16 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 2, 2017 3:14PM
NY Dog Film Festival is Sunday. Image via Music Box Theatre's website.
This weekend has everything from a live magazine to a pug party.
FRIDAY JUNE 2
DO DIVISION: Do Division Street Fest has garnered quite the reputation as a destination for rock fans with a lineup booked by Empty Bottle and Subterranean. ADULT., The Ponys, Lucky Boys Confusion and Protomartyr are among the headliners for this year’s three-day fest in West Town. In addition to the two main stages, there’s also a The Family Fun Fest and “Sidewalk Sale and Do Fashion.” Entry is a $5 suggested donation.
GIRLROCK: Girlpool traffics in '90s nostaglia filtered through a group of musicians not at all nostalgic for the '90s. On this year's Powerplant they bend that genre to their will and craft an album that answers the questions of now. You can try and divine the answers when they play Friday night at The Empty Bottle.
FLAVORS OF MEXICO: Eat your way through the flavors of our neighbors to the south in Little Village this weekend. Flavors of Mexico returns for a third year with mom and pop restaurants serving up authentic Mexican street foods along with live music, carnival rides and arts and crafts. Free.
Jonathan McReynolds. Photography by Jason McCoy. Photo courtesy of DCASE.
GOSPEL MUSIC FEST: The 32nd Chicago Gospel Music Festival takes over Millennium Park this weekend with performances from The Rance Allen Group, Jonathan McReynolds with special guests Anthony Brown & Travis Greene, Vashawn Mitchell, Malcolm Williams & Great Faith, a Tribute to Jessy Dixon and many more. Some of Friday’s programming will also take place at the Chicago Cultural Center. Visit the festival website for the full schedule. Free.
LINCOLN PARK GREEK FEST: St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln Park hosts their 40th Annual Greek Fest this weekend. Greek eats and "filoxenia" (Greek hospitality and generosity of spirit) will be front and center at this family friendly event, plus live cover bands and a meet & greet with the cast of Tony n' Tina's Wedding on Sunday. Donations accepted for admission.
SATURDAY JUNE 3
Image via Millennium Park's website.
MILLENNIUM PARK SUMMER WORKOUTS: One of the best things about summer in Chicago is being able to take your fitness outdoors! Millennium Park offers free Summer Workouts right on the Great Lawn every Wednesday and Friday through August 31. There’s pilates, yoga, strength training and Zumba classes to choose from. Each class is 45 minutes. Visit Millennium Park’s website for the full schedule.
THE 606 BLOCK PARTY: Join the community for the third annual 606 Block Party: A Walk with Neighbors starting at 10 a.m. The festivities will be going all day long with live world music, dance and processions, culminating with an Illuminated Procession at 8:30 p.m. Free.
U2: C'mon, it's U2. And they're playing Joshua Tree in its entirety. Along with a bunch of other hits. And you know they'll have an insane light and sound system that makes other area, nay, stadium acts look like they're playing in someone's basement. This is a no-brainer. The band plays Soldier Field Saturday and Sunday nights.
POP-UP MAGAZINE: Pop-Up Magazine returns to The Harris Theater at 7:30 p.m. with their “live magazine” show. Radio producers, documentary filmmakers, writers and photographers perform multimedia stories at the event, bringing them to life. Robin Amer (Chicago Reader), Carlos Javier Ortiz (visual artist) and Yassir Lester (actor, Girls, Making History) are just a few of the presenters at this issue. Tickets are $25.
Image via Parson's website.
PARSONS BLOCK PARTY: Parson’s Chicken & Fish hosts their 2nd Annual Community Block and Lawn Party from 2 to 8 p.m. Enjoy their patio and the boulevard beyond with bar slushies, games and a surprise live band. Admission is free, but they’re collecting school supplies as a suggested donation for entry.
57TH ST ART FAIR: 57th St Art Fair in Hyde Park this weekend celebrates it’s 70th anniversary this year. Shop handmade, original works like jewelry, leather, photography, sculpture and more at the oldest juried art fair in the country. Free.
Image via Pug Party's Facebook page.
PUG PARTY: That’s right, we said Pug Party. Hundreds of pugs are expected at Park Tavern’s Spring Pug Party from noon to 5 p.m. We’re predicting that some spectacular instagrams are going to come out of this gathering. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids. Free entry for pugs.
LEARN TO ROW DAY: Get free rowing lessons from Lincoln Park Boat Club on National Learn to Row Day. They also offer SUP and paddling classes, and Saturday's participants will receive a 25 percent discount. Sign up in advance here.
TRANSCENDENTAL JAMS: When Sigur Rós played Chicago a few months ago there wasn't a dry eye in the house. And that's not hyperbole. There is something about this Icelandic collective that burrows into each and every listener's psyche. Lead singer Jónsi channels an unknown language beamed toward the stratosphere of listeners' collective conscious, so it's certainly not the lyrics that get you. It's the inimitable package. Drift to a different dimension when the band plays Auditorium Theatre Saturday night.
SUNDAY JUNE 4
COLOR RUN: Run through the colors of the rainbow at The Color Run Dream Tour beginning at 8 a.m. in Grant Park. This is one 5K that you won’t want to rush through as you pass through puffs of color in Color Zones and Lay’s Poppable Foam Zone. Stick around for the Finish Festival, with even more fun and color throws. Registration is $44.99 for an individual runner.
DOG FILM FESTIVAL: In case Saturday's Pug Party wasn't enough dog for your weekend, The Music Box has you covered with the Second Annual NY Dog Film Festival. Two programs celebrating that special relationship between dogs and their best friends will screen: 'Outdoor Adventure with Dogs' at noon and 'Who Rescued Whom?' at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 with a portion going to local dog rescue One Tail at a Time.