Celebrate art of all forms at the 24th annual Bucktown Arts Fest.  This weekend, on August 29th and 30th from 11:00am-7:00pm, artists from all over the city invite you to join them for a glorious celebration of art.  Participants will include painters, photographers, crafts people, dancers, musicians, poets, actors and more.  Film buffs can enjoy a film program curated by the Chicago Short Film Brigade.  Don't forget to bring the kids!  Children's activities include baloon artists, painting tles, and using found objects to create mobiles.  The fun takes place at Holstein Park located at 2200 N. Oakley in Bucktown.  It's a good opportunity to meet the artists, explore the neighborhood, and experience a wide variety of art.  For a schedule of performances click here.      

July Fourth is a day to spend outside, with your family doing something fun.  Some people spend the day at the pool, others go to parades and many top the day off with a Barb-B-Que.  For something a little different, you might want to consider heading to Millenium Park.  Here you'll find plenty of free fun for the whole family all day long.

Get a healthy start to the day with a morning workout on the Great Lawn.  From 7:00am until 11:00 am a variety of work outs from yoga to arobics to workouts will be offered free to the public.

At 10:00am take the kids and head over to the Chase Prominade North. The  Millenium Park Family Fun Festival  will just be starting for the day.  Take part in musical games and interactive activities fun for kids of all ages.   

When everyone starts to get hungry, it's time to head to the Fourth of July Celebration Picnic on the Great Lawn of Millenium Park.  This isn't just an ordinairy picnic, it's a picnic inspired by the cartoons of John T McCutcheon.  From 11:00am until 1:00pm the Northside Southpaws, a mandolin and guitar duo will be entertaining picnicking people with ragtime, country, and turn of the century inspired waltzes.  You can bring your own picnic lunch or purchase a boxed lunch for $6.95.  The fun doesn't end after lunch!

At 1:30pm the Grant Park Music Festival will make history and present the first Independence Day Concert in Millenium Park's J Pritzker Pavillion.  The free concert will feature the Grant Park Orchestra performing traditional and patriotic favorites.  Chicago tapdance master Lou Alexander will be on hand as a special guest.   

     

After the days festivities, you'll still have time to head home and light the Bar-B-Q and watch the fireworks from your back yard.  What a day!

 Would you like to experience another culture, eat exotic food and shop in a souk?  You don't have to travel far and you don't need to break the bank.  Just head down to Daley Plaza at 50 W. Washington Street where you'll find the third annual Chicago Arabesque in full swing.  From Wednsday, June 24 until Saturday, June 27 Daley Plaze will be transformed into a mecca of Arabic culture.  Watch fashion shows of Arabic style, listen to both traditional and modern middle eastern musicians, sample a variety of Arabic cuisine,  and enjoy all kinds of entertainment and artesian demonstrations.  Bring the kids along as well because  activity booths will feature story tellers, a magic show, face painters, henna tatoos, and more.   Imerse yourself in Arabic culture as you peruse the booths in the souk, otherwise known as a bazaar where jewelry, artwork and crafts will be for sale.  The hours are 10:00am till 3:00pm on Wednsday through Friday and 11:00am-7:00pm on Saturday. For a program schedule click here.   This festival is presented by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on Arab Affairs.

So you think you can't dance?  Nonsense!  Get ready to kick up your heels and learn a few new moves as the 13th annual Chicago Summer Dance Festival kicks off this Thursday, June 11 in Grant Park with the music of Bandoleros.  For 11 weeks, Grant Park will sponsor free dance lessons followed by two hours of free outdoor dancing to some of the city's best live music.  The lessons and dancing take place in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:00pm until 9:30 pm and on Sundays between 4pm and 7pm.  Thursdays feature world music, while Fridays and Saturdays include jazz, latin, country, and funk.  On Sunday afternoons all you ballroom dancers can polish your steps to the tunes of big band music.  Chicago Summer Dance runs through August 23, 2009, click here to see the schedule of dance events.  Put on your dancing shoes and join me as we dance our way through the Chicago summer.  No Excuses!      

Are you looking for a fun and inexpensive way to wrap up the week?  On Friday, May 15, Columbia College is celebrating creativity and the work of seniors and graduate students with the Manifest Urban Arts Festival.  Festivities run from 11:00am until 10:00pm and include performance art at various locations, an art walk through area galleries, an art sale at the student art store, music, and more.  The official festival kick-off is at noon and with give aways and music from Mucca Pazza, a punk marching band.  At 6:45pm until 7:45pm students will be marching in a parade featuring giant puppets created by students and faculty.  Columbia College is located at 640 South Wabash Ave.  Admission to the festival is free and open to the public.  

