CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Happy September, Chicago! Some may believe fall has already begun "unofficially," but the forecast this weekend says otherwise, because we are going to be seeing temperatures in the 80s! I don't know about you, but to me, that is a reason to get out and celebrate this weekend!
If you are looking for something to do this weekend and are a big music fan, then there are a variety of events for you. The Pitchfork Music Festival returns this weekend to Union Park. Plus, country music fans can catch Blake Shelton on Saturday at Allstate Arena and pop lovers can see the Jonas Brothers on Sunday at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in Tinley Park! And, the Chicago In Tune Festival continues with events throughout the month, so be sure to check out that calendar!
For baseball fans, the Chicago Cubs take on the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley all weekend; and the Chicago White Sox take on the Boston Red Sox at the Rate. And football season is upon us. The Chicago Bears are away on Saturday, with the season opener in Los Angeles.
Additionally, Chicago Gourmet kicks off this month with a variety of events throughout the city and Printers Row Lit Fest returns this weekend! Plus, theater performances have returned, so why not check out a classic like Blue Man Group or Teatro Zinzanni, with has some new cast members! It is also the last weekend to attend Sundays on State, so be sure to check that out before it ends!
Here's a look at things to do this weekend in Chicago and the suburbs:
Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls performs during Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park on July 20, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Ketel One
Pitchfork Music Festival
Better late than never right? For 15 years, music publication Pitchfork has curated its own summer music festival in July in Union Park, presenting lineups packed with some of the most "of-the-moment" indie rock, hip-hop and electronic acts. While this year's edition moves to September, it's still in Union Park and still includes some great acts including headlining sets from emo-folk balladeer Phoebe Bridgers, singer-songwriter-shredder St. Vincent, and neo-soul legend Erykah Badu. MORE INFO.
Where: Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St.
When: Friday-Sunday
Cost: $90, three-day pass $195, PLUS tickets $185–$385
Printers Row Lit FestKen Carl
Printers Row Lit Fest
Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest free outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, returns for its 36th year with 100 percent free programming for book lovers and five blocks of diverse booksellers this weekend in Chicago's historic Printers Row neighborhood.
Award-winning journalist and novelist Dawn Turner opens the festival in a conversation about her new memoir Three Girls from Bronzeville: A Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood, on Saturday at 10 a.m. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Award winner Colson Whitehead appears on closing day in an event about his new book Harlem Shuffle, presented by the American Writers Museum on Sunday at 4 p.m. MORE INFO.
Where: Chicago's Printers Row neighborhood, along Dearborn Street from Polk Street north to Ida B. Wells Drive.
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Blake Shelton performs during the CMA Summer Jam at Ascend Amphitheater on July 27, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. CMA Summer Jam will air on ABC on September 2, 2021.Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Blake Shelton: Friends & Heroes 2021
Country music superstar Blake Shelton will make his long-anticipated return to the road alongside his friends and heroes beginning Aug. 18. The boot-stomping, hit-making, arena-selling entertainer will visit 16 cities for a 17-date run, including a stop at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. "Friends and Heroes 2021" will welcome very special guest Lindsay Ell, with special appearances by Martina McBride, Tracy Byrd, and Trace Adkins. MORE INFO.
Where: Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Rd., Rosemont
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Cost: Varies
Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas of The Jonas Brothers perform onstage during WCRF's "An Unforgettable Evening" at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on February 27, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for WCRF
Jonas Brothers with Kelsea Ballerini
The Jonas Brothers are back and better than ever! After the wildly successful release of their comeback album, "Happiness Begins" and 2019 reunion tour, the trio will be touring North America once again. Country star Kelsea Ballerini will serve as support throughout most of the tour. Kelsea Ballerini is making one of her childhood dreams come true, as she will join the Jonas Brothers' 44-date "Remember This" tour. Grab your ticket to reunite with The Jonas Brothers at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on Sunday, Sept. 12. MORE INFO.
Where: Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park
When: Sunday, 7 p.m.
Cost: Varies
Chicago In Tune Festival
Chicago's summer music festival may have been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but that does not mean the city did not have some other ideas in mind as a replacement.
Chicago In Tune is a new citywide festival celebrating music throughout the city during the 2021 Year of Chicago Music. This month of music will bring iconic neighborhood venues, presenting organizations, and musicians from across the city together to celebrate all music genres and forms — with both large and small, free and ticketed events at clubs, concert halls and beyond.
