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11 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 27, 2017 4:56PM

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Quimby's hosts a "Zlumber Party" this Saturday night. Image courtesy of Quimby's.

There's plenty to do this weekend, like taking in some local arts or eating your way through the city for Restaurant Week.


FRIDAY JANUARY 27

RESTAURANT WEEK: It’s here. The one thing we look forward to help us get through the deepest part of winter: Restaurant Week. A ton of restaurants around the city will offer special menus and promotions. Our own Anthony Todd has a serious guide to the week’s offerings, so that you find the best deals and don’t get screwed.

JACKASS LIVE: Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Chris “Partyboy” Pontius, Preston Lacy & Dave England will appear live and in the flesh for Jackass Live at Bottom Lounge. Relive some of those memorable stunts from the hit '90s MTV show (and movies!) with members of the original crew. 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.

IDEAL HOME SHOW: Find remodeling advice, info and tips at The Ideal Home Show at Navy Pier this weekend. Local and regional vendors will help guide you through trends and shop cabinets, windows, flooring, appliances and more. Tickets are $7 ($10 door).


SATURDAY JANUARY 28

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Image via Donut Fest's Facebook page.

DONUT FEST: We love any festival of food, especially donuts. Sample bites from Beaver’s Coffee & Donuts, Glazed and Infused, Stan’s Donuts and many more at Donut Fest at Chop Shop There will be three entry times between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $35.

IN-STORE LUNAR NEW YEAR: Shopping and performance converge at UNIQLO this Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. The Magnificent Mile store will celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year with the traditional arts of koto music and ikebana flower arrangement. Free.

ZLUMBER PARTY: Working on a zine? Join other zinesters and comic artists at Quimby’s overnight Zlumber Party from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday. They’ll provide snacks for the creative sleepover, right there in the store. It’s free to attend, RSVP here.

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Image via Polar Bear Club's Facebook page.

POLAR PLUNGE: The Chicago Polar Bear Club hosts their 16th Annual Polar Plunge at Oak Street Beach at noon. The event is more than just fun in the icy cold waters of Lake Michigan, it’s a fundraiser for two local families in need of support. After the plunge, there will be an after party at Old Town Social for $35. Register to take the plunge for $30 on their website. A combo plunge + after party is available for $60.

WINTER BLOCK PARTY: U.N.I.T.Y. is the theme for this year’s Winter Block Party at Metro. The full-day party is a celebration of hip hop arts presented by WBEZ and Vocalo from noon to 6 p.m. The celebration features a dance workshop, demonstrations, DJ battles and more. Admission is free, register here.

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ADULT. Image courtesy of Palace Film Festival.

PALACE FILM FESTIVAL: See cutting-edge contemporary works at this weekend’s Palace Film Festival at Thalia Hall. The program features artists from all over the world working in photography, music, new media, film, video, and performance. Kuperus + Miller (a.k.a. ADULT.), Claire Arctander and Jacqueline Castel are just a few of the names on the program. There’s also an official after party at Empty Bottle on Saturday. Visit the festival website for the full schedule and ticket information.

CRUNCHY POP: L.A's Cherry Glazerr is led by the commanding presence of Clementine Creevy. On their new album Apocalypstick the trio has scraped the more shambling elements from their approach and replaced them with a sharper, more glittery sound. The band has logged in plenty of miles touring, so that mixed with the excellent batch of new songs should make their show on Saturday at Subterranean a real party.

SUNDAY JANUARY 29

WINE + BEER TASTING BENEFIT: Spend the afternoon sipping on wine and craft beer all in the name of charity. The 16th Annual d’Vine Affair at The Union League Club from 2 to 6 p.m. benefits Catholic Charities’ Self-Sufficiency Programs that assist low income single parents break the cycle of welfare and poverty. There will be 250 different wines to sample and beer from 6 breweries, plus gourmet hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Tickets are $125.