15 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 15, 2016 3:52PM

See the one and only Bob Saget at Thalia Hall on Sunday. Photo via Bob Saget's website.

It's cold out there, but our events list has plenty of things to heat up your weekend.

FRIDAY JANUARY 15

Photo courtesy of Virgin Hotels Chicago.

BURLESQUE + VAUDEVLLE: It’s a night of saucy entertainment and craft cocktails at The Upstairs inside the Virgin Hotel this Friday at 8 p.m. There’s no cover for Burlesco, a burlesque revue with variety acts and live music.

LIVE LIT FEST: Chicago has a hearty live lit scene, and the Fillet of Solo festival celebrates all the different styles of performance and storytelling. The two week event kicks off Friday at Mayne Stage with an evening of performance and conversation with numerous storytellers hosted by Don Hall. 7 p.m. Free.

AFTERNOON DJ: It’s another edition of our favorite lunch-break dance party, Wired Fridays. Detroit native and newcomer to the Chicago scene, Jarvi, provides the tunes this Friday from noon to 1 p.m. She’s also a member of Chicago's Naughty Bad Fun Collective and a Junior Resident at Smart Bar. Free.

POP-UP DINNERS: Three nights, three incredible dinners at Mana Contemporary. Chef Brandon Baltzley leads the CRUX team as they make a Chicago stop on their Winter in the Rust Belt Tour. Each evening features a cocktail hour with assorted snacks followed by a five-course meal paired with Virtue Cider and 3 Floyds beer. Seats at the Jan. 15 and 16 dinners cost $75, with drink pairings available for $25. Seats at the Jan. 17 dinner cost $95, with drink pairings available for $35.

BEER + BURGERS + BOURBON: The latest edition of Beer, Burgers & Bourbon at Rockit Burger Bar teams up with Half Acre Beer Company and High West Distillery. The four-course dinner features sliders, burgers and more prepared by Chef Amanda Downing with beer and bourbon cocktail pairings. 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50.

WINTER WARM-UP FUNDRAISER: Former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood hosts the 5th Annual Woody's Winter Warm Up event at Harry Caray's 7th Inning Stretch in Water Tower Place on Friday at 8:30 p.m. A bunch of of pro-athletes, media personalities and local celebrities will be serving up the drinks and competing for your tips, all to benefit the youth mentorship program, Pitch In. Tickets are $150.

Photo via the Chicago Cultural Center's website.

KID FUN: Juicebox, the city's family friendly afternoon series for the stroller set, kicks off their new season with music from Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies. The series continues the first and third Fridays at the Chicago Cultural Center and first and third Saturdays at Garfield Park Conservatory. 11 a.m. Free.

DJ: Catch a DJ set from popular dance musician The Juan MacLean at Celeste this Friday at 9 p.m. Resident DJs Adam Savin (Victories, COMASOFT) and Saam Hagshenas (MONAKR, Hey Champ) will also spin the tunes. Free. RSVP for expedited entry.

SATURDAY JANUARY 16

Photo via Greenbush Brewing Co.'s Facebook page.

CRAFT BEER DAY TRIP: Tour the region’s craft breweries with History On Tap as they take a day trip to Michigan and back. Visit Greenbush, New Oberpfalz, Blue Island and Hopsmith Tavern as you learn about Lake Michigan history and get a behind-the-scenes look at each brewery. Tickets are $90 and the bus leaves at 9 a.m.

CIVIL RIGHTS SERIES: A new web series from the team that brought us Scrappers premieres at High Concept Labs in Mana Contemporary Chicago. “Rights Lab” aims to examine civil liberties through real-life case studies. Saturday’s screening event will also feature a panel discussion with civil liberties lawyer Jerry Boyle and FOIA activist Freddy Martinez, with improvised music by Radio Trio. 6:30 p.m. Free.

FRINGE FESTIVAL: Chicago’s longest running fringe festival kicks off this weekend with a gala at Prop Thtr. The Rhinoceros Theater Festival promises “thoughtful and weird acts and actions” at this Vaudeville event featuring Maci Greenberg monologues, Diane Hamm dubstep and more as The Crooked Mouth plays. Tickets are $12 in advance.

WOODEN WISDOM DJ: Actor Elijah Wood is no stranger to Chicago, we've seen him out and about at different bars over the years. Saturday you can catch him with Zach Cowie when they DJ as Wooden Wisdom at Sound-Bar. 9 p.m. RSVP for free entry before 11:30 p.m.

SUNDAY JANUARY 17

BOWIE BRUNCH + MOVIES: In honor of the late, great David Bowie who suddenly departed earth this week, Empty Bottle is hosting a Bowie Brunch Movie Marathon. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. they'll show Labyrinth, The Hunger, and The Man Who Fell To Earth. Free.

BOB SAGET: The Tanner-dad himself, Bob Saget, comes to Thalia Hall for an evening of expectedly raunchy standup comedy. Saget has had a storied career from “America’s Funniest Home Videos” host to author to Broadway actor, and next month he’ll reprise his role as Danny Tanner in the Netflix series “Fuller House.” Tickets start at $39.

PARTY FOR FRANKIE: Metro and SmartBar present an all-building birthday celebration for the late Frankie Knuckles at 9 p.m. The party will honor the legendary Chicago DJ by benefiting the Frankie Knuckles Foundation. Performers include David Morales, Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini and more. Tickets are $30.