Well, the nice weather was fun while it lasted. Back to 50s and 60s in our temps, but that doesn't mean we can't find something to do this weekend! Thankfully there is plenty of fun waiting for you! Concerts, movies, markets, art exhibitions, tea parties and so much more are just waiting for you!
Now, let's get on with your Chicago 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 Breaking the Bank: Solo Show by E.LEE & Friends ! Plus you can check out some of their prints from their Vertical Gallery collab,which you can purchase here!! There is also a virtual gallery featuring all the works! You can also see "Saturday Morning Fever” featuring the works of Griffin Goodman through their virtual gallery! And don't forget to check out the virtual edition of JC Rivera's new exhibition "Still Undefeated" ! Or the All Decked Out virtual show!
- Chicago Gamespace is the perfect spot to check out the hairy present and future of the gaming realm! Currently they are showing "Vector vs. Raster"
- Galerie F has a fun stock of prints from concert posters, pop culture prints and more!
- Rotofugi is the perfect nexus of art and toys! Head over to see what new pieces of art they have in stocks and on display in their gallery space! This month they are showing Method for Panic Attacks: New Works by James 'Jimbot' Demski
- 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. Plus Keith Haring!
- Garfield Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely!
- Lincoln Park Conservatory is open! Book a reservation to see all the beautiful gardens safely
- “Mold-A-Rama™: Molded for the Future” @ Museum of Science and Industry
- Art on the Mart
- Wonderverse takes popular franchises like Ghostbusters, Bad Boys, and more and puts them together in this immersive venue! Enjoy tons of activities including escape rooms, virtual reality games, racing simulators, and more! Plus there are plenty of themed food and drinks for you to try.
- NOW- 11/30 Green City Market @ Lincoln Park
- NOW - 10/27 "007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond" @ Museum of Science and Industry
- NOW - 7/7 "Titanic: The Exhibition"
- NOW - 5/12 Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show: Bee's Knees
- NOW - 5/4 Inanimate @ Theater Wit
- NOW - 4/28 Tokyo Last Call @ Hub 51
- NOW - 4/28 Downton Abbey: The Exhibition
- 4/25 - 5/4 Joffrey Ballet: Midsummer Night’s Dream
THIS WEEKEND
- 4/20 Grilled Cheese Fest @ Cheesie's Pub & Grub, Wicker Park
- 4/20 Spring Fest @ Burning Bush Brewery
- 4/20 Red Bull Dance Your Style @ Ramova Theatre
- 4/20 Bingo Loco @ Recess
- 4/20 Ravenswood Makers Market @ Koval Distillery
- 4/20 2nd Annual Green Rose 420 Sesh Fest @ Green Rose Dispensary
- 4/20 - 4/21 Yarncon @ Plumbers Hall
- 4/21 Dog-Friendly Market @ Midwest Coast Brewing
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, APRIL 19-20 (& BEYOND)
Sauced Spring Greening Night Market @ Half Acre Beer Co, 2050 Balmoral Ave, 5:00pm – 10:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A night-time market in a fantastic brewery
SO WHAT: Sauced Night Market makes its way to Half Acre to help finish off the spring season with a very green market. The roving night market has been showcasing vendors for quite a few years now and they’ll be celebrating the 4/20 holiday with a great lineup of local vendors slinging their awesome wares across two nights! The full lineup of vendors can be found at their website.
NOW WHAT: It’s free with RSVP!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, APRIL 19-14 (& BEYOND)
The Neo-Futurists’ The Infinite Wrench @ The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N Ashland, Friday and Saturday 10:30pm, Sunday 7:00pm, 16+
WHAT: Quick plays live and online!
SO WHAT: The Neo-Futurists are back! Their Infinite Wrench is an ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Now it’s actually a live audience that will be enjoying the performance in person!
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo-Futurists this weekend for $20! The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral will be continuing til February (and possibly beyond) over at their Patreon
SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Record Store Day @ Various Record Shops Near You, Various Times (check out our guide for more info!)
WHAT: Record Store Day, a worldwide event that brings record store staff, customers, and artists together in a celebration of the music community.
SO WHAT: Record Store Day has been a little tumultuous due to the pandemic, but the awesome vinyl holiday is back to its regular ole self. There's tons of awesome events going on associated with the day, so head over to your favorite record store whether they are participating in the exclusive releases or not and support your local wax dealer!
NOW WHAT: Head out and support your favorite record store! Check out our guide to some of the great record stores participating around Chicago!
Chicago Rum Festival @ Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N Kedzie Blvd, 1:30pm – 7pm, 21+
WHAT: The Chicago Rum Festival (aka Midwest Rum Fest) is back for another outing!
SO WHAT: Get a taste of the world of rum with this fantastic festival! There are four unique sessions available for rum lovers all skill levels. Whether you're an industry professional, just starting your rum journey, a verifiable rum expert, or somewhere in between, The Chicago Rum Festival has a session ready for you!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are still available!
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 20 & BEYOND
Chicago Palestine Film Festival @ Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N State St, various times
WHAT: An excellent film festival
SO WHAT: Chicago Palestine Film Festival returns with an incredible lineup of films. The films in the festival aim to showcase the multifaceted aspects of Palestinian life, allowing viewers to experience a deeper understanding of the Palestinian experience.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are selling out so grab yours ASAP!
