15 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 2, 2016 4:11PM
We've got four days of great stuff for you to do on this Labor Day holiday weekend. Make the most of the unofficial end of summer with a music fest, food fest or other fun from our list of favorites.
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 2
NORTH COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL: Odesza, Bassnectar, Zedd and Umphrey's McGee are among the headliners for the Labor Day weekend music festival in Union Park. Putting jam bands alongside EDM and indie pop, the fest has always included a unique blend of genres that appeal to a wide range of music lovers. Some of our other picks for the weekend include noise pop duo Sleigh Bells, indie darlings Matt & Kim and rapper Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the Silent Disco. Tickets start at $65 for a single day pass, and three-day passes are $159.
JAZZ FEST: This year’s Jazz Festival includes headliners like Orbert Davis, the Benny Golson Quartet, John Scofield/Joe Lovano Quartet The Bad Plus and a birthday celebration for Candido Camero. It’s the 38th year for the annual event on Chicago’s lakefront which showcases amazing talents from Chicago and around the world. The city has a rich history when it comes to the forward-thinking genre, and still has a thriving community of musicians today. The festival runs through Sunday with performances in Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center. Check the festival website for the full schedule. Free.
TASTE OF POLONIA: Poland gave us some delicious, delicious food, and you can try it all at this weekend’s Taste of Polonia at the Copernicus Center. The festival runs through Monday with live music, a casino, carnival rides and a kids zone, and of course tons of great polish cuisine and beer. Tata’s Pierogi, Smakowski Deli and Heaven In My Mouth are just a few of the vendors on the menu. Tickets are $5 before 5 p.m. and $10 after.
Image via Mad About You's IMDB page.
PAUL REISER: Ever wonder what actor Paul Reiser has been up to since his Mad About You days? (Hint: he’s starring in a new Amazon series from Steven Soderbergh that’s earning wide acclaim.) Find out this Friday at City Winery where he’ll be returning to his roots in stand-up comedy at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets start at $40.
SPANISH ROOF PARTY: ROOF on theWit’s summer JetSet series comes to a close this weekend with a Spanish sendoff. They’ll emulate the spirit of Ibiza with traditional Spanish fare, beverages and DJs setting the mood with progressive house music. The party begins at 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday and continues late into the night. Cover charge is $20 for guys and $10 for ladies (entry on Sunday is free for all). For table reservations, call 312-239-9502.
FIESTA BORICUA: Celebrate Puerto Rican culture at the 23rd annual Fiesta Boricua. The three-day fest takes over Division Street in the Humboldt neighborhood with live music, art and a back to school carnival. Free.
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3
Image via Cider & Sliders Fest Facebook page.
CIDER + SLIDERS FEST: Sip on some cider and munch on sliders at the inaugural Cider & Sliders Fest in North Mayfair this Saturday and Sunday. The fest will have all the usual street fest sightings: live music, food vendors and a kid’s activity area, plus "Cider & Wine Tastings" each afternoon from 3 to 7 p.m. for $25. Entry is a $5 donation benefiting the North Mayfair Improvement Association.
BOURBON COCKTAIL CLASS: In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, Elixir Andersonville is hosting a Bourbon-inspired cocktail class from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn to make a Whiskey Smash, Old Fashioned, Gold Rush and Kentucky Mule with lead mixologist Vlad Novikov on their patio. Tickets are $25.
Image via the Aerie REAL Tour Facebook page.
FREE FITNESS CLASSES: Thanks to the Aerie REAL Tour, there will be free fitness classes, healthy treats and hang time at the Petrillo Music Shell from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Practice yoga, make smoothies and get health tips from Iskra at the event. RSVP here.
LUCHA LIBRE: Get over to Logan Square for some Lucha Libre in Unity Park. Get ready for mask wearing wrestlers, insults and backflips. The tournament starts at 2 p.m. and is free to attend.
EPIC TWO MINUTE SONGS: Guided By Voices is the band that will never die, despite "retiring" a number of time, and for that we are glad (girls). Frontman Robert Pollard is the master of writing intensely dense power pop while still managing to imbue his tunes with shade of The Who when it comes to ferocity and volume. He also seems to kick out about 74 albums a year under his own name, various pseudonyms, side projects, and Guided By Voices; so you never know what to expect with a catalog that is over three decades deep. What you can expect is an epically good time at The Metro when they play there on Saturday. Tickets are $36.
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4
Sunday Spot, artwork by Tracee Badway
POP-UP STREET PLAZA: “Art, music and play” take over the Lakeview street of Marshfield this Sunday with the return of Sunday Spot. The pop-up street plaza encourages community interaction with art and games, performances by local musicians, group fitness classes and more. The event continues every Sunday in September from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CLAM BAKE: Frontier celebrates the holiday with a Labor Day Weekend Clam Bake on Sunday. Get all-you-can-eat clams, shrimp and sides on the Beer Garden patio, plus drink specials. Tickets are $35.
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5: LABOR DAY
Photo courtesy of Kizuki.
FREE ICE CREAM: When you’re not standing over a grill at that Labor Day BBQ, head to Kizuki for free Japanese Matcha Ice Cream. The green tea soft serve will be given away every hour between between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Ask server for details.
FREE BOOZY SNOWCONES: Stuck working on Labor Day? Make your way to Eight Bar & Patio after your shift for a free boozy snowcone. They’ll have the frozen treats for sale in four flavors all weekend for $8, but those who are laboring on Labor Day will get theirs for zero dollars. Ask server for details.