Bring the kids, bring the dog, bring yourselves but please leave your iguana at home.  On Saturday, July 11 and Sunday July 12 the West Town Chamber of Commerce presents West Fest.  West Fest is an annual Chicago neighborhood festival celebrating the eclectic persono of the West Town community.  The focus is on "all things local from the food to the talent".  Beginning at around 12:30pm three stages will feature local artists performing original music and entertainment. The main stage is located on Chicago Ave. and Damon.  There will also be a DJ stage and an Adventure Stage Chicago stage.  For a line up of West Fest entertainment click here.  

You can bring the entire  family to this festival.  The Kidfest at Wolcott and Rice street will feature programming and music for kids on the Adventure Stage Chicago stage.  The kids can also partake in crafts, face painting, pony rides, bounce houses and more.  Don't forget about fido!  Dogs are welcome and you can enjoy Petfest with your pet at Wolcott and Chicago Ave.  where there will be pup scrubs for charity.  This year's Petfest will have information for Chicago pet owners on how to keep their city pet happy, healthy, and safe.  There will be lots of free samples and give aways for pet owners and their pets.

On Sunday, July 12 at 2:00pm there will be a fashion show featuring fashions from Chicago's own Soko Fashion Boutique.  In addition to all of the above fun, over 80 vendors will be offering deals on clothes, food, and cold drinks.  You might want to ride your bike and take advantage of the free bike valet.  A $5.00 donation to the West Town Chamber of Commerce is requested to get into the festival.

     

   

When I was a kid a good mac and cheese topped the list of my favorite foods.  I passed this love on to my kids.  What makes a good Mac and cheese better is when it's free so I took my kids over to Leona's where they're giving away free mac and cheese lasagna through the month of June in support of National Children's awareness month.  To get this free treat each child needs to bring in a coupon (click here) to any Leona's location and eat in the main dining room with a paying adult.  This offer is good until the end of June.   By the way, I still love mac and cheese.  I'm just a big kid after all! 

Celebrate Summer  with plenty of cheer and festivity at the Here Comes The Sun  1rst AnnualCharity Pub Crawl.  Registration is on Saturday, May 23 at O'Malley's West located at 2249 North Lincoln Ave.  Sign in from 2:00pm - 4:00pm for an afternoon and evening of pub crawling fun at nine different pubs including; Wise Fool's, Kelsey's, and the Lion's Head Pub.  Don't be afraid to don your best summer garb because prizes will be given for the best summer outfits.  Just $20.00 includes drink specials, tee shirts for the first 100 people to register, prizes, and more!  In addition to all this, you'll be supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities.  Join the pub crawl and  hoist your glasses to a good cause and good company.

Get ready for the yard sale of the year this weekend at Soldier Field.  The Big Swap Bonanza is Chicago's biggest yard sale and it's taking place this Saturday from 7:00 AM till 3:00 PM.  Bargain hunters, collectors, or anyone looking for good finds will find deals on everything under the sun.  Bring your family and friends for food, entertainment, good music and hundreds of vendors offering deals.  The Big Swap Bonanza features a celebrity sell off fundraiser to benefit Chicago's Bottomless Closet.  Celebrities will be selling off anything from used sports equipment to housewares.  Come rain or shine and you just may find the bargain of your life.  Parking is $10.00 and enterance is $3.00 for adults and free for kids under 12.     

It's true, one person's castoff can turn into another person's treasure.  Come see for yourself at the first Chicago Clothing Swap.  You know the skirt that looked so cute last year, but won't fit over your dang knees this year?  How about the reindeer sweater that Aunt Wilma gave you?  Or the jeans that you just know you'll fit into someday? Bring them all to the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Avenue on this Sunday afternoon from 1:00 - 3:00.  For each item of clothing in good shape you bring, you'll get one chip that you can redeem for one peice of "new" clothing.   You can shop and swap untill 4:00.  All leftover clothes will be donated to Sara's place, a homeless women's shelter in uptown.  Can you think of a better way to clear out the closet and get a new wardrobe without spending a dime?  Now that's the kind of bargain I like!  Off to look through my closet!  

How about indulging in rich chocolate and fine wine while supporting world-wide sustainable businesses?  Greenheart shop, located at 3324 N. Clark Street in Chicago is hosting a fair trade wine and chocolate tasting on Thursday, March 19th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.  The chocolate comes from a worker owned cocoa cooperative in Ghana and the wine is from Stellar Organics, made in South Africa.  Greenheart shop features merchandise made by fair trade artesians from around the world.  The tasting is free but donations are welcome.       

Have you adopted a pet?  Do you want to adopt a pet?  Do you love other people's pets?  Come to the Chicago Anti Cruelty Society's 110 Birthday Bash.  Your pets are invited also.  Treats will be available for both humans and pets.  It's March 7, from 1:00pm-4:00pm at the Anti Cruelty Society located at 610 N. LaSalle St..  Bring a birthday card, newspapers, or paper towels to donate.  In the last decade the Anti Cruelty Society has found homes for over 40,000 pets.  Celebrate a worthy cause.  

Make like a polar brrrrr, oops I mean bear and take a plunge into Lake Michigan.  On Sunday morning at 10:00 you can support the Special Olympics and bring your team to North Beach for the annual Polar Plunge.  Each participant is asked to raise at least $100.00 with the top three fund raisers taking home prizes.  Afterwards, from 11:00 - 2:00 join in the fun with a meltdown party in a heated tent to take the chill off of the day.  Registration is at 9:30 am with the plunge taking place between 10:00 and 11:00.  Attendance is free.  Take a leap and help the Special Olympics, or land lubbers can just sit on the beach and watch the fun.  

 

 

 Chase the winter chill away.  One of Chicago's best dive bars with live music is offering free soup and bread on Wednsdays from 5:00 - 7:00.   While you warm your body up, you can also warm your soul by making a donation to the Chicago food depository.

 Located at  1354 West Wabansia, the Hideout is in the Bucktown neighborhood. Come for the soup and stay for the music.

For more information see www.hideoutchicago.com