THE WHOLE CURATED WEEKEND & BEYOND
Juggernaut Film Festival @ Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N Clark, Various times
WHAT: The tenth anniversary of this great film festival!
SO WHAT: Take a trip to otherworldly realms of science fiction and fantasy with the Juggernaut Film Festival! Juggernaut will be showing 90 (!) amazing independent films from all over the world. Immerse yourself in the thought-provoking ideas and interesting characters that inhabit these innovative films!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are available now!
One Earth Film Festival @ Various Locations or Right at Home, Various Times
WHAT: Celebrate our planet with some excellent films!
SO WHAT: Join One Earth Film Festival for a weekend full of great films and discussions in celebration of Earth Day. These incredible films and conversations "will help you understand topical issues and move toward concrete actions to mitigate climate change, address environmental justice and more".
NOW WHAT: Head over to their website for more info on screenings (both virtual and in person)!
Chicago Latino Film Festival @ Landmark Century Center Cinema (2828 N Clark St), Davis Theater (4614 N. Lincoln Ave), Instituto Cervantes (31 W Ohio St), various times
WHAT: Chicago Latino Film Festival is back for their 40th year!
SO WHAT: Chicago Latino Film Festival gives audiences a look into the work of filmmakers from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the U.S. As always the festival will feature a variety of shorts and feature films through the entire spectrum of genre, each giving a special insights to unique themes. Opening night with The Wind Walker (April 11) and closing night with Milonga (April 22) will take place at Davis Theater. You can check out the full lineup of films here!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are available now! Screenings at Landmark Century Center are $15 except on Monday and Tuesday when they are$12 and the10-film Passport is $125. Special Events at Instituto Cervantes are $30 and the opening/closing night galas are $75. ILCC members, students and seniors get discounted rates
Asian Pop-up Cinema @ Various Locations, Various Times
WHAT: Experience some incredible movies throughout the month!
SO WHAT: Asian Pop-Up Cinema brings together over 20 films from around the world with a vision "to foster an appreciation for a diverse range of Asian cultures through film". The films will feature in person screenings and plenty of virtual screenings for those that want to stay home! Check out the full lineupat their website!
NOW WHAT: Tickets for both in person screenings and virtual screenings are available now!
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. Check out what's going this weekend at these great venues
- April 18 - Schubas Open Mic HOSTED BY SHARRON PALM, and SAM SELBY @ Schubas FREE
- April 18 - Mind's Eye + Flowerbabe @ Schubas
- April 18 - Ethan Bortnick luna park tour + ivri @ Lincoln Hall
- April 19 - Carter Ace + m.e.h. + Samuel Aaron @ Schubas
- April 19 -Minor Moon + Macie Stewart + Moontype @ Lincoln Hall
- April 19 - Meet Me Upstairs Presents: Brendan Lemkin @ Schubas FREE
- April 20 - Mr. Dave Music Presents Sonic Odyssey: It’s High Time for a Baby Rave @ Lincoln Hall
- April 20 - Big Something + The Ries Brothers @ Lincoln Hall
- April 20 - Michael Seyer + sundiver ca + Late Nite Laundry @ Schubas
- April 21 - School of Rock House Band Showcase @ Schubas
- April 21 -Meatbodies + Axis:Sova @ Schubas
NOW WHAT: Head out to Schubas & Lincoln Hall and enjoy this great lineup of shows!
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 theater
SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre is ready to fill that art house need in you with some excellent movies including a The Beast, La Chimera, Sasquatch Sunset, The Smell of Money, Limelight Part of: To Avoid Any Misunderstanding: The Other Charles Chaplin, midnight screenings of Rush Hour and more!
NOW WHAT: Sit back and enjoy a new film at one of our favorite movie theatres in the city!
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. Their year may be over, but certainly be on the lookout for updates for next year's season as their website is constantly updated with new talks.
- 4/25 Kara Jackson @ Old Town School of Folk Music
- 4/27 Cristina Henríquez: Unsung Heroes of the Panama Canal @ Chicago History Museum
- 4/27 History Reconsidered: Reimagining History through Photography @
- 4/27 Chicago History Museum Members-Exclusive Reception @
- 4/27 D-Composed @
- 4/27 Jefferson Cowie on Freedom's Dominion @
- 4/27 Frank Bruni: An Age of Grievance @
- 4/27 Eddie Glaude Jr.: We Are the Leaders @
- 4/27 The Swans of Harlem: Reclaiming the History of Black Ballet @
- 5/4 Bakari Sellers: Moving Forward from The Race Reckoning @
- 5/4 Everyday Objects: Public Housing to Prison Pipeline @
- 5/4 Two Tales of (In)Justice @
- 5/4 Dr. Todd Boyd: Hip Hop History from the Notorious Ph.D. @
- 5/4 Dr. Mark Santow: Saul Alinsky – Chicago’s Genius of Grassroots Organizing @
- 5/4 James Spooner: Black Punk Now @ Ramova
- 5/4 Ronnie Malley: A Musical Reflection: On This Earth @ Co-Prosperity
- 5/18 George Stephanopoulos: Inside White House Situation Room
- 5/18 Kathleen Hanna - Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk
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 2023
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 The Price Sisters, Brian Conway, Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton, Ruby John, Sean "Mack" McDonald, and many 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!
