CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The past few days were steamy but things have cooled down enough for you to comfortably enjoy the various happenings around Chicagoland this weekend.
Lollapalooza kicked off its 30th anniversary Thursday in Grant Park and will continue through Sunday. If you are traveling downtown this weekend, please keep in mind the various street closures and plan accordingly.
Skipping Lolla this year? No worries, there’s more for you to do.
The annual Chinatown Summer Fair is always a cool family-oriented option as are the Wrigleyville Art Market and Sundays on State. And if you want to sweat a little bit, the Millennium Park Summer Workouts are available, too.
If you’re looking to do something indoors, consider checking out the Obama Portraits at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit at Lighthouse ArtSpace or the Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibit at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.
Here's a look at things to do this weekend in Chicago and the suburbs:
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is back and kicked off Thursday with permeances by Miley Cyrus and Playboi Cardi. Lolla held a virtual livestream festival last year since the COVID-19 pandemic was raging but it’s back in person now. This year has eight stages and over 170 bands from all over the world. Miley Cyrus and Playboi Cardi are among Thursday’s headliners and others this weekend include Megan Thee Stallion, Foo Fighters and Limp Bizkit. Journey will also play. This year Lollapalooza is bringing over 50 Official Aftershows featuring incredible artists to venues throughout Chicago, keeping fans rocking even after the festival gates have closed. The beloved Kidzapalooza will take a pause in 2021 and will return next year. Lollapalooza still welcomes music fans of all ages, including kids. Children 10 and younger will be admitted free of charge with a ticket-holding adult. A full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results are required to attend Lollapalooza 2021. The negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 72 hours of attending Lollapalooza. MORE INFO.
Where: Grant Park
When: Now through Sunday
Cost: $130 and up
Wrigleyville Art Market
The Wrigleyville Art Market will return to this bustling neighborhood that’s home to the Chicago Cubs. Located right outside the famous Wrigley Field in Gallagher Way, the pop-up art market will be lined with 50 unique artists showing DIY-themed pieces, beautiful jewelry, up-cycled, functional art for beer and wine lovers, and unique wearables. Unique pieces of art will be on display and available for purchase at a variety of price points. Artists will also be available throughout the day to talk about their DIY inspirations and to give insights into their artistic processes. Delicious local restaurants will be within walking distance for hungry art lovers as well. MORE INFO.
Where: Wrigleyville, 1060 W Addison St.
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Chinatown Summer Fair
This iconic event is one of the most ethnically unique outdoor events in Chicago and the Midwest. Attracting more than 40,000 people from throughout the region, the Chinatown Summer Fair is a true celebration of Far East beauty and culture including food, art and music. This neighborhood street festival will open with a lion dance procession at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, a welcome at 1 p.m. on the main stage, followed by Asian performances, kung fu demonstrations, samplings from Chinatown’s restaurants and unique gift shops, arts and crafts exhibits, street vendors with an array of merchandise, and a children’s area–a fabulous family event. MORE INFO.
Where: Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Road to 24th Place in Chicago
When: Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
The Obama Portraits
This summer the Art Institute of Chicago welcomes two acclaimed portraits to its galleries: Kehinde Wiley’s painting of President Barack Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama. Chicago is the first stop for the Obama portraits as part of a five-city tour organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. As the family’s longtime home, Chicago has a unique connection to the Obamas, as does the Art Institute. Michelle Obama recalls visiting frequently with her family when she was growing up on the South Side, and the museum was also the site of the couple’s first date. Not only do the portraits feature history-making subjects but they were made by groundbreaking artists. Wiley and Sherald are the first African Americans to be commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to create official portraits of a president or first lady. Wiley placed a seated President Obama against a backdrop of flowers with special significance, including chrysanthemums, the official flower of Chicago. Sherald captured the former first lady against a light-blue ground, sitting and gazing directly at the viewer. MORE INFO.
Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
When: Now through Aug. 15
Cost: Included in museum admission
Grant Park Music Festival
A Chicago tradition returns! For classical music lovers who enjoy taking in a show set beneath Chicago's skyline, the annual Grant Park Music Festival returns to the Pritzker Pavilion. This year's series of classical concerts includes performances of symphonies by Beethoven, Haydn and Brahms; an evening of classic Broadway arrangements and a set of classic Irish songs, and more. Capacity throughout the season will be reduced and free reservations will be required for seating on the Great Lawn and within Pritzker Pavilion. MORE INFO.
Where: Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph St.
When: Now through Aug. 21
Cost: Free with registration
Millennium Park Summer Workouts
Millennium Park Summer Workouts return in person on the Great Lawn featuring Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates, and Zumba on Saturdays from now through August. ASL interpretation will be provided for all workouts.
Detailed schedule will be as follows: Tai Chi 8:30-9:15 a.m.; Yoga 9:30-10:15 a.m.; Pilates 10:30-11:15 a.m.; Zumba 11:30-12:15 p.m. MORE INFO.
Where: Millenium Park Great Lawn, 55 N Michigan Ave.
When: Saturdays, July 3 through Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Cost: Free
Frida Kahlo: Timeless
Presented by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL, this comprehensive presentation of the life and works of the artist Frida Kahlo will feature 26 original pieces as well as an immersive historical exhibit that provides a framework of the life, circumstances and events that led to Kahlo becoming one of the most important painters of the 20th century and of our time. Alongside the 26 original works, this immersive exhibition features a multimedia timeline with reproductions of Kahlo’s clothing; more than 100 photographic images from the artist’s life; a family-friendly children’s area; and, a Frida Kahlo-inspired garden designed by Ball Horticultural. MORE INFO.
Where: Cleve Carney Museum of Art, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn
When: Now through Sept. 6
Cost: Untimed entry tickets $40 and timed tickets $23
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: Sunday, July 11 through Sunday, Sept. 12; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
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
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