13 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 2, 2015 2:45PM
Chicago Fire's Joe Minoso (center) hosts the inaugural WhirlyCruz Cup on Saturday. Photo via the TV show's website.
As the weather cools down, the weekends turn up. Check out our favorite events happening in the city this weekend.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2
ART + PARTY: The Museum of Contemporary Art launches their new Prime Time series with an evening of collaboration with the Land and Sea Dept. The after-hours event will feature music from electropop musician Dan Deacon and design experiences from local artists. LSD restaurants like Parson’s Chicken and Fish and Longman & Eagle are among the pop-ups providing food and drink. Tickets are $15.
BEERFEST: The first ever Rocktober Beerfest takes place this weekend in the West Loop with brews from Goose Island and nosh from Publican Quality Meats. Along with the brats and other fare there will be live music from Jimmy’s Bavarians and some popular cover bands like Headbangers Ball and Two White Crew. One-day tickets are $7.50 and include one beer ticket and an authentic German stein.
VEGGIE EATS: Green City Market Jr. Board hosts A (Mostly) Veggie Affair at Moonlight Studios from 7 to 10 p.m. The event will feature a stationed tasting with all-vegetable dishes from local chefs, along with a few meat options (made from three whole animals) giving guests the opportunity to “cheat on meat or go whole beast.” Tickets are $75 for general admission, and $95 for VIP which includes early entry for a 6 p.m. cocktail hour.
ART AFTER DARK: The Art Institute’s after-hours series After Dark, features special tours of Making Place: The Architecture of David Adjaye. As usual, there will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar along with DJs and a live set from Gavin Turek. 9 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $30. 21+
GLAM POP WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: We go way back with The Ladies And Gentlemen. And we’ve long respected their amazing live shows—filled with dancing to good old fashioned rock and/or roll chords. If there’s any issue we have with the band, it’s that they take far too long to release new material. Though when dealing with a band that survived the signing frenzy of alternative bands in the ‘90s (members of the group spent time in Material Issue and Box-O-Car, among many other groups) I guess we’re OK waiting on their next album. And almost a decade after their debut, their sophomore effort Casa Futura proves worth the wait. The band sticks with their self-imposed rule of “all killer in filler” and delivers an album that is one of the best of 2015 so far. Don’t sleep on this. They celebrate it’s long awaited release tonight at Liar’s Club. (1665 W. Fullerton Ave.)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3
CHICAGO TV STARS + WHIRLYBALL: Watch cast members from Chicago Fire face off against Chicago P.D. stars in a competition for the WhirlyCruz Cup. The event will be hosted by none other than Cruz himself, portrayed by actor Joe Minoso on Chicago Fire. Other Chicago celebrities will also be in attendance, along with real Chicago police officers and firemen as the event raises funds for the 100 Club of Chicago. It’s $500 to enter the competition as a team of 4, or $125 to enter as a single player. Spectator tickets are $50.
DANCE: After 23 years at the helm, River North Dance Chicago says goodbye to retiring Artistic Director Frank Chaves. Tonight’s show at Auditorium Theatre will serve as a celebration of his time with the company. The program will feature some of his favorite pieces along with a few of his own works. Tickets start at $28. 7:30 p.m.
ARCHITECTURE: The Chicago Architecture Biennial begins today and continues through January with hundreds of events across the city. The theme The State of the Art of Architecture invites everyone to take part, not just those in the industry. For a full list of events visit the exhibition’s website.
RUN: When you sign up for the Ditka Dash 5K you get a mustache, aviator sunglasses, a sweater-looking race tee and a cold beer. Sounds like a pretty good reason to get out there and run. After da race, there’s a Miller Lite Mustache Bash to look forward to. The race begins and ends just outside Soldier Field. Rotating start times of 8, 9 & 10 a.m. Registration is $55.
ART WALK: The Beverly Art Walk celebrates artists in Beverly as well as the Morgan Park neighborhood where there will be lots of pieces for sale—from jewelry to photography—and artist studio tours. There will also be live music, dance and puppetry along side food trucks and craft brews. The walk is open from noon to 7 p.m.
GARAGE SALE: Empty Bottle will host a friendly neighborhood garage sale from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Peruse records, vintage clothing, art prints, posters, bicycle gear/equipment and more inside the venue. The bar will be open and you can also grab a bite from Bite Cafe next door. Free.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4
COMEDY: Comedy Hack Day brings developers together with comedians for one weekend to build hilarious apps. See the final teams present to the judges from 7 to 9 p.m. and guess who will be the one team to walk away victorious. The event is at the Cards Against Humanity Theater (1917 N. Elston Ave.), so you know it will be a raucous good time. Suggested donation is $15 for tickets.
FILIPINO FESTIVAL: The Filipino American food and arts festival Kultura celebrates Filipino American Heritage month with an event at Emporium Arcade Bar in Logan Square. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. come in and sample eats from Chefs Joelen Kenny of What’s Cookin’, Chicago?! and Yana Gilbuena of SALO plus many more while taking in music and visual art. Admission is $10.