15 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 7, 2017 5:50PM
Summer days and nights are sizzling hot with all that is going on this weekend.
FRIDAY JULY 7
TASTE OF CHICAGO: The Taste continues through Sunday with the best eats that Chicago restaurants have to offer. The downtown festival is more than just food though, with dance performances, cultural experiences, family programming and a live music lineup that rivals any music fest in town. This year has Alessia Cara, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Passion Pit and The O’Jays all performing at Petrillo Music Shell. Admission is free, but tickets for the seating area at the Petrillo Music Shell start at $19.
RUIDO FEST: Ruido Fest is two years old and going strong as Pilsen’s Latin Alternative Music Festival. This year’s headliners at Adams/Medill Park this weekend include Cultura Profetica, Molotov and Intocable. The popular Bomba Estéreo also perform. Keep the party going after each day of the three-day fest with after-parties at Cobra Lounge. Tickets are $149 for a three-day pass. Single day tickets start at $94.
WEST FEST: Could West Fest have the best street fest lineup this summer? We certainly think so, with bands like local rockers Local H, punk disco-funk group ESG, and “'90s-style indie guitar revivalists” Speedy Ortiz topping the bill. And that’s not even counting Cymbals Eat Guitars, Woods, Durand Jones & The Indications or Har Mar Superstar. Sounds like rock and roll fans in the city have their weekend plans set. Admission is a $5 gate donation benefitting The West Town Chamber of Commerce.
Image via Square Roots's Facebook page.
SQUARE ROOTS: Square Roots has everything a street fest should: music, food and beer. The Craft Brew & Music Festival in Lincoln Square shows off some of the neighborhood’s culinary options over three days, plus brews from more than 30 regional craft brewers. The festival is also arm in arm with Old Town School of Folk Music, celebrating their 60th anniversary with performances and programming for the whole family. Entry is a $10 suggested donation supporting Old Town School of Folk Music and Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber programs.
IRISH FEST: It’s time again for the weekend-long Irish Fest benefitting the Irish American Heritage Center. The weekend festival is packed with Irish culture, including Irish and American food and drink, cultural exhibits, children’s activities and artisans. They’ve also got a huge music lineup featuring Gaelic Storm, We Banjo 3, Michael McDermott and many more. Tickets are $10 until July 5 and $15 thereafter. Children 12 and under are free.
MILLENNIUM ART FESTIVAL: More than 110 juried artists participate in the Millennium Art Festival this weekend. Formerly known as the East Side Art Festival, the event takes place just two blocks north of Millennium Park. Free.
SATURDAY JULY 8
Burger Fest image courtesy of Special Events Management.
ROSCOE VILLAGE BURGER FEST: The 11th Annual Roscoe Village Burger Fest is here. More than a dozen vendors show off their patties, including Butcher & the Burger, D.S. Tequila, Hackney's and Kuma's Corner. Oh, and there’s music, too! South African rockers Kongos headline on Saturday and alt-rock band Cracker headlines Sunday. Entry is a $10 gate donation benefitting the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce.
MARGARITA FEST: Navy Pier will be teeming with margs of all types this weekend at Margarita Fest. The theme is Latin Congo with live music and island vibes. They’ll also have gourmet eats available. Tickets are $20.
Image via For Paws Club's event page.
FOR PAWS POOL PARTY: For Paws Club is back with another event benefiting local nonprofit One Tail at a Time. It’s a bonafide Pup Pool Party from 2 to 4 p.m. at Pet Care Plus with beer samples and tastings from Temperance and Lagunitas plus many more door perks. Tickets are $15.
WGCI SUMMER JAM: Lil’ Wayne, Jeezy, Jeremih and Fat Joe are just a few of the hip hop acts playing this year’s WGCI Summer Jam at the United Center. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $21.
'90S BLOCK PARTY: Crawl through the 1990s at Division Street's Bars starting at 11 a.m. The '90s Block Party will feature '90s cover bands, costume contests, giveaways and more. Start working on your moves now for the Carlton Dance Contest. Tickets are $10 in advance.
HUMANZ LIVE: Gorillaz did not disappoint with their return to the scene with this year's Humanz, and Saturday night the Damon Albarn-led group kicks off their U.S. tour at Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island Saturday night. Given the album's deluge of guest stars, it's anyone's guess who will be joining Albarn and his extensive backing band on stage. We've seen the band before, though, so we can guarantee the one thing you can count on is that the show will be epic.
ROCK WITH THE KID: Rozwell Kid's new album Precious Art delivers a collection of solid fuzz pop a la early Weezer or The Rentals, with a nice bit of variety across the album. While most of it is hooky guitar rock, there are a few quietly reflective songs that show a depth to the band that hasn't been previously all that apparent. Catch the band when they play Beat Kitchen on Saturday night.
SUNDAY JULY 9
Image courtesy of Secrist Gallery
A BEAUTY SALON: Children’s author and filmmaker Amy Krouse Rosenthal passed away in March, but friends and family are keeping her dream alive with “A Beauty Salon” opening this Sunday at Carrie Secrist Gallery. The gallery will be filled with her favorite things following the definitions of Beauty (a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect, aesthetic, or moral sense) and Salon (a regular social gathering of eminent people (especially writers and artists) at the house of a woman prominent in society). The exhibit runs through Aug. 12. (Tickets to the pre-opening reception on Saturday are $123 and will benefit the AKR Yellow Umbrella Foundation.)
TONES ON BAUHAUS ROCKETS: Poptone is the new group featuring Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins of Love And Rockets / Tones On Tail / Bauhaus featuring Haskins' daughter Diva Dompe on bass. The trio will be playing songs from the catalog of all three bands the principle's have been an integral part of, so Sunday night's show at The Metro is a rare chance to see songs from a trio of legendary catalogs.