CHICAGO — Chicago Reader’s “Best of Chicago” celebration, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo and the One of a Kind Spring Show are just a few of the highly anticipated events happening this weekend.
There’s also a Chicago Public Library LP sale for anyone who missed out on Record Store Day, an early Halloween pop-up shop in Pilsen, Cinco de Mayo tours with Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas and so much more.
Here’s a roundup of 25 things to do in Chicago this weekend:
Chicago Reader ‘Best Of Chicago’ Celebration
5:30-10 p.m. Thursday
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.
The Chicago Reader hosts its iconic “Best of Chicago” event at the Lincoln Park Zoo, celebrating the “best of” the city’s people, groups and places. Hosted by Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas and emceed by Deanna Ortiz, the event features live entertainment, performances, pop-up bars, a photo booth, free rides on the Endangered Species Carousel and more.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $100 for VIP. Learn more and buy tickets here.
Clothing & Textile Drive
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr.
Have old clothes to donate? The Notebaert Nature Museum and Gaia Movement, a group that collects used clothing to reuse and recycle, are hosting a textile and clothing drive. Chicagoans can drop off their used items at a collection bin near the museum’s entrance through Sunday. Learn more here.
Library LP Sale
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday
Harold Washington Library – 8th floor, 400 S. State St.
Missed out on last weekend’s Record Store Day? Chicagoans can snag more deals on vinyl at Harold Washington Library this weekend. The library’s arts and music department will be selling more than 9,000 LP records from its collection for $1 a piece.
The sale is cash only and while supplies last. Learn more here.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jazz
7:30-9:10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 220 S. Michigan Ave.
Two mighty ensembles, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, are teaming up for jazz-meets-classical music shows this weekend. Led by conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and featuring trumpeter Wynston Marsalis, the musical program includes works like Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet,” John Adams’ “The Chairman Dances” and Wynton Marsalis’ “Swing Symphony.”
Tickets start at $75. Purchase tickets for Thursday here, Friday here and Saturday here.
C2E2: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo
10 a.m. Friday-Sunday
McCormick Place, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive
C2E2, the annual pop culture convention in the heart of Downtown, returns with all things comics, cosplay, gaming, wrestling and anime. There will be celebrity appearances, exhibitors, comic artists, authors and more. It’s a chance “to geek out with other nerdy Chicagoans” virtually or in person.
Most ticket packages are sold out, but single-day tickets Friday and Sunday and three-day tickets for kids are still available. Learn more about the convention and buy tickets here.
One Of A Kind Spring Show
10 a.m. Friday-5 p.m. Sunday
THE MART, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 470
More than 300 artists, makers and designers are coming together this weekend for the One of a Kind Spring Show, a three-day market for handmade and artistic goods. Learn more about the show and vendors online.
Pet Adoption Fair
Noon-2 p.m. Friday
4th Ward Aldermanic Office, 928 E. 43rd St.
Kenwood Academy students and Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) are joining forces for this first-of-its-kind pet adoption fair. Attendees can meet and spend time with adoptable dogs, get adoption fees waived, learn about pet ownership and stock up on treats. Nonprofit animal shelter PAWS Chicago will also be there with information on free and low-cost spray and neuter surgeries, which help prevent pet overpopulation. The event benefits Chicago Animal Care and Control.
Learn more about the adoption fair here.
Chinatown Chicago Girls Walk
10 a.m. Saturday
Ping Tom Memorial Park, 1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago Girls Who Walk, a weekly walking club, will be strolling through Chinatown starting at Ping Tom Memorial Park. The group will meet at the West 19th Street entrance to the park, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early for some Guayaki brand yerba mate.
Learn more and find a map of the walking route here.
Pullman Spring Clean-Up
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday
Pullman National Historical Park, 610 E. 111th St.
Neighbors can work together to spruce up Pullman at this community clean-up hosted by the Pullman National Historical Park. Attendees will meet at the park’s visitor center where they can “get some exercise, meet new people, and make a difference.”
Learn more here.
Local Yarn Store Day Pop-Up
Noon-3:30 p.m. Saturday
5309 S. Hyde Park Blvd.
Celebrate Local Yarn Store Day with Fiber Friends Studios, an online Chicago yarn store that hosts pop-ups around the city. Alongside yarns, notions and patterns from Fiber Friends and Queen City Yarns, attendees can enjoy coffee, sweets and a raffle. Each purchase comes with a small gift. Learn more here.
Cinco De Mayo Tours With Dilla
1 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
Chicago Women’s Park & Garden, 1801 S. Indiana Ave.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo early with Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas on a two-hour bus tour of Pilsen and Little Village, two of Chicago’s oldest neighborhoods. Dilla will cover their histories dating to the 1800s, from the “Bohemian Czechs who laid out the streets … to the burgeoning Mexican communities of today.” Sites include Benito Juarez High School, the 16th Street murals, the Mexican Museum of Modern Art and Thalia Hall.
Tickets are $48 online.
Halfway-to-Halloween Pop-Up Market
1-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
2015 S. Racine Ave.
Pink Monster Retail & Vintage Shop is celebrating Halloween six months early with a Pilsen pop-up shop. There will be “creepy crafts, ghoulish goodies” and more with various vendors, including handmade jewelry, bead art, weighted pillows, henna and stickers.
Learn more here.
