15 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 28, 2017 4:18PM
Summertime vibes are vibing this weekend with outdoor street fests, a book fair, a vintage market and so much more.
FRIDAY JULY 28
DANCE CRASH: Take a trip to the other side of The Land of Oz during Chicago Dance Crash’s latest production, The Bricklayers of Oz. Munchkinland’s bricklayers and laborers star in this “street tale” that imagines life for second-class citizens of a magical world. The family-friendly production opens this Friday and runs through Aug. 5. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under.
NEWBERRY LIBRARY BOOK FAIR: The Newberry Library Book Fair is like Christmas for bookworms. One of the largest used book sales in the country, the independent library has more than 120,000 used books, movies, records and more for sale this Thursday through Sunday. Admission is Free.
FIESTA DEL SOL: Pilsen’s Fiesta del Sol is the largest Latino festival in the midwest, with family values at heart. The alcohol and tobacco-free festival still has plenty of fun, with live music, a carnival and civil rights and community activities all weekend.
SATURDAY JULY 29
TOUR DE FAT: Fat Tire’s Tour de Fat has really grown up, expanding this year to Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island from 4 to 9 p.m. Legendary hip hop group (and Tonight Show band) The Roots will headline the fest celebrating beer, bikes and bemusement. Tickets are $20.
WICKER PARK FEST: Huge crowds gather each and every year for Wicker Park Fest. Check out the hip neighborhood’s offerings in food, shops and art while taking in an equally hot band lineup over two days. This year has Guided By Voices, Jeff the Brotherhood and Charly Bliss fronting the pack. Entry is a $10 suggested donation benefitting the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce.
CAT CAFE GRAND OPENING: The much anticipated new home of TreeHouse cat shelter and adoption center (complete with catios) will open this weekend, and yes, that includes the much-talked about cat catfe. The public grand opening party is on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. with guided tours and more.
TASTE OF LINCOLN AVENUE: Local food vendors, bars and businesses will come out for Taste of Lincoln Avenue this weekend. Look out for “SausageFest” new to the fest featuring encased meats from local Lincoln Park restaurants and shops, plus a kids carnival area and 20 bands on two music stages. Entry is a $10 gate donation benefitting Wrightwood Neighbors Association.
RANDOLPH STREET MARKET: The popular Randolph Street Market and Antique Market is more than a shopping trip, it’s an experience for the whole family. July’s theme at Plumber’s Hall is "Tropical Punch," and in addition to the 300+ vendors on site indoors and out, they’ve also got multiple bar, a fab food lineup, shade cabanas, live bands and DJs. There’s also fun for kids with treasure hunt maps and animals from Erin’s Farm Sanctuary. Tickets are $10 ($8 online in advance).
Image via West Town Dog Parade's Facebook event page.
DOG PARADE: West Town shows off it’s “dog pride” at the first annual West Town Dog Parade at 10 a.m. The parade begins at Commercial Park on Chicago Avenue and ends at Smith Park. If you want to participate in the parade, make sure your best friend has a city license registration number and parade number. More details on the Facebook event page.
SOUTH LOOP BEER + CIDER FEST: Sip on some local beers and ciders in the summer sun at the 2nd annual South Loop Beer & Cider Fest in the Women’s Park and Gardens from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Virtue Cider, Rock Bottom and Lagunitas are just a few of the makers serving tastings. Tickets are $49 and include a commemorative pint glass and 25 beer and cider sampling tokens.
Image courtesy of CLLAW.
LEAGUE OF LADY ARM WRESTLERS: The next Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers match is here with CLLAW XXVII: Summer Smackdown at Logan Square Auditorium. The benefit match (Sideshow Theatre Company and Chicago Women’s Health Center) will feature Chicago’s biggest, baddest lady-identified arm wrestlers plus musical entertainment from Jackass Magnets. The bell rings at 9:30 pm. Tickets are $15.
GET JAZZED: Cap'n Jazz helps close out the Chicago season of parties hosted by The Vans House. It's a good chance to take in the skewed emo of the Kinsella brothers and their pals for the first time in eons before the band plays Riot Fest last this fall. Philadelphia indie-poppers Hop Along open. The show is free but you need to RSVP for a chance to get in the doors.
THAT'S A PRETTY BIG COFFEE HOUSE: Joshua Radin are Rachael Yamagata are coming to House Of Blues on their Coffee House Live Tour Saturday night. Yamagata got her start here before taking off for upstate New York, so any time she returns to town it tends to be a pretty special affair. Couple that with the fact last year's Tightrope Walker is some of her strongest work to date, and this becomes a pretty alluring draw.
SUNDAY JULY 30
MLS ALL-STAR WEEK: The big game featuring US All-Stars against Real Madrid is next Wednesday, but citywide MLS All-Star events begin this Sunday with Beach Soccer on North Avenue Beach. Beginning at 1 p.m. challenge your friends to a game on the beach fields during an all day DJ beach party with appearances from the soccer All-stars themselves. They’re also hosting a free concert from X-Ambassadors on Monday at Northerly Island. Click here for more info on all the week’s events and to register.
FINISH HIM!: F*ck Fest got its start three years ago at Double Door as the antidote to the madness of Wicker Park Fest taking over the streets outside the venue. The two-level party featured dozens of local bands from every genre playing 30 minute sets. Double Door may be shuttered for now, but that's not stopping F*ck Fest 3: Finish Him from taking place in its new home at Township all day Sunday. There will still be two stages—one in the front room and one in the main music room—and there's still a stunning number of bands. Our suggestions? Get there early for heart-on-sleeve power pop from Sam Vicari, midway through comes the growling grind of More Gorgeous, and later on there's the agit-blast that is Speed Babes. Basically, get there at 2 p.m. when doors open and stay all night and you can't go wrong.