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Entertainment In Chicago

No matter what entertains you the most, it can be found in Chicago. Take a look through the following sections to find something in Chicago that entices your interests.

Music Scene Movie Theaters and Films Theater and Plays Chicago Festivals Arts & Museums

There's always something to do in Chicago. The variety of entertainment in the city seems limitless. There are countless places to go to hear music. There are small clubs, bars, theaters, and large arena venues. The styles of music vary more than the different places you can go to hear it. To name a few, you can hear jazz, blues, popular, classical, opera, and any number of ethnically inspired genres. If you're more on the visual side, Chicago also offers a myriad of theater options. There are over a hundred theater troupes in the city. They offer comedy, drama, musicals, experimental, improv, and community theater experiences. In addition there are plenty of movie theaters that show just about everything under the sun.

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Chicago's Music Scene

Greats like Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters made Chicago the place to find great blues music. But that's not all Chicago has to offer. The city is also home to a variety of jazz, popular, classical, and international music, like Irish and African. Many major music acts constantly travel through Chicago. The city is also home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Day and night, Chicago music plays on. There is an endless rotation of bands visiting and living in Chicago. There is an excellent local band scene in the city. It seems that almost every bar in the city will have live music at least one night a week. Many have it on multiple nights. But bars aren't the only place you'll find good music.

There are a number of smaller venues, like theaters and coffee shops that are musically inclined. In the smaller places it's common place to find acoustic or folk type acts. If you visit a strong ethnic neighborhood, like the Little Village, you will most likely discover some wonderfully traditional music. However since Chicago is such a diverse community, many of these styles fuse together into something completely new. This gives the Chicago music scene quite a unique sound.

If you would rather listen to more familiar styles of music, the blues and jazz clubs of Chicago are nothing short of mythical. All the greats have played in the city, as well as quite a few famous faces in the crowd listening to them. Back in the day, these clubs put Chicago on the musical map. The city was virtually unrivaled in this arena. Many of yesterday's hotbeds are still around today and they're still pumping out the rhythms they are so well known for.

Musical Interests in Chicago: Chicago Jazz Festival | World Music Festival | Grant Park Concerts

Major Chicago Venues:

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Chicago Movie Theaters and Films

Looking for a low key evening out of the house? Don't know what to do on that lazy Sunday afternoon? Nothing good on TV? No problem, you can always catch a movie. From independent films to big screen blockbusters, Chicago has plenty of theaters. There are a variety of cinemas scattered throughout Chicago, so you're bound to find something to watch on the big screen.

There are many big theater chains in Chicago. They are constantly showing the latest films that are hitting the screen. Theaters are located all around the city and well into the suburbs. You are always close to something.

In addition to new movies, there are a number of theaters that show older movies and independent films. Many of these theaters were older cinemas or play houses. They have since been remodeled or restored into very trendy entertainment spots. A lot of these theaters lie in the more artsy, stylish parts of the city. These might be a little less frequented than the bigger chain theaters, but they are still well worth the visit, especially if you are a film buff.

Around many of the theaters in Chicago, there has developed a number of dining establishments. This makes those "dinner and a movie" evenings quite convenient. Many are also located in or near shopping districts. This can let busy shoppers take a break and rest their feet as they take in a little entertainment during the day.

No matter what your taste in movies, you can be sure that you will fine something to your liking in a Chicago movie theater. Click on the following links below to get additional information on theater listings and locations.

You can click here for movie show times.

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Theater and Plays In Chicago

How about a night at the theater? There are over 120 troupes currently in Chicago. You can find everything from classic plays to recent Broadway sensations. There's also community, comedy, musical, and experimental theaters. There are shows playing every night of the week.

With such a wide array of genres to pick from, it shouldn't be hard to find something that appeals to you. If you like to laugh, visit Second City. If you are into musicals, go to the Oriental Theatre. If you're looking for something a little off the wall, check out the Blue Man Group.

In addition to all the big name attractions, there are many smaller venues that put on excellent shows. It's not surprising to see some of the local productions move up the ladder to become big time hits.

Chicago is also privy to exclusive showings. Many times shows will have a limited running here before they premiere on Broadway in New York. So, if you're lucky you might be able to see the next hot ticket before it becomes hot.

There is also a wide assortment of community and experimental theater. If you want to stop being on the sidelines and want to step into the limelight, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in a local theater production. If you're not ready to get on stage quite yet, many theaters offer classes on acting and stage craft.

The theater scene in Chicago is diverse and plentiful. If you are interested the must-sees, you should have no trouble at all finding something to watch. In addition to the performance itself, many theaters have beautiful exteriors and interiors that can be quite engaging.

