23 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 28, 2016 5:24PM
Check out some live pumpkin carving by a pro at the Intercontinental Magnificent Mile this Friday. Image courtesy of InterContinental Chicago.
The Cubs at home in the World Series and Halloween? It's going to be a wickedly wild weekend in Chicago. And believe it or not there's, even more to do!
FRIDAY OCTOBER 28
LIVE PUMPKIN CARVING: Watch a real pro carve pumpkins better than you can live at the InterContinental Magnificent Mile beginning at 10 a.m. Local artist Edward Cabral will be live-carving two giant 100 pound pumpkins, plus more city-scenes with a grand reveal at 2 p.m. While you’re watching, enjoy housemade Apple Cider, sweet treats and enter to win a free night stay at the hotel. Free.
GIORDANO DANCE: Giordano Dance Chicago presents their Fall Series this weekend at Harris Theater. The jazz dance company will debut a new work from Peter Chu (So You Think You Can Dance Nederlands Dans Theater 2) called “Divided Against.” The program will also include three revivals plus two favorites from GDC’s acclaimed repertoire. Tickets start at $15.
GDC 2015 Promo HD from Giordano Dance Chicago on Vimeo.
EXQUISITE CORPSE BALL: The non-profit Intonation Music hosts their 8th Annual Exquisite Corpse Ball at Beat Kitchen at 9 p.m. Local bands will dress up as other bands for full costume tribute sets including VAYA as The Kinks, QUE RICO as Madonna, and The Daytonics as Sly & The Family Stone. Tickets are $12 ($15 door).
SUPPER WITH THE SNAKES: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum hosts the 9th annual Supper with the Snakes from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The supper will feature a pizza main course with scaly slithery companions. Kids and adults alike will learn fun facts about snakes and participate in games, crafts and art projects. There will also be a costume contest. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids.
Image via DCASE's website.
FREE CONTEMPORARY DANCE SERIES: Contemporary dance is spotlighted by the city in SpinOff, a free series that showcases works made in the midwest. Performances take place at venues all over the city through Nov. 5 including the Chicago Cultural Center, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Stony Island Arts Bank, Links Hall and in three parks. See a full range of works from world premieres to in-progress pieces and workshops. Visit the event website for the full schedule.
POWER TRIO: Terry Malts took their sweet time recording Lost At The Party, but the three-year break between albums resulted in a focused, punchy collection of indie pop. The songs are fast and frenetic, filled with hook after hook rushing by your ears, creating a party in your head. The band brings that party to an IRL setting when they play Subterranean on Friday night. Tickets are $10-12.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 29
SPOOKY ZOO: Lincoln Park Zoo transforms into a Spooky Zoo Spectacular from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dress the kids in their favorite costume and take them trick-or-treating during the zoo’s fall fest. In addition to the seasonal rides and activities, there will also be a haunted house (Kolver Seal Pool), live entertainment and educational arts and crafts at the Kolver Lion House. Free.
RANDOLPH STREET MARKET: Randolph Street Market is ready for Fall with seasonal treats and more this Halloween weekend. Shop their 125 indoor vendors for a last-minute costume pieces or just hunt for vintage finds. If you didn’t get one of the coveted tattoo appointments at the Field Museum, they’ll also be on-site at the market with the next best thing: airbrush tattoos. Local tattoo artist, Jason Preker of Voodoo Paint, will be doing the live fake-inking. And as always, the Market bar will be open where you can make your own bloody mary. Tickets are $8 ($10 door).
SOUL POSE YOGA: Yogis can make blacklight a part of their practice at Soul Pose Yoga this weekend at McCormick Place. Deemed the “happiest yoga on the planet,” this yoga celebration comes from the makers behind The Color Run. Each participant will be part of the action with a SOULBAND: an LED bracelet that becomes part of the light experience. Four sessions to choose from beginning at 8:30 a.m. All levels are welcome. Pricing starts at $29.99.
STRANGER PINGS: We’re sure to see plenty of Joyces, Wills and Elevens this weekend thanks to everyone’s favorite spooky Nexflix show, Stranger Things. AceBounce gets in on the fun with an '80s-themed “Stranger Pings” party at 8 p.m. DJ Barb will be spinning the era’s tunes (in case you’re still wondering where she ended up). Tickets are $40 ($29 early bird) and include passed drinks and appetizers and unlimited ping-pong.