Check out the Manifest Urban Arts schedule page for a complete schedule, location of events.  What a great way to party and get those creative juices flowing!   

 

 

How do you make a perfect margarita?  What ingredients are in a great guacamole?  Does chocalate taste good with tequila?  Head over to the Chicago History Museum on May 5, from 7:00PM until 9:30PM and join in the fun at the Cinco de Maya Fiesta.  This celebration will cost you $25.00 or $20.00 if you are a member and includes a cocktail.  The fiesta also includes appetizers, demonstrations on how to make guacamole and margaritas, chocolate and tequila tasings, live music and plenty of dancing.   Come celebrate at the Chicago History Museum located at 1601 N. Clark Street on the south end of Lincoln Park.

 

I love classical music, but I don't love the high ticket prices.  These are some deals for all of you classical music lovers out there who feel the same way I do.

The Chicago Opera Theater is offering two-for-one tickets for performances of Britten's Owen Wingrave on April 20 2009 at 7:30 PM, April 22 2009 at 7:30 PM, April 24 2009 at 3:30 PM, and April 26 2009 at 7:30 PM.  call the box office at 312 704 8414 and ask for the Chicago Classical Music Owen Wingrave hot deal.  If you book online use the promo code CHICCLASSMUSIC when booking.

You can get 25 percent off of tickets to the CSO and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performances on April 9 2009 at 8:00 PM and April 14 2009 at 7:30 PM when you call 312 294 3000 or the box office and mention the "special 25 percent off deal" when placing orders.

 The Rembrandt Chamber Players is offering free tickets to a performance of Songs of a Wayfarer on April 19 2009 at 3:00 PM when you join the RCP facebook group.  Call 312 360 3145 and mention the facebook offer when you bok tickets.

I'm going to satisfy my classical music craving by taking advantage of at least a couple of these deals.  These tickets come at prices I can love.  

  

 

Kiss me, I'm Irish! ........ Well not really, but I sure do love a party!  Get ready for one of Chicago's largest St. Patrick Day celebrations. 

The Irish American Heritage Center, located at 4626 N. Knox Ave. is hosting three days of Irish cheer beginning on March 13 at noon.  The first day will culminate with Irish Dance Chicago at 7:00 pm.  Watch Chicago's finest Irish Dancers as they dance their way across the stage, Irish style.  Tickets are $10.00 and children under 12 are free.

The next morning, head downtown and enjoy the Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade.  Afterwards, escape the party frenzy and head back up to the IAHC where the fun continues from 1:00pm till midnight.  You'll find a family oriented celebration featuring Irish performers, kids activities, music, dance and food.  Did I mention the giant booksale in the library?  If you're thirsty for a brew you can take a break in the Fifth Province Pub, also part of the IAHC.  Tickets for Sturday's fun will caost $15.00 at the door and $12.00 in advance.  Children under 12 are free.

The party continues on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th at noon until midnight with more music, fun and general celebration.   

   

Are you lucky?  Are you Irish?  You don't have to be lucky or Irish to celebrate the Irish way at two of Chicago's largest St. Patrick Day parades.  On Saturday, March 14th at noon, the 54th annual Chicago St.  Patrick's Day parade will kick off at 300 E. Balboa Dr.  Join the fun as floats, Irish step dancers, bands, politicians, and more make their way through downtown Chicago. 

Get ready for a party on Sunday, March 15th when the 31st annual South Side Irish St. Partick's Day parade starts marching at 104th Street and S. Western ave (10400 S. Western Ave) at the crack of noon.  The parade will head south on Western Ave. to 115th St.  Get there early to set up a chair, families on the east side and partiers on the west side where the bars are located.  Use nearby public transportation, please don't drink and drive. 

Did you know that Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Poland?  Navy Pier, the Lira Ensemble and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland are coming together to present Celebrate Poland at Navy Pier.  Its a free celebration of Polish music, food, dance and culture from 12:00 - 6:00.   The day will be topped off by the midwest premier of the film "Casmir Pulaski:Polish and American Hero" in the Navy Peir Imax theater at 6:30.  Bring the family to feast on polish sausage, dance the polka, and listen to music from the old country on Sunday at Celebrate Poland.  It's free!