12 Of Our Favorite Events In The City This Holiday Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 25, 2015 11:00AM
It's Christmastime in the city, and there's so much to do.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS
Check in with your favorite neighborhood watering hole, because they just might follow the Chicago tradition of opening up Christmas evening, you know, after you’ve had your fill of food and family. Here are some bars and clubs that have some special Christmas programming:
BEAUTY BAR: Bump and Grindcore goes Ludacrismas with DJ’s playing R&B jams. 9 p.m. $5.
SPYBAR: Felix da Housecat as Aphrohead leads the jams Christmas night at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 after midnight.
THE MID: It’s a Boogie Down Christmas with DJ Rush, Paul Johnson and Kate Simko. 10 p.m. Tickets are $10.
BERLIN: There’s no cover for the Xmas Night Dance Party with DJ Greg Haus. 10 p.m.
LIAR'S CLUB: There's always a huge ice sculpture / shot chute and plenty of tattooed rock and rollers recovering from family festivities at Liar's Club's long running Christmas night party. Prepare to wake up somewhere weird Saturday morning if you decide to attend.
MOVIES: Are you looking for something a little more low-key? Most movie theaters are open on Christmas Day, so head out and see the new Star Wars if you haven’t yet, or follow that odd family tradition of seeing Quentin Tarantino flicks. Luckily his new film, The Hateful Eight, comes out on Christmas. If you’re more in the mood for a comedy there’s the new Tina Fey and Amy Poehler movie, Sisters, or Daddy’s Home with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, or go old school with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation playing at Logan Theater. The Music Box Theater is also hosting a featured run of HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT, a film about a week-long interview with the filmmaker, that opens tonight.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 26
HOLIDAY FORMAL + FOOD DRIVE: Put on your finest garb for the Jingle Ball Holiday Food Drive and Formal featuring the band Wedding Banned at Cubby Bear. They’ll also be electing two people “Best Dressed” of the ball at the end of the night. There’s no cover with one or more non-perishable food item to donate for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. 10 p.m.
ROCK BAND + WINTER CHARITY: Hometown rockers Twin Peaks play a special holiday concert at Empty Bottle this Saturday. The group has already played Pitchfork Music Festival, but this will be their first time playing the Bottle together. In true holiday spirit, a portion of the ticket and bar proceeds will go towards Warmest Winter, Chance the Rapper’s charity initiative donating coats that double as sleeping bags to Chicago’s homeless. Modern Vices and Blind Moon also play. 9 p.m. Tickets are $17.
DARK WAVE DISCO REUNION: The Dark Wave Disco DJs (Mark Gertz, Miguel Martin, Greg Corner) hold a reunion party at Debonair from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. $10.
SUNDAY DECEMBER 27
DIY HOLIDAY ART: Holly Days kicks of at the Art Institute of Chicago on Sunday and runs through Dec. 30. Bring your family to the Ryan Education Center between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to create dioramas celebrating your favorite holiday traditions.
ROCK FOR REFUGEES: Rock for Refugees this Sunday at Township as they raise awareness for Refugee One, a local organization in Chicago that helps recently placed refugees from all over the world make the transition. Local band Bear Claw will play among others. 4 p.m. $10.
HOME ALONE: Wind down from the holiday weekend with PBR Movie Night at Boiler Room. Tonight's feature: Home Alone. Free. 8 p.m.