 performers at 17 venues across the city!
NOW WHAT:Tickets vary, head over to the event page for the week’s schedule and links to tickets!
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 it's ready for all your movie needs with Obsession, Salomé, Liz and the Blue Bird a midnight screenings of Rocky Horror Picture Show & Janelle Monáe: Dirty Computer this weekend!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theaters in the city!
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. This weekend is the start of their month long festival TNK, so you can check out what those show have going on just above this!
- 5/7 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM and SAM SELBY @ Schubas (Upstairs) (FREE)
- 5/8 - Law Rocks Chicago @ Lincoln Hall
- 5/7- J. Roddy Walston + The Saint Cecilia @ Schubas (SOLD OUT)
- 5/9 - Flyte + Ken Pomeroy @ Lincoln Hall
- 5/8 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents Momimgoing + Soft Tooth + Alec J Peterson @ Schubas(Upstairs)
- 5/8 - Lipphead (Blockhead + Eliot Lipp) + Rich Jones @ Schubas
- 5/9 - Killmoves + La Rosa Noir + Special Guest + Broken Demeanor + Solemn Grey @ Schubas
- 5/9 - Ray Bull Please Stop Laughing Tour+ Babehoven @ Lincoln Hall
- 5/9 - Armlock + Feller @ Schubas
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
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 Gap Civil, High Fidelity, Lissa Schneckenburger & Garrett Cameron, Ethan Leinwand, Jontavious Willis, Luke Huval Band, Mariachi Flor de Primavera, and 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!
