Summer is here with plenty of opportunities to explore different neighborhoods, enjoy music and food at street festivals, and discover new cultural opportunities. Here’s a round-up of five activities that we found most interesting for you this week!
See a Larger-than-Life Film on the River
Art on the Mart brings Chicago video artists to the world’s largest projected “screen”: the elegant deco façade of the Merchandise Mart! Every night at 9 and 9:30, see the Merch Mart light up in a new way. Dazzling displays delight the senses and stretch the boundaries of what you thought a movie screen (and a building) could look like. Currently running: “explore, Jonas Denzel Billiken,” by Shkunna Stewart and Wills Glasspiegel; “Ba Boom Boom Pa Pop Pop,” by Nick Cave.
Date: Daily
Time: 9:00 & 9:30PM
Cost: Free
Location: South Wall of the Merchandise Mart, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
More info: artonthemart.com
Party Down at Chicago’s Biggest Street Festival
Back for its 18th season, the Wicker Park Fest brings iconic restaurants, art installations, live music acts, and even a Kids Fest to its three-day extravaganza. Don’t forget to check out the 100+ local vendors, too! Wicker Park’s rich music heritage will be on display, curated by the neighborhood’s very own Subterranean club. This is one summer street fest you won’t want to miss.
Date: July 22-24
Time: 5:00pm Friday through 10:00pm Sunday
Cost: $10 donation
Location: Milwaukee Ave between North Ave & Paulina St
More info: wickerparkbucktown.com
Find Out “What’s the Buzz” at the Palace Theatre
Get your palms ready & warm up those rejoicing voices, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar returns to Chicago for its 50th anniversary. The mesmerizing new production features a reimagined direction and cutting-edge choreography for the most awe-inspiring tale of Jesus and his apostles you’ve ever seen.
Date: July 19 – 31
Time: Various
Cost: Starting at $27
Location: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W Randolph St
More info: broadwayinchicago.com
Say Happy Birthday to Chicago’s Favorite Plants
The Chicago Botanic Garden is celebrating 50 years with a months-long party. Art installations connect visitors with nature, and interactive performances are guaranteed to delight you. Plus, an exhibition in the Greenhouse Galleries take you back in time to the garden’s beginnings and into the future of botany.
Date: Through September 25
Time: Various
Cost: Starting at $17.95
Location: Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd
More info: chicagobotanic.org
The Queen Has Arrived in Chicago, Don’t Miss Her!
The dazzling, joyous, cross-country adventure Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical comes to Chicago’s Mercury Theater this weekend. Don’t miss this uplifting tale of three friends taking their drag show across the Australian outback in search of love and friendship.
Date: Wednesdays–Sundays until September 11
Time: 2:00PM & 7:30PM
Cost: Starting at $35
Location: Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N Southport Ave
More info: mercurytheaterchicago.com
