While grilling out, having a cold one and watching the Blackhawks is on many of our Memorial Day weekend agendas, some 20,000 cyclists will be hitting Lake Shore Drive Sunday morning for the ninth annual Bike the Drive, taking over a 15 mile stretch along LSD for most of the morning. Participants can start their (self-powered) engines beginning at 5:30 a.m., after which cars are verboten until 10:30 a.m. when vehicular traffic is allowed to return. The closures will affect LSD from Hollywood all the way down to 59th St., so plan for detours along that route. Near the event entry points, Jackson Blvd. in Grant Park will also be closed, though drop-offs are allowed between 4 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Congress Circle at Michigan Ave. Bikers can enter north of Randolph or south of Roosevelt - crosswalks to Lakeshore Drive will be blocked at Monroe, Jackson and Balbo. more ›

It's the unofficial start of summer and after this week's early preview, it's looking like this weekend is going to be picture-perfect for three-days of grilling, playing, and whatever outdoor shenanigans you could think to get in to. more ›

Memorial Day Weekend is under way, so pull out the grill, set up the yard games, and put on your leather. For 29 years now this Chicago weekend has been synonymous with International Mr. Leather—a leather beauty pageant, leather and fetish conference, adult superstore, and cocktail party rolled up into one giant event that attracted some 15,000 leather daddies, leather boys, leather mamas, and leather girls last year. (Folks, that’s an entire town of fetish... more ›

Carl Wright, a Chicago actor who appeared in Soul Food, Barbershop and Big Momma's House, has passed away from cancer. Northwestern won't be offering an undergraduate major in Jazz studies any longer. --> Bo Diddley's condition is improving after having a stroke last week. In local celeb gossip, people are wondering whether Vaughnifer is planning a romantic reunion in Chicago. Someone at MeFi asked "What is required for a Chicago porch repair permit?" A... more ›

Media commentators have been falling all over themselves to proclaim that Hollywood’s in big trouble due to a six percent decline in overall box office receipts when compared with last year’s take. Some have even gone so far as to say that the “summer box office season” has gone into a slump thanks to last week’s underperforming Kingdom of Heaven. Wha? Since when does summer start in the beginning of May? Chicagoist is old-school and... more ›

Memorial Day is a time to honor our vetrans, those who have died defending out country, and the men and women who are currently serving in the military. But let's face it - to many of us Memorial Day is a time to make merry because we have an extra day off of work! Whether you celebrate it patriotically or not, Chicago has a million things going on this weekend. Chicagoist tried to round them all up, but feel free to comment if we missed any! more ›