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!
Could You Out-Spell William Barfee?
A finalist last year, young William Barfee was eliminated… but he’s back for vindication in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, this Broadway show has delighted theatergoers with its delightful mix of wit, wills and audience participation.
Date: March 28-31
Time: Thu, Fri & Sat 7:30PM; Sun 2:00PM
Cost: From $39
Location: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie
More Info: musictheaterworks.com
Film Screening at the Northbrook Public Library
Released last fall, the Disney-animated film Wish follows Asha, the 17-year-old protagonist, as she joins forces with Star, a cosmic ball of energy, to defeat the ruthless King Magnifico. It’s a story that blends themes of courage and self-determination with more whimsical concepts of fate and the magical unknown.
Date: March 30
Time: 2:00PM
Cost: Free
Location: Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook
More Info: visit.northbrook.info
South Beach: Circa 1978
Captivating, moving and celebratory, Shtetl in the Sun presents the work of Andy Sweet, a young photographer who captured arresting images of Jewish life in South Beach, Florida. In the late 1970’s, more than 20,000 elderly Jews, many of them Holocaust Survivors, made their winter home in South Beach, creating a modern-day shtetl reminiscent of the tightly-knit, predominantly Jewish villages of pre-war Eastern Europe.
Date: Through October 13
Time: 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Cost: $18
Location: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, 9603 Woods Dr, Skokie
More Info: ilholocaustmuseum.org
Unleash Your Inner Potter
Perfect for beginners, this BYOB wheel-throwing pottery event takes you step-by-step from the nitty-gritty of clay preparation and centering it on the wheel to turning and trimming your piece – be it bowl, cup or vase. No experience needed for this fun pottery party!
Date: March 29-31
Time: Fri & Sat 2:30PM & 7:30PM; Sun 7:30PM
Cost: $70
Location: Color Cocktail Factory, 917 W. 18th St, Chicago
More Info: colorcocktailfactory.com
Night at the Museum
Venture into the Field Museum after hours for this family-friendly who-done-it mystery event. Come in your favorite sleuthing outfit and explore the exhibits for clues to solve the mystery. Museum staff will be on-hand to teach the curious about how specimens from the museum’s collections provide clues about the past.
Date: March 29
Time: 5:30 to 9:30PM
Cost: From $30 ($27 for Members)
Location: Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago
More Info: fieldmuseum.org
Pick Your Poison
Produced by the National Library of Medicine, Pick Your Poison: Intoxicating Pleasures and Medical Prescriptions is a traveling exhibit in Chicago for a limited time. Fascinating, educational and enlightening, the exhibit explores the myriad factors that have shaped the shifting definitions of our most potent drugs, from medical miracles to social menace.
Date: Through April 6
Time: Fri 9:30AM to 5:00PM; Sat & Sun 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Cost: $18 to $25
Location: International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago
More Info: imss.org
A Duo of Duets
Elastic Arts Foundation and Asian Improv aRts Midwest have joined together for a special concert featuring two duo sets. First up will be an acoustic duet from longtime collaborators Tatsu Aoki and Jim Baker. Headlining the evening will be Nireus, an electronic music duo featuring violinist Clara Takarabe and composer & synthesist H. Anton Riehl.
Date: March 30
Time: 8:30PM
Cost: $15 – Tickets Available at the Door
Location: Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey Ave, #208, Chicago
More Info: airmw.org
Folk Dance of Gujarat
Founded in 2009 to celebrate Raas-Garba, a folk dance tradition from Gujarat, India, while also supporting philanthropic causes important to the South Asian community, Raas All-Stars has grown into one of the largest multicultural intercollegiate dance communities in the country. This weekend, their nine top collegiate teams will compete on-stage for the coveted title of Raas All-Stars XVI National Champions.
Date: March 30
Time: 6:00PM; Doors open at 5:30PM
Cost: From $47.50 General Admission
Location: Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St, Chicago
More Info: harristheaterchicago.org
