Enjoy the spring season with new experiences to make your days brighter! From outdoor activities like nature walks and festivals, to exploring new areas and shops, there’s something for everyone. Here’s a round-up of five activities this weekend that we think you will love to kick off the spring season!
If There’s Art in the Park, Spring is Coming!
Each year, Elmhurst’s much-anticipated Art in Wilder Park event is the first outdoor spring festival in the western suburbs. With dozens of Midwest artists showcasing their work, this year’s festival features the debut of a new large-scale public art installation inspired by drawings of monsters selected from more than 300 submissions by local kids.
Date: May 4 & 5
Time: 11:00AM to 6:00PM
Cost: Free
Location: 175 S. Prospect Ave, Elmhurst
More Info: elmhurstmuseum.org
Craft Beer Crawl
Get ready for the First Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Craft Beer Crawl! Participating local businesses like The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn, Bike Hub and Chocolaterie Stam will be offering 4 oz. craft beer tastings including Bungalow American Lager, Mango Sour Diesel and Neckbeard Life American Imperial Stout.
Date: May 4
Time: 1:00 to 4:30PM
Cost: $35
Location: Beer Crawl begins at The Beer Cellar, 488 Crescent Blvd, Glen Ellyn
More Info: downtownglenellyn.com
It’s Lilac Time in Lombard
Kicking off on May 4, Lombard’s annual Lilac Time festivities run through May 19. This weekend, you can enjoy a Saturday concert with the Feel Good Party Band and an art and craft fair on Sunday. Looking ahead, there will be a free Mother’s Day Concert, Perennial Plant Sales on May 9 & 10, and ticketed events like a wine tasting on May 18.
Date: Through May 19
Time: Varies by event (May 4 concert is at 3:00PM; May 5 Craft Fair is 10:00AM to 4:00PM)
Cost: Free (Some events require registration or ticket)
Location: Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave, Lombard
More Info: lombardlilactime.com
Mexico Fest at Navy Pier
In partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico, Navy Pier’s Mexico Fest promises a weekend full of fun and an authentic experience Mexican history and culture. In addition to music and dance performances, there will be a one-of-a-kind mercadito experience with more than 30 vendors featuring handicrafts, jewelry, clothing, artwork and more.
Date: May 3-5
Time: Fri 12:00 to 7:00PM; Sat 11:00AM to 7:00PM; Sun 11:00AM to 6:00PM
Cost: Free
Location: Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave, Chicago
More Info: navypier.org
Balanchine, Mozart & Beyond
Join Ballet Chicago for a full evening of beautiful dance, starting with Divertimento No. 15, an elegant and brilliant work by the legendary choreographer George Balanchine and set to the Mozart score of the same title. Also on the program is a jazzy suite of 5 dances set to Duke Ellington’s symphonic masterpiece, The River.
Date: May 4
Time: 2:00PM and 7:30PM
Cost: From $40
Location: Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St, Chicago
More Info: harristheaterchicago.org
A French Market… In Lakeview!
The Nettelhorst French Market is a seasonal favorite for neighborhood residents and visitors alike. With the brick façade of the historic 150-year-old Nettelhorst School as the backdrop, this charming weekly market features a variety of vendors offering fresh local produce, artisanal cheese and fresh baked goods, jewelry, and gifts.
Date: Saturdays through November 2
Time: 8:00AM to 2:00PM
Cost: Free
Location: Nettelhorst School, 3252 N. Broadway, Chicago
More Info: bensidounusa.com
Listening Party + Reading
Enjoy an evening of music, poetry and celebration with 7NMS – the collaboration of two artists radically engaging art as a medium of elevation and healing within a larger lineage of Black creative experimentation. Three-time Bessie Award winner, Marjani Forté-Saunders is a choreographer, dancer and activist. Composer and sound designer Everett Saunders is a two-time New Music USA Awardee.
Date: May 3
Time: 6:30 to 9:30PM
Cost: Pay What You Can
Location: Miyagi Records, 307 E. Garfield Blvd, Chicago
More Info: visit.mcachicago.org
Gallery Talk: Women Artists from Japan
Join two of the Art Institute’s esteemed educators for this fascinating conversation focusing on contemporary ceramics by women artists from Japan. Described as “cute, creepy, alluring and fantastical,” these otherworldly works will prompt lively discussion about what is beautiful or conventional in art.
Date: May 3
Time: 2:00 to 3:30PM
Cost: Free with Museum Admission
Location: Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 108, 111 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago
More Info: artic.edu
