11 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 17, 2017 5:51PM
Hamburger Mary's image courtesy of Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.
Live music and restaurants dominate this weekend's favorite things to do in Chicago.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17
ANDERSONVILLE RESTAURANT WEEK: More than 20 Andersonville establishments get together for their very own Restaurant Week beginning on Friday. Spots like Hamburger Mary’s, Andersonville Brewing and others will offer $10, $20 and $30 prix fixe menus highlighting the wide ranging cuisine of the neighborhood. Visit the Restaurant Week event page for a list of all participating restaurants and more information.
MAVIS: Local legend Mavis Staples performs live at Symphony Center this Friday for a special concert at 8 p.m. The singer is fresh off receiving Kennedy Center Honors at the end of 2016, and she’ll be playing material from last year’s album Livin’ On A High Note in which she collaborated with other stars like Neko Case, Nick Cave, and Ben Harper. Phil Cook will open. Tickets start at $35.
DUNN DUNN FEST: Schubas, Lincoln Hall, The Hideout, Beat Kitchen, Subterranean and Tonic Room all get in on the winter music event known as Dunn Dunn Fest. More than 50 bands will play over the three days of the fest that puts the spotlight on American Music. For the full lineup and ticket information, visit the fest website.
Image via The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum's website.
I HEART BIRDS DANCE: Celebrate Valentine’s with the whole family at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s I Heart Birds Valentine's Day Dance from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Exotic birds will be among the attendees, including a blue-headed macaw and Ivy, an Ivory-billed aracari, who starred in the recent Rainforest Adventure exhibit. Dinner, dancing and more round out the evening. Advance tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for ages 3-18, $5 for ages 2 & under.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18
BEADQUEST: Mardi Gras is finally here, and one of the biggest celebrations in the city takes place in Wrigleyville thanks to the same folks that bring us TBOX. The Beadquest pub crawl officially begins at 12:30 p.m. with packet pickup at John Barleycorn. Tickets are $20.
TEENAGE DIRTBAGS: Actually Wheatus are long past their teenage years, but their anthem "Teenage Dirtbag" seems immune to aging. Immunity or not, we have to admit even we were surprised that this group that got their start in the mid-'90s is still kicking around, but we are alsways game for their power-pop anthems and big guitar sound. They open for Soul Coughing's M. Doughty and tickets are still available.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19
Photo via Urbanbelly's Facebook page.
RAMENFEST: It doesn’t take much arm twisting to get us excited about ramen in the middle of winter, but Urbanbelly ups the ante with a whole fest dedicated the Japanese dish. This will be their third annual Ramenfest pitting local chefs against each other to create the audience favorite. More than twenty chefs from spots like Yusho, Publican, Kimski and more will prepare their best, and guests will be able to sample each and vote for the winner. Tickets are $75.
AQUA TEEN BEER DINNER: If you know who Master Shake, Meatwad and Frylock are, you should be at Headquarters Beercade’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force themed beer dinner from 1 to 4 p.m. They've teamed up with Revolution Brewing for a menu that pairs fries, meatball sandwiches and shakes with beers from the locally based brewery. Tickets are $42.
WINENOVERSITY: Tiny Bubbles are all the rage at ENO Wine Room's next Enoversity class at 3 p.m. Sample champagnes and proseccos from around the world while learning from ENO's expert sommeliers. They will also serve an assortment of cheeses, chocolates, and charcuterie paired with the wines. Tickets are $55.
SOUND SELECT: Outrageous DJ and electronic composer Dan Deacon headlines this year's first Red Bull Sound Select Presents concert at Empty Bottle. He'll be joined on the bill by locals Air Credits (a hip hop collaboration between The Hood Internet and ShowYouSuck) and experimental noise band Marijuana Deathsquads. Tickets are $5 with advance RSVP.
FUNKADELIC: Anyone looking for a mood booster can look to George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at Thalia Hall at 8 p.m. The legendary godfather of funk is rolling through town on the Mardi Gras Madness Tour where they'll be playing updated versions of old standards and their own classic tunes. Tickets are $38 in advance.