Additional Theater Listings: Reviews and show times from the Chicago Reader

Popular Chicago Theaters and Production Companies:

About Face Theatre

1222 W. Wilson Avenue

773-784-8565

Apollo Theatre

2540 North Lincoln Avenue

312-935-6100

American Theater Company

1909 W. Byron

773.929.1031

Auditorium Theatre

50 East Congress Parkway

312-922-4046

Bailiwick Repertory Theater

1229 W Belmont Avenue

773-883-1090

Beverly Theatre Guild

2407 W. 111th

312-409-2705

Briar Street Theater

3133 North Halsted Street

312-348-4000

Cadillac Palace Theatre

151 West Randolph Street

312-977-1700

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

800 East Grand Avenue

312-595-5600

Chicago Theatre

175 North State Street

312-443-1130

ComedySportz

2851 N. Halsted

773-549-8080

Famous Door Theatre

P.O. Box 57029

773- 404-8283

Goodman Theatre

170 North Dearborn Street

312-443-3800

Griffin Theater

5404 N. Clark Street

773-769-2228

Lookingglass Theatre Company

821 N Michigan Avenue

312.337.0665

Neo-Futurists

5153 N. Ashland Avenue

773-275-5255

Oriental Theatre

24 West Randolph Street

312-902-1400

Plasticene

2122 N Winchester Avenue

312.409.0400

Redmoon Theater

2936 N. Southport Avenue

773-388-9031

Roadworks

1144 Fulton Market

312-492-7150

Second City

1616 North Wells Street

312-642-8189

Shubert Theatre

22 West Monroe Street

312-977-1700

Steppenwolf Theatre

1650 North Halsted Street

312-335-1650

Theatre Building

1225 Belmont Avenue

773-327-5252

Victory Gardens Theater

2257 North Lincoln Avenue

773-871-3000

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Chicago Festivals

May to September is festival season in Chicago. Every year, each neighborhood will host its own festival. Sometimes it's to celebrate a certain ethnicity or holiday. Other neighborhoods have them just because. Regardless of the reason, there's never a lack of food, music, or fun. There are also a variety of citywide festivals held each year.

It seems like the people of Chicago want to do nothing else but get together for a good time. The amount of annual festivals is staggering. It slows down in the winter months, but you can still find a few going on. Most occur in the warmer months since people prefer to be outside for the festivals. Always a good time, you can find all kinds of activities, foods, drinks, and company at any given festival. Many celebrate the community itself and its residents. Even if you don't live in the community, everyone's always welcome.

In addition to the smaller festivals, Chicago holds a number of citywide festivals. There are musical, holiday specific, and event driven festivals to name a few. One of the biggest draws of the year is the Taste of Chicago. With tons of food and activities for days on end, it seems that everyone in the city comes out for this one. There is also the annual Air and Water show on the lakefront each summer.

The following is a list of some of the major festivals that occur in Chicago. It is by no way a complete list. Just keep your eyes and ears open and you'll no doubt hear about something going on somewhere. You should at least attend your neighborhood festival if you don't get to any other.

Chicago Seasonal and Neighborhood-Specific Festivals

Chicago Winter Delights

January - March

Chicago's Birthday Celebration

March 4

St. Patrick's Day Festival

March 17

Farmer's Market

May - October

Art Chicago/Antiques Chicago

May

Bike Chicago

May - June

Chicago Blues Festival

May

Chicago Gospel Music Festival

June

Taste of Chicago

June - July

Chicago Country Music Festival

June - July

Chicago Outdoor Film Festival

July - August

Tall Ships® Chicago

July - August

Venetian Night

August

Chicago Air and Water Show

July - August

Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival

August

Chicago Jazz Festival

August

Celtic Fest

September

Halloween Pumpkin Plaza

October

Michigan Avenue Festival of Lights

November

Daley Plaza Santa's House

November - December

Holiday Sports Festival

December

New Year's Eve Fireworks at
Buckingham Fountain

December 31

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Chicago Arts & Museums

Chicago has art everywhere. There are a number of galleries and museums dedicated to all styles of art. Major artist communities lie in the Chicago neighborhoods of Bucktown and Wicker Park. These parts of town have a higher rate of galleries then other parts of the city. You can find everything from modern art to the classics. There are many smaller galleries that focus on a specific style of ethnicity. Most of the major museums are located in close proximity to the Loop, but not all of them. In addition to this, there are numerous outdoor public art exhibits in the city. Some people find the city itself is artful because of the amount of architecturally important buildings. If you travel to the far north side of the city you will run into a large collection of Frank Lloyd Wright houses. In addition, there are many traveling art shows and exhibits that visit many of Chicago' s galleries and museums. You're sure to find a gallery, museum, or cultural center that shows your favorite style of art.

It's also fun to just explore. Many of Chicago's buildings are interesting to just look at. There is a variety of different architectural styles throughout the city. If you get the opportunity, you can go to the observation decks on the Sears Tower or the Hancock Building to get a sweeping view of the city's skyline. Also, if you have the opportunity to go out on Lake Michigan, the view from the water is equally as impressive.

If you haven't viewed art in a while, try something new. You never know what might interest you if you don't' venture out and see the sights. And many of the sights are quite extraordinary.

Chicago's Public Art

It doesn't matter if you're an art enthusiast or just a passerby, these pieces of art will no doubt catch your attention. In addition, Chicago contains numerous fountains and buildings that are of significant architectural interest. There are also many public art exhibits that visit Chicago each year. Here are just some of the public art displays that are scattered throughout the city.

  1. Chicago Sculpture by Joan Miro - 75 West Washington Street
  2. Dawn Shadows by Louise Nevelson - Wells Street and Madison Street
  3. Flamingo, Universe by Alexander Calder - Dearborn Street and Adams Street
  4. Four Seasons by Mark Chagall - Dearborn Street and Monroe Street
  5. Large Interior Form by Henry Moore - 201 South Michigan Avenue
  6. Monument Standing Beast by Jean Dubuffet - Clark Street and Randolph Street
  7. Sculpture Untitled by Pablo Picasso - Dearborn Street and Washington Street

Leading Museums In Chicago

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