14 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 6, 2017 3:38PM
Dogs get into costume for the For Paws Club Howl-O-Ween Pawty this Saturday. Image via For Paws Club's Facebook page.
The Halloween season gets started early with the Music Box of Horrors film fest, a doggy "Howl-O-Ween Pawty and more happening this weekend.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
SOUTH SIDE FILM FESTIVAL: The South Side Film Fest kicks off on Friday at Studio Movie Grill, celebrating the south side’s appearance in movies. See films old and new at the three day festival including Love Jones, Cooley High and a trio of short films produced by South Side Natives.Tickets start at $16. Visit the festival website for the full schedule.
WEST TOWN FOOD TRUCK SOCIAL + ART WALK: The West Town Food Truck Social and Art Walk become one down Chicago Avenue this weekend. Check out neighborhood retailers while sampling some of the best mobile kitchens around the city. Local record stores will provide the tunes for the lively festival. Free.
FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL: When old VHS tapes get tossed where do they go? Well, to the Found Footage Festival, of course. The Music Box Theatre hosts Found Footage Festival: Volume 8 hosted by Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett, whose credits include The Onion and the Late Show with David Letterman, at 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. This year’s gems include “The Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults” and exclusive selections from David Letterman's VHS Collection. Tickets are $15.
WORRY NOT: Worriers, led by singer and guitarist Lauren Denitzio, uses the band’s latest album Survival Pop to mount a rallying cry against the difficulties of life. Denitzio unflinchingly examines some of the worst times she’s been through and transforms them into exultant arguments for embracing all life throws at you. Musically, the band mixes skewed indie guitars that seem magnetized with raw power-pop currents into the mix and further sweetens the delivery of some pretty heavy material. Worriers plays Township on Friday night.
TASTE TALKS: The three-day innovative and experiential food symposium, Taste Talks, includes panel discussions, tastings, underground dinners and parties and more. The festival culminates on Sunday with an All-Star Cookout in Palmer Square with twelve top chefs including Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern. Visit the Taste Talks website for event and ticket information.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7
MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS: It’s the time of year for fear, and The Music Box will take you there with the 24 hour Horror Movie Marathon beginning at noon. This year’s marathon brings us exploits of zombified police run-ins, adolescent lycanthropy, dizzying dives and tributes to George Romero and Tobe Hooper. Director Mariano Baino will also appear live for a Q&A after his film Dark Waters. Tickets are $30 in advance. Visit the Music Box website for the full lineup.
WORLD DUMPLING FEST: Part of the citywide intercultural Inherit Chicago festival, World Dumpling Fest takes us around the city and around the world through filled dough treats. Enjoy dumplings from Chicago's best ethnic restaurants, including Tryzub Ukrainian Kitchen, Ethiopian Diamond and Kamehachi. There will also be cultural performances, crafts and artwork. Admission is free. Buy advance food tickets here.
HOWL-O-WEEN PAWTY: Even dogs love to get dressed up for Halloween. Bring your furry best friend to the For Paws Club Howl-O-Ween Pawty at the Whole Foods Kingsbury Rooftop from 2 to 4 p.m. for a costume contest, giveaways and more. The party benefits local nonprofit One Tail at a Time, and there will even be free local beer samplings for the humans. Tickets are $15.
ZARAGOZA POP-UP DINNER: Cocktail bar The Whistler hosts south side restaurant Birrieria Zaragoza for a one-night only pop-up dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. The Mexican bites will be paired with a tequila-fueled Whistler cocktail. Cost is $20.
BEVERLY ART WALK: The fourth annual Beverly Art Walk highlights the south side Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods this Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. More than 200 area artists and artisans will be on display in 62 businesses and organizations along Wood street. The event is free and there’s also a free trolley available.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8
Photo by Benjy Lipsman
BANK OF AMERICA CHICAGO MARATHON: The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of the biggest marathons in the country, and special as participants get to run through our iconic skyline. Even if you’re not running the 26.2 miles yourself, you can join the cheering crowds all along the route, including as well as the “runner reunite area” in Butler Field. See the marathon website for special spectator information.
BRING THE BIG ROCK: Protomartyr’s just released Relatives in Descent might be our favorite album from the band yet. The Detroit combo takes a massive rock approach to their sound that feels open and cloistered at the same time. For instance, a single song may feature bouncing subterranean walls of sound that crash into each other, and then suddenly opening up space for a rolling drum part to enter and carry singer Joe Casey’s speak-sing storytelling. The new album’s opening cut “A Private Understanding” lays out the framework for everything to follow, so a single listen to that will let you know if this is going to be your bag or not. Protomartyr plays Lincoln Hall Sunday night.
THE LINE-UP: The Park at Wrigley will soon be hosting playoff parties for the Cubs, but this Sunday they’re beginning a new live music experience cleverly dubbed 'The Line-Up.' From 2 to 4 p.m. the park will transform into a classical music sanctuary featuring musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Northwestern University, Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Free.
FRENCH ELECTRO-POP: Yelle, the French electronic pop duo of Julie Budet and Jean-François Perrier, don’t tour the States often, so any appearance here is a treat. The group’s bouncy electronic beats take on an intercontinental swagger, topped of with a dollop of Budet’s clear-eyed yet saucy vocal delivery. Yelle hasn’t released a proper album since 2014’s Complètement fou, so we’ve only had a handful of singles to tide us over since then. Hopefully this brief tour will give a sneak peek of new music to come? Yelle plays The Empty Bottle on Sunday night.