CINEMA SCIENCE: The Field Museum and The Music Box are back together for a Field Trip to the movies. This time they’ll present The Mummy and discuss the reality and science behind the film with resident expert Cassie Pontone, Assistant Collections Manager of the Anthropology Collections. Noon. Tickets are $11.
HOWL-O-WEEN: Get it? HOWL-o-ween? SIT Social: A Dog Lounge hosts a halloween party for our four-legged friends from 7 to 10 p.m. There will be an off-leash play space for the pups, and an on-leash art gallery for owner socializing. Make sure fido comes dressed for the costume contest! BYOB. Tickets are $10.
COCKTAIL CLASS: Take the fruit of the season (we’re talking apples) and turn them into adult beverages at Elixr Andersonville’s cocktail class from 3 to 4 p.m. Make an apple martini or an appled-up Manhattan with freshly pressed apple juice. Tickets are $25.
Image courtesy of Chicago Map Fair.
MAP FAIR: Aspiring cartographers and history nerds are welcome at the 4th Annual Chicago International Map Fair this weekend at the Chicago Cultural Center. Hosted by non-profit History in Your Hands Foundation, the fair will feature antique maps, globes, atlases, books and prints for perusing and purchase. The’ll also have an educational series with lectures from antiquarian scholars. Hours are Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a VIP reception on Friday. Admission to the fair is a suggested donation of $5 to $10.
PERFORMANCE ARTS OPEN HOUSE: At 7 p.m. Ruth Page Center for the Arts opens its doors for “Center Stage at Ruth Page,” an audience-development performance project that is free to the public. Check out what their Artist In-Residence have been up to as DanceWorks Chicago, Hedwig Dances and more perform a works from their repertoire. Tickets are free, but you must reserve in advance.
ROCKY HORROR SPIN PARTY: What Halloween is complete without Rocky Horror Picture Show, and what better place to watch it than Susan Sarandon’s own ping pong club, SPiN. The party will feature a themed karaoke battle by Jim Willis, dance battles, drink specials and a screening of the soon-to-be released remake of the film. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 30
Photo courtesy of Garfield Park Conservatory.
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT: Garfield Park Conservatory celebrates Halloween with Creatures of the Night where they’ll have 12 live animals from noon to 3 p.m. Kids and adults are invited to come in costume and learn about relationships between plants and animals. Stick around for the Monster Mash Costume Bash.
HALLOWINE DINNER: Take a trip back in time to the 1980s and enter the upside down world of Stranger Things with a themed dinner at Ampersand Wine Bar. “Hallowine” will feature Benny’s Burgers, Mrs. Wheeler’s Meatloaf, Not-So-Cold Fries and an Eggo Waffle dessert. All Hawkins costumes encouraged. Tickets are $30 ($35 day-of).
Photo courtesy of The Neo-Futurists.
TOO MUCH FRIGHT: Happy Halloween from The Neo-Futurists crew as they bring us "Too Much Fright" at 10:30 p.m. The special edition, one-night only show is a play on their long running theater show “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind” with 30 plays performed in just 60 minutes. Tickets are $20.
HAUNTED HEARTS: Join the Chicago Philharmonic for a special Halloween concert at Harris Theater at 3 p.m. They’ll play some recognizable terrifying pieces such as the film score from Hitchcock’s Psycho and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. They’ll be accompanied by “bone chilling narration” from Tim Hopper of the Steppenwolf Theatre. Tickets start at $25.
CLARK STREET SPOOKTACULAR: Get ready to be spooked at the family-friendly Halloween celebration on Clark Street in Lincoln Park. Trick-or-treat at participating businesses starting at 1 p.m. and witness magicians, jugglers and scary stilt walkers. Winners of the Scarecrows on Parade will be announced at 4 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.
DESSERT CRAWL: Indulge your sweet tooth at the Andersonville Dessert Crawl from 2 to 5 p.m. It’s all treats on either the Candy Corn Route or the Candy Apple Route which will visit more than 20 stops including First Slice Pie Cafe, The Wooden Spoon and Defloured Bakery. Tickets are $25 ($30 weekend-of).
OLD POLONIA FOOD TOUR: Explore the changes is Wicker Park and Old Polonia with a walking food tour from Chicago Detours’ Amanda Scotese at 11a.m. The private tour will take you from the former "Polish Broadway" to the actual park of Wicker Park exploring spots like Podhalanka Restaurant, Lovely Bake Shop and the Turkish Baths Building. Tickets are $49.