13 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 16, 2017 6:45PM
The Chicago History Museum hosts the Garden of the Dead walking tour this Tuesday. Image via CHM's Facebook page.
The spooky season gets started with a couple different walking tours this week among other fun to-dos in the city.
MONDAY OCTOBER 16
IDEAS WEEK: Chicago Ideas Week 2017 includes a wide range of speakers including David Miliband, Jennifer Garner, and Aasif Mandvi. The whole week’s program includes 150 events on topics ranging from life's big questions to financial technology; foreign affairs to the future of football. Most tickets are in the range of $15. Visit the Ideas Week website for ticket and schedule information.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 17
EASY, BREEZY INDIE POP: Somersault is the first album from Beach Fossils in four years. The group played the part of the punkish band The Nasty Bits on the since-canceled HBO series Vinyl, so that at least explains part of their absence from the music scene. We'll presume the other reason was that they wanted to get the music on Somersault just right. If they were aiming to construct a delicate collection of dreamy orch-pop that aches with sad beauty, then they did end up getting it just right. You can catch the band's return to Chicago on Tuesday night at Bottom Lounge.
GARDEN OF THE DEAD: Join a Chicago History Museum walking tour through the “Garden of the Dead” to ring in Halloween early. Pamela Bannos of the Hidden Truths will share stories of grave robbers, improper burials, and more in the Lincoln Park Chicago City Cemetery at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18
Oregon Ballet Theatre's Ansa Deguchi in Giselle. Photo by Blaine Truitt Covert.
GISELLE: Joffrey Ballet opens the season with Giselle, but not just any old version of the classic Romantic era ballet. Lola de Ávila, former Associate Director of the San Francisco Ballet School, has elevated this classic tale of passion beyond the grave to new heights it it’s Chicago Premiere, set to to the original Adolphe Adam score. Runs through October 29. Tickets start at $34.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, COCKTAILS: ArcLight’s Lights, Camera, Cocktails Series presents American Werewolf in London this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The series combines classic films and craft cocktails with guest mixologists creating menus inspired by the film. Tickets are $35 and include the menu’s three cocktails.
THURSDAY OCTOBER 19
Image courtesy of Spiaggia.
WOMEN OF WINE AND FOOD: Cafe Spiaggia hosts "Women of Wine and Food" from 6 to 9 p.m. The charity dinner benefitting Lynn Sage Foundation features ladies from the local wine scene including Sommeliers Rachael Lowe (Spiaggia), Hannah Grossman (Monteverde), Leslie LaRue Lamont (Lena Brava), Sian Ferguson (Alinea) and Rachel Driver Speckan (City Winery). They’ll pair and pour wines with a five-course menu from Executive Chef Joe Flamm. Tickets are $75.
SPOOKY WALKING TOUR: The Richard H. Driehaus Museum also offers a walking tour of the city’s original burial grounds in Lincoln Park. Historian Sally Sexton Kalmbach leads this Spooky Walking Tour uncovering the area’s history as a vast, windswept burial site. 5:30 p.m. Tours take place Thursdays and Saturdays at 4 p.m. through October 28. Tickets are $25.
WAR ON DRUGS: On this year's critically and popular lauded A Deeper Understanding, The War On Drugs have cemented themselves as the band of choice for indie kids both greying and young. This show was originally planned for a smaller venue, but the group's growing popularity necessitated a move to the larger Aragon ballroom. The War On Drugs frontman Adam Granduciel and his band mixe strains of Dylan and Dire Straits, and long, languid, warm-blankets of guitar and synthesizer workouts into a mixture that is intoxicating and enthralling. The band plays Aragon Ballroom on Thursday night.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 20
CHEERS + DRINK FEST: Social Power Hour hosts the Cheers + Drink Fest at Concord FiftyFive from 6 to 9 p.m. Local distilleries, breweries and wineries including FEW, Rabbit Hole and Cooper’s will be showcased, plus food will be available for purchase from Knife & Tine. Tickets are $40.
CAMPFIRE HORRORS: Gather round the campfire at Northerly Island for a scary movie at 7 p.m. Horror classic The Shining will be the feature film for the evening which will also feature marshmallows for roasting. BYO blankets and chairs. Free.
20X2: The 20x2 question and answer series makes it’s way to the Hideout this Friday at 6:30 p.m. 20 speakers from all different walks of creative life get two minutes each to answer this edition's question: “How does it work?” Tickets are $10.
EAT. DRINK. SIT. STAY.: Eat. Drink. Sit. Stay. will bring together Logan Square cocktail bars and restaurants to support bringing a new neighborhood dog park. The evening will feature DJs, drinks and bites from the Whistler, Scofflaw, Punch House, Parsons and more. Tickets are $25.
(Getty Images)
TRUMP TWITTER LIBRARY: The Daily Show's The Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library opens on Friday and runs through Oct. 22. in the Great Hall at 225 S. Canal St. This is a can't-miss chance for an alternate view at the activities of the U.S. Tweeter-In-Chief.