Print N’ Play: Zine Swap & Game Jam Showcase
6-9 p.m. Saturday
Night City, 3650 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Two Chicago community game groups, Night City and Indie City Games, are hosting a free showcase for games that were submitted to the Print ‘n Play game jam, a game creation project similar to a hackathon. Attendees can print and fold zines at the event or bring their own to swap around.
The event is free, but all attendees must RSVP online.
‘Cowboy Carter’ Skate Party
7-10 p.m. Saturday
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Family Entertainment Center, 1219 W. 76th St.
Skate to Beyoncé’s latest acclaimed album “Cowboy Carter” and R&B tunes at this skate party. There will be photo drops, cafe specials, bowling and more.
General admission is $13. Skates and bowling shoes (plus two bowling rounds) can be rented for an additional $4 each. Learn more here.
‘The Weight Of Light’ Opera
7:30-9 p.m. Saturday
Epiphany Center for the Arts, Epiphany Hall, 201 S. Ashland Ave.
The Epiphany Center for the Arts premieres its fifth full-length opera Saturday, a coming-of-age story called “The Weight of Light.” The show follows a child who inherits a magical ability to speak with objects from their mother. While the child sees a new world of possibilities, their mother feels shame. Together, they “learn to navigate their powers and the responsibilities that come with them.”
General admission tickets are $50. Learn more and buy tickets here.
THE ONE 2024 Street Dance Showcase
7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday
Harold Washington Cultural Center, 4701 S. King Drive
THE ONE, hailed as the Midwest’s top street dance showcase, features a lineup of hip-hop, foot-working, breaking, popping and street tap companies from Chicago and beyond.
Tickets are $15-35 online. Learn more about the showcase here.
Frankie Beverly: Farewell To Frankie
8 p.m. Saturday
United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.
Frankie Beverly, a singer, musician, songwriter and producer known for his soul and funk band Maze, is gearing up for retirement with a farewell tour. The Philadelphia native previously caught the attention of Marvin Gaye and has released nine gold-certified albums over the course of his career.
Tickets start at $79.50 online.
Ghost Tour Pub Crawl
8-10:30 p.m. Saturday
Streeter’s Tavern, 50 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicagoans can explore the city’s most haunted bars and hear about their ghost stories at this monthly ghost tour on the last Friday of each month. Attendees will be guided by Chicago natives and history pros through the Chicago Hauntings tour group.
Learn more about the ghost walks and purchase tickets for $35 online.
Windy City Soul Club
9 p.m. Saturday-2 a.m. Sunday
GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St.
Established in 2008, the Windy City Soul Club brings together some of the best rare soul DJs in the city for all-night parties. Tickets for this weekend’s 21+ Wrigleyville bash are $5 in advance and $8 the day of.
Learn more and buy tickets here.
Breakthrough For Brain Tumors: 5K Run & Walk
9 a.m. Sunday
Grant Park – Avery Field, 1501 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicagoans can help raise critical funding for brain tumor research and patient services with the annual Chicago Breakthrough for Brain Tumors 5K, or BT5K. It’s hosted by the American Brain Tumor Association, the oldest nonprofit dedicated to the brain tumor community.
Learn more, register and donate online.
Lincoln Park Zoo Arbor Day
10 a.m. and noon Sunday
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.
Lincoln Park Zoo’s horticulture experts will be leading arboretum tours of zoo grounds in honor of Arbor Day, an informal holiday that calls for the planting of trees and plants. The 45-minute program includes a tour of zoo grounds with stops at significant trees and plants.
The tour is tailored for older audiences, but children are welcome. Children in strollers accompanied by an adult do not need a ticket. RSVP for free online.
Dovetail Brewery: Bike Social & Radler Party
2-6 p.m. Sunday
Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W. Belle Plaine Ave.
Want to join a group bike ride but don’t know where to start? Meet and mingle with bike community organizations Out Our Front Door, All Bodies on Bikes, Chicago Bike Sox and more to find your fit. Local bike shop Cog Cycles and Yarns will be there to lend a hand fixing flats and getting your bike ready for the season. Dovetail will be serving Radler beers — a refreshing, lower-alcohol mix of beer and soda born out of the German word for “cyclist” — and Kite String Cantina will be there with taquitos.
The event is free, but attendees should register in advance online. Learn more here.
South Asian Music Ensemble
4 p.m. Sunday
Logan Center for the Arts – Performance Penthouse, 915 E. 60th St.
Chicagoans can enjoy a free South Asian music performance with the University of Chicago’s South Asian Music Ensemble and guest artists including Mir Naqibul Islam, who will be playing tabla, or Indian hand drums. Featured songs offers “glimpses into the life cycles of South Asian communities … including seasonal, religious, and personal celebrations.”
Learn more here.
‘Ella & Louis Remagined’ Album Release
7:30 p.m. Sunday
Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave.
Alysha Monique and Bobby Wonderfull, two soulful and jazz-inspired artists, are celebrating their album release this weekend on the Near West Side. Learn more about the artists here.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 on the day of the show. VIP tables for 2 and 4 people are available for $60 and $120, respectively. Buy them here.
Alex Cuba
8 p.m. Sunday
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Alex Cuba, a singer-songwriter, producer and winner of multiple Latin Grammy and Juno awards, will be performing Sunday evening in Lincoln Square. Born Alexis Puentes in Cuba, he was immersed in music at a young age and is known for masterfully arranging Cuban folk tradition with North American influences and pop.
Tickets are $33-35 online.
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