As part of Chicago In Tune, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events will present new and reimagined programs in place of this year's Gospel music, Jazz, House, and Blues festivals in Millennium Park. Four special evenings at Jay Pritzker Pavilion will honor music born and innovated in Chicago, presented by the Millennium Park Foundation. MORE INFO.
Where: Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 201 E Randolph St.
When: Throughout September
Cost: Free
State Street featuring the Chicago TheaterJonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Sundays on State
Starting July 11, a section of State Street spanning from Madison to Lake Streets will close to vehicle traffic for Sundays on State, a new initiative from the city and Chicago Loop Alliance that invites pedestrians to explore the iconic downtown stretch without interruption from cars. More than 70 vendors will be on hand for the inaugural event—everything from typewriter demos from the American Writers Museum to movies projected on the side of the Gene Siskel Film Center by the Chicago Film Society, plus tons of other activations, performances, shopping, and dining options.
Come together with neighbors from every Chicago community and beyond for this free, interactive city-wide block party, while safely enjoying art, culture, active recreation, shopping, food, drinks, and local attractions. Experience everyone's neighborhood, the Loop, like never before! MORE INFO.
Where: State Street and Lake Street, Loop
When: Now through Sunday, Sept. 12; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Chicago Gourmet
Chicago Gourmet, the annual food festival hosted by the Illinois Restaurant Association, returns this year with a month-long lineup of smaller events and dinners celebrating the city's dining scene. Normally a three-day event, the lengthened version includes a Tacos & Tequila event hosted by Chef Rick Bayless; The Hamburger Hop is back and bigger than ever; an expanded version of our fabulous Grand Cru, presented by UnitedHealthcare, that will feature the world's finest wines, craft spirits, and unforgettable cuisine from Chicago's award winning chefs, all in-person at the beautiful Harris Theater Rooftop; and back by popular demand, "Go Gourmet" returns in 2021, featuring a lineup of in-person dining events throughout the entire month of September at leading restaurants and venues citywide. MORE INFO.
Where: Various locations throughout Chicago
When: Throughout September
Cost: Varies
Dale Messick Brenda Starr 2-21-1954Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
CHICAGO: Where Comics Came to Life (1880–1960)
A significant, but often overlooked contribution to American art and culture is Chicago's role in the development of the early comic strip. Through its countless newspapers and its publishing industry, Chicago led the transformation of comics from daily fantasy and joke features into ongoing stories grounded in the textures and details of real life, its first real step towards legitimacy as an expressive language and semi-literary art form.
The exhibition focuses on the origins of the comics in popular publishing, the immeasurable importance of African-American cartoonists and publishing, the first woman cartoonists and editors, the first daily comic strip, and finally the art and comics of undeservedly forgotten Frank King, who with "Gasoline Alley" captured not only the rhythms and tone of everyday existence in his characters that aged not only at the same daily rate as its newspaper readers, but were also fictionalized versions of real people.
The exhibition is designed and planned as an intentional historical companion to the concurrently appearing survey of contemporary Chicago comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art, in which Ware's work also appears. MORE INFO.
Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St., Sidney R. Yates Gallery, 4th Floor North
When: Now through Oct. 3, open daily 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Lynda Barry, 100 Demons: Dancing, 2000-02. Watercolor on board; 8 × 10Adam Baumgold Fine Art
Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now
Chicago has been a center for comics for decades—a haven not only for making and publishing cartoons, but also for innovating on the medium. Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now tells the story of the art form in the influential city through the work of Chicago's many cartoonists: known, under-recognized, and up-and-coming.
The exhibition traces the evolution of comics in Chicago, as cartoonists ventured beyond the pages of newspapers and into experimental territory including long-form storytelling, countercultural critique, and political activism. Chicago Comics examines styles, schools of thought, and modes of publication across six decades of cartooning, including works from artists who are changing the medium today. The exhibition seeks to bring to the fore artists of color who were previously under-recognized throughout their careers. In this pursuit, the exhibition features archival material previously not seen in museums and offers a revised history of the art form. Represented throughout this timeline are special sections that highlight key artists including Kerry James Marshall, Lynda Barry, and Chris Ware. MORE INFO.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
When: Now through Oct. 3
Cost: Included in museum admission
Marvel: Universe of Super HeroesMuseum of Science and Industry
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes celebrates Marvel history with more than 300 artifacts including original comic book pages, sculptures, interactive displays, and costumes and props from Marvel's blockbuster films. Guests can examine the origins of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, Hulk, and Captain Marvel and see how they have evolved alongside society over the past 80 years, making these characters a pop culture mainstay. MORE INFO.
Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
When: Now through Oct. 24
Cost: Requires an additional, timed-entry ticket in addition to museum admission: Adults $18, Children (3-11) $14, Members $9
A decorative wall panel at the Chicago Architecture Center's new exhibit on Helmut Jahn.WBBM Newsradio/Lisa Fielding
Helmut Jahn: Life + Architecture
"HELMUT JAHN: LIFE + ARCHITECTURE," running through October, is a retrospective organized in the wake of Jahn's death in a bicycle accident in May.
According to the Chicago Architecture Center, the exhibit presents important designs by the powerhouse architect, ranging from signature early projects like the crystalline Michigan City Public Library (1977) and Chicago's dazzlingly provocative James R. Thompson Center (1985) to the transformational urban marketplace Sony Center in Berlin (2000) and the forward-looking Pritzker Military Archives Center, currently under construction in Somers, Wisconsin.
"HELMUT JAHN: LIFE + ARCHITECTURE" showcases 17 scale models of some of Jahn's most recognizable works in Chicago and around the world, said the CAC's content manager, Ian Speela. It also will include photography and sketches illuminating each project and exploring the collaborative design and engineering process, while personal imagery, video, and recollections by those who knew and worked with Jahn underscore his flair for the dramatic and zest for life. Jahn's career spanned more than 50 years. MORE INFO.
Where: Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E. Wacker Dr.
When: Now through Oct. 31
Cost: Free with general admission
Immersive Van GoghWBBM Newsradio/Lisa Fielding
Immersive Van Gogh
Step inside of Starry Night and The Bedroom in Arles with the help of more than 75 digital projectors in this high-tech exhibition that explores the work of Vincent Van Gogh. Designed by the Italian creative team that worked on the "Atelier des Lumières" exhibitions in Paris, "Immersive Van Gogh" covers 35-foot walls with animated versions of the Dutch painters work, accompanied by a score that blends electronic and classical compositions. MORE INFO.
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace, 108 W. Germania Pl.
When: Now through Nov. 28
Cost: $40-50
Let's Survive Forever by Yayoi Kusama at WNDR MuseumWNDR Museum
WNDR museum
The home of Chicago's only Infinity Mirror Room (created by Japanese Yayoi Kusama) is open to the public once again, presenting a new collection of one-of-a-kind art installations alongside some old favorites. New additions to WNDR Museum include a multi-sensory experience from S̶A̶N̶T̶IA̶G̶O̶X that uses artificial intelligence, sounds, visuals and scents, as well as an installation called I Heard There Was a Secret Chord that allows guests to become part of an evolving virtual choir. MORE INFO.
Where: 1130 W. Monroe St.
When: Tickets available now through Dec. 31
Cost: $30
Human+NatureMorton Arboretum
Human+Nature
The Morton Arboretum's next outdoor art exhibition, Human+Nature, will inspire awe and wonder as it connects people and trees. Internationally renowned artist Daniel Popper created five 15- to 26-foot-tall sculptures exclusively for the Arboretum that will be featured in various locations across its 1,700 acres, leading guests to areas they may not have explored before. It will be his largest exhibition to date anywhere in the world.
On the East Side, a short walk from the Visitor Center, guests will be able to step within a huge female figure, as if into the heart of nature. Continuing along a less than mile-long walk, they will encounter a majestic maternal figure as tall as a tree, and a sculpture of diverse human facial traits interwoven with root structures. On the West Side, two hands joined by intertwining roots will extend near a grove of old oaks, and a towering face will evoke the interconnectedness of humans and trees. Made of concrete, fiberglass, and steel, each sculpture will weigh several metric tons. The largest ground footprint will be 28 feet wide and 37 feet long.
Human+Nature will be included with timed-entry admission to the Arboretum. The exhibition is planned to run for at least one year. MORE INFO.
Where: Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle
When: Now through next year
Cost: Included with timed-entry Arboretum admission
