16 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 8, 2016 3:23PM
The weekend is here!
FRIDAY APRIL 8
LATINO FILM FESTIVAL: More than 100 feature and shorts films from all over Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the United States will be screened at the 32nd Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival. The festival also includes discussions with some of the directors and other special events. The Opening Night Gala kicks things off on Friday with a screening of Illusions S.A. (starring Jane the Virgin’s Jaime Camil) at AMC River East and a reception afterwards at the neighboring Embassy Suites Hotel. For the full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s website.
CHANCE + ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: We’ve talked about how busy Chance the Rapper is, and one of the things coming up for the hometown rapper is headlining the Power 92 15th Anniversary Concert. The radio station is also bringing in Katie Got Bandz, Lil Bibby, BJ The Chicago Kid and more for the show at Chicago Theatre. 8 p.m. Tickets start at $50. No word yet on whether Chance will ride on top of an L train to get to the gig.
ART GALA: The Underground gets cultured with an evening of art, music and charity. The Art Gala features art from Lefty Out There, Erik Sosa and The Queen of Tape. Tickets are $40 and include apps and champagne with proceeds benefiting Imerman Angels.
DANCE: Hedwig Dances presents two works from artistic director Jan Bartoszek at Circling The Square at The Athenaeum Theatre. The evening includes a reprise of ASCENDance, “a multi-disciplinary dance theater production depicting renewal and transformation in a chaotic world.” Performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17.
ASCENDance Trailer from Hedwig Dances on Vimeo.
CAKE AUCTION: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) is holding their 4th Annual Auction at The Hideout beginning at 7 p.m. Check out works from local artists, and experience a live comic reading. Free.
SATURDAY APRIL 9
WORDS OF LINCOLN: Election season may be the perfect time to revisit the words of Lincoln in a new exhibit opening at the Chicago History Museum. Lincoln's Undying Words explores five of the president’s key speeches, including the Gettysburg Address. There will also be some rare artifacts on display including his family’s carriage and deathbed. The exhibit is included in museum admission.
FREE CONCERT: Post-punk soul? Gutsy R&B? This local band has it all. JC Brooks & Uptown Sound play a free concert as part of Uptown Saturday Nights at the Preston Bradley Center at 8 p.m. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uptown-saturday-nights-featuring-jc-brooks-the-uptown-sound-registration-23473169883RSVP for free entry.
Photo courtesy of World Sport Chicago.
SPIN CHARITY: Hop on your spin bike to “Break the Cycle” of violence in Chicago this Saturday at House of Blues. This is a unique opportunity to take a spin class inside the concert venue while raising funds for B.A.M Becoming A Man and the Athlete Ambassador Program. The high-energy event will also feature also feature a DJ doing their own spinning, and pre and post-workout perks. Spin Participant Spot is a $30 registration fee per person with a $300 fundraising minimum. See World Sport Chicago’s website for more information.
DANCE: Visceral Dance Chicago presents their spring engagement, SPRINGTHREE, weekend at Harris Theater at 7:30 p.m. The show includes world premieres from artistic director Nick Pupillo and Marguerite Donlon. Tickets start at $25.
Visceral Dance Chicago 2015 from Visceral Dance Chicago on Vimeo.
WINE TASTING: Webster’s Wine Bar hosts a tasting of Spanish wines from the Atlantic north west ‘s cool and wet climate. The Country of 2000 Rivers: An Exploration of Galicia involves the tasting of more than 20 wines and includes hors d'oeuvres. 3 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $50.
HANDMADE MARKET: Handmade Market Chicago is back at the Empty Bottle from noon to 4 p.m. Shop jewelry, clothing, paper crafts and more while sipping beverages and stopping for bites at Bite Cafe. Free.
CALLING ALL DOGS: All Dogs won us over with their self-titled 7" in 2013; their guitars were loud but their mood was mellow and singer Maryn Jones has these plaintive vocals shoot straight to one's heart. The band's latest album Kicking Every Day polishes this approach—the instruments are a little more separate and distinct in the mix—but the result is still a blanket of sound you want to fall back into. The band plays Subterranean Saturday night, so bring all your feels. The show is at 6 p.m. and tickets are $10.
SCI-FI SPECTACULAR: See Blade Runner, Galaxy Quest, The Man Who Fell To Earth and many more sci-fi films at Patio Theater's Sci-fi Spectacular. Films start at noon and go late into the night. Taco In A Bag also has some short films included, and will be serving up "Taco's in Space" from 4 p.m. until the last film. Tickets are $20 in advance.
SUNDAY APRIL 10
Tremors. Photo via Music Box's website.
MOVIE + SCIENCE: See Tremors on the big screen, with a side of science, at the Music Box at noon. The theater is teamed up with the Field Museum for these “field trips” that include a lecture from an expert after the film. This time around PhD student Tim Sosa will lead the discussion on the reality and science of the desert creatures from the movie. Tickets are $11.
FOOD FIGHT: It’s a Food Fight for Scleroderma at 5 p.m. at the James Hotel. Chefs Jason Paskewitz (The Blanchard), Nathan Sears (The Radler) and Lamar Moore (Smoke Daddy) will face off in a cooking competition in which you get to eat the results. Votes from guests will be combined with a panel of judges to determine the winner. Tickets are $99.
HOLY BOWIE: Check out David Bowie’s trusted producer Tony Visconti and drummer Woody Woodmansey as their group Holy Holy celebrates the departed starman at House of Blues. They’ll perform The Man Who Sold the World—an album they both wrote with Bowie—its entirety. 7 p.m. Tickets are $28.50.