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16 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 22, 2017 5:22PM

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Kellie Epperheimer, Adrienne Lipson and Elliot Hammans in Peter Chu's Space, In Perspective. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

Interactive dance, unusual shopping, and food and music options galore are just a few of the things you can do in Chicago this weekend.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22

INTERACTIVE DANCE: Hubbard Street Dance begins the fall season with immersive, interactive performances at Harris Harris Theater this weekend. The innovative program will take place in unexpected spaces such as the lobbies, loading dock and backstage, culminating with all parties (audience included) on the main stage. Audiences will be limited to 400 people per performance, broken down into even smaller groups for the journey around the venue. We saw Thursday night's opening and found it to be a truly memorable experience. Visit their website for showtimes. Tickets are $65.

BEER MANSION: It really goes without saying, but beer lovers are going to want to make their way to a place called Beer Mansion this Friday and Saturday. The “interactive, multi-room celebration of beer, food, music, more beer and community” is presented by Brooklyn Brewery Mash inside Morgan’s on Fulton from 6 to 10 p.m. each night. The mansion boasts five themed tasting rooms along with local flavor when it comes to breweries (Solemn Oath, MARZ), restaurants (Budlong, Aloha Poke) and live music artists (Deeper, Negative Scanner), just to name a few. Tickets are $65.

312 BLOCK PARTY: Every year Goose Island throws a nonchalant homegrown party outside their brewery on Fulton Street. While casual, the 312 Block Party is more than your average Chicago street fest. The music lineup for this year alone boasts Animal Collective, The Record Company, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Filthy Friends (Feat. members Sleater Kinney, R.E.M. and The Minus Five), Joey Purp, Califone, The Drastics, Low Down Brass Band, and more. They’ll also have food trucks like Girl & the Goat, Beat Kitchen and Happy Lobster, and $3 brews all day Friday and Saturday. Admission is a $10 suggested donation going toward Mission Muscle Foundation, Open Books and the Chicago Canine Rescue.

THE GENTLEMEN ARE BACK: When The Afghan Whigs reunited they could have gone the nostalgia route, but instead they decided to follow the Dinosaur Jr. model of doing things and release music just as good today as the stuff that made their name early in their career. This year's In Spades is a sultry, sexy mix of rock and roll that sees Greg Dulli and the gang in top form. Their two night stand at The Metro has been eagerly anticipated, and kicks off this Friday night. The sweet soul sounds of Har Mar Superstar, whose recent Personal Boy EP is also pretty stellar, opens both Friday and Saturday.

PANCAKE + BOOZE ART SHOW: Find emerging artists, body painting, a free pancake bar and more at the Pancake & Booze Art Show at Reggie's this Friday and Saturday. The touring art show will also feature live band performances. Tickets are $7 in advance ($10 day of).


SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23

HIDEOUT BLOCK PARTY: The Hideout’s annual Block Party is back for it’s 21st year, teaming up with Chicago’s famed Electrical Audio studio and Sputnik for their own anniversaries. They’re going “old school” for this year’s party, with bands playing outside next to the patio. Bands playing the two-day party include Man Or Astro-Man?, Screaming Females, Danielson, Nina Nastasia, Shannon Wright, Meat Wave, FACS, Mint Mile, Dianogah and more. Admission is a $20 suggestion donation supporting Foundations of Music.

HYDE PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL: Hyde Park Jazz Fest celebrates their 10th Anniversary this weekend with some special performances around the south side neighborhood.There will be a 90th birthday performance from Randy Weston at Rockefeller Chapel, a solo from Matana Roberts at the Logan Penthouse, a special commission by Puerto Rican composer and musician Miguel Zenon for Chicago's Spektral Quartet and so much more. Visit the festival website for the full schedule.

CHICAGO GOURMET: Chicago Gourmet is celebrating ten years of epicurean excellence in the city. The annual event in Millennium Park runs Sept. 19 to 24 and brings its biggest and best yet featuring an all-star lineup of celebrity chefs including Curtis Stone, Carla Hall, Sarah Grueneberg, Rick Bayless, Jeff Mauro, Art Smith, Stephanie Izard, Tony Mantuano and more. Check out the schedule of live cooking demos, seminars, book signings and more on the Chicago Gourmet website.

RANDOLPH STREET MARKET: It’s a street market, an antique market, an indie designer market, a modern vintage market, and this weekend is Randolph Street Market's 7th annual Editor’s & Designer’s Choice for Charity market. Shop for a cause as the city’s top interior designers and members of the press (including yours truly!) ribbon their favorites, and with ribboned item sold, a donation will be made to their choice of charity. It’s the last outdoor market of the season, and as usual they will have live music, market bars, a petting zoo and more all in addition to the 300+ vendors. Tickets are $8 in advance ($10 day of).

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Tan Tan Bo (2001), Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg runs from June 6 - Sept. 24 at the Museum of Contemporary (Jim Kopeny / Tankboy)

MCA PRIME TIME: The Museum of Contemporary Art’s after-hours series Prime Time is back with an “Off Rack” theme celebrating the intersection of fashion, style, and contemporary art. The evening will feature music, fashion, dance and of course mind bending art. It’s also the last weekend to catch the record breaking Takashi Murakami exhibit before it closes. Tickets are $20 in advance.

ORPHÉE + EURYDICE: The Lyric Opera opens its 63rd season with a first-time collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet. Orphée and Eurydice opens this Saturday and features the French classical score with newly created choreography from visionary artist John Neumeier. The run continues through Oct. 15. Tickets start at $17.

SHEN WEI: The contemporary dance company Shen Wei Dance Arts comes to the Auditorium Theatre for two shows only. This is the Chicago debut for the group led by Chinese choreographer and MacArthur Genius Shen Wei who you just might remember as the choreographer of the Beijing Olympics’ Opening Ceremony. Check website for showtimes. Tickets start at $29.

VEGANMANIA: Human herbivores rejoice as the 2017 VeganMania is here. The daylong celebration of vegan culture, commerce, community, cuisine and couture takes place at the Broadway Armory from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They’ll have food vendors from vegan soul food to comfort food to ice cream, plus cooking demos and live music all day. Free.

ALL DAY I DREAM: Local Burning Man fans will want to head to Ping Tom Park this weekend for All Day I Dream of Chicago Cyan from 2 to 10 p.m. The “Summer of Love” tour, created by and starring DJ legend Lee Burridge, has become something of a remote meeting grounds for those Burning Man hearts. Other artists on the lineup include Lost Desert and Lauren Ritter. Tickets are $41.


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24

WINE TASTING: Explore the Tastes of Tuscany at ENO Wine Room’s next ENOversity class. Their expert sommeliers will guide guests through the Italian wine tasting, paired with an assortment of cheeses, charcuterie, and chocolates. Tasting sessions are at 3 and 6 p.m. Tickets are $55.

BELLYQ BBQ: Chef Bill Kim hosts the last Backyard BBQ of the season at bellyQ on Sunday at 1 p.m. This month he’s teaming up with Chef Hunter Moore and Beverage Manager Charlie Schott of Parsons Chicken & Fish for the menu which includes Adobo Grilled Chicken with Smoked Sausages and Meloncamp cocktails among other tasty treats. Tickets are $45.