7 Things to Do in Wicker Park And Beyond This Weekend
WICKER PARK — Happy Friday!
Thanks to all 2,427 of you who backed the Block Club Chicago Kickstarter and to everyone who is thinking about doing so. The campaign ends in 19 days. **
Here are some ideas for things to do this weekend.
Wind Down the Work Week With Classical Music. The Aether Ensemble woodwind quintet will perform works by Ravel, Joplin and other composers. Suggested $10 donation. Doors at 7:30 p.m., concert from 8–9 p.m. Friday at Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor.
Party Like You Are in New Orleans. East Room’s 5th annual Pardi Gras masquerade will offer plenty of absinthe, New Orleans style Hurricanes, beads to wear and to toss, a live brass band and DJs spinning vinyl voodoo sounds. Tickets are $12.61/person; discounts for posses of 5 or more. From 9 p.m. — 4 a.m. Friday/Saturday, 2354 N. Milwaukee Ave.
All Ages Winter Block Party. Empty Bottle’s outdoor block party, Music Frozen Dancing, returns for its fifth year. Enjoy live music (Thee Oh Sees, C.H.E.W., B Boys and ADULT), beer and chili from neighboring Bite Cafe. Free. From 1 p.m. — darkness on Saturday at 1035 N. Western Ave.
Try Curling in Bucktown. The newly installed curling sheet/court in the outdoor patio at The Royal Grocer & Co does not require frozen temperatures to use. The curling ends at midnight and the activity is free for all patrons of the neighborhood restaurant and bar. At 2118 N. Damen Ave.
Visit Candyland. A delicious celebration of the women/non-binary artists making waves in Chicago, RutCorp’s Candyland features talent by vibrant creatives (fashion designers, musicians, sculptors, performance artists and more) in “a tasty paradise,” organizers say. Buy $12 tickets here. From 9 p.m. — 2 a.m. Saturday on the West Side (address given to ticket holders).
Celebrate Stories. Adventure Stage Chicago’s Adventures in Storytelling festival at Vittum Theatre will spotlight storytellers of all ages and backgrounds, plus offer an open mic and puppet-and-mask-making workshop. Cost ranges from free to $30 depending on the event; full schedule here. Hours are 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday. At 1012 N. Noble St.
Travel to Oak Park, Score Deals. Presented by the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Warehouse Sale will feature end-of-season stock from merchants at a 20–90% discount, in an event open to the public and free to attend. From 11–5 p.m. Saturday, 178 Forest Ave.
Get Caffeinated. Philly-based La Colombe recently opened its fifth Chicago café in the Gold Coast, joining its Armitage Avenue, West Loop, Wicker Park and Andersonville outposts. Weekend hours are 6:30 a.m. — 7 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. Saturday- Sunday. At 4 E. Elm Street.
** To answer the “What are you doing?”question: I recently stopped freelancing for other outlets. Until Block Club launches in April, I’ll be posting here while working on longer stories that do not have as much of a timely peg. If there is a non-urgent/non-breaking/original-and-not-reported elsewhere topic you’d like me to report on, email your pitches to chicagopipeline@gmail.
