Chicago Like a Local Blog

It’s time for the weekend once again, Chicago. Summer is winding down, but the things to do in Chicago aren’t! Explore Chicago’s breweries using the craft beer trail itineraries built around six neighborhoods of the city. For sports fans, the MLS All-Star game is coming to Chicago hosted by Soldier Field. There are multiple events leading up to the big match beginning this Sunday. For more on the weekend happenings, we curated a list of things to do in Chicago this weekend below.

Grab three times the summer goodness by visiting all three neighborhood festivals kicking off this weekend — Pilsen's Fiesta Del Sol, Lincoln Park's Taste of Lincoln and Wicker Park Fest  Bask in the music and color of the largest Latino Fest in the Midwest at Fiesta Del Sol, sample an array of dishes while taking in local bands at Taste of Lincoln Park and stroll through the famously artsy streets of Wicker Park while enjoying food, art and shopping. Check out these highlights for each fest:

As we head into the final stretch of summer, it's time to pack in everything on your bucket list. Spend a long day building sandcastles on Oak Street Beach, hit up the museums you've missed, and enjoy dinner al fresco with a scenic view. While you're at it, why not run away and join the circus? Or hang out with your animal pals from Madagascar... wait—what?!

Here are two whimsical, family-friendly shows you won't want to miss this summer in Chicago: Cirque du Soleil's Luzia and Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Madagascar – A Musical Adventure.

If the names Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia elicit fond memories, then the fast-paced fun of the latest hilarious send-up from Hell in a Handbag Productions, The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes (extended through September 16, 2017) will have you grinning ear to ear.

The entire cast is spot-on in this raunchy, ridiculous, and irresistible parody of the beloved television series. Bravo to Hell in a Handbag co-founder, resident playwright, Artistic Director, and recent Jeff Award honoree David Cerda, who has produced yet another hit for the beloved company.

The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes is currently playing at Mary’s Attic (above Hamburger Mary’s) at 5400 North Clark Street.   

In Chicago, brunch is a sport that ranks right up there with the Bulls, Bears and Sox teams. Discovering the perfect brunch spot is a serious thing, and the city's restaurants scramble constantly to meet all the requirements for menus, drinks and ambiance. But beyond the perfect mimosa and ultimate avocado toast (more on those brunch trends here), some diners want dishes that will satisfy their healthy appetites while also displaying culinary creativity. So for foodies searching for a well-crafted and belly-busting brunch, check out these picks for summer mornings.

A trip to Navy Pier always promises a day of fun; but this summer, Chicago's No.1 tourist attraction ups the ante with a brand-new, 13-acre green outdoor space that's packed with amazing (and free!) programming. Polk Bros Park will now serve as the Pier’s gateway and the city’s unofficial front yard. Two performance and picnic-friendly lawns, located at the south end of the park, will offer free arts and cultural programming throughout the summer and beyond.

Starting next week Sunday, Chicago will be home to everything soccer. Culminating in the anxiously awaited showdown between the best of the MLS and Europe’s premier club, Real Madrid, at Soldier Field, MLS All-Star week is full of free family events being held across the city. From Toyota Park to North Ave Beach, the PrivateBank Fire Pitch and Soldier Field, Chicagoans and fans from around the world will see Chicago transformed into soccer city.

If you’ve been to Millennium Park, you’ve probably looked up at the stunning fountains at the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Michigan Avenue. They are, of course, the wonderful Crown Fountain designed and executed by the Catalan artist Jaume Plensa. Since their installation in 2004, millions of people have played in the water that surrounds the fountains in the summer and enjoyed watching a rotating cast of Chicagoans projected on the screens that add a bit of whimsy to these amazing pieces of art.

River North has one of Chicago’s hottest nightlife scenes, and a night of drinking there can get pricey. There are plenty of great deals to be found, you just have to do a little research beforehand. Here are 5 cocktails under $10 in River North.

Lovely Lake Michigan is the lone Great Lake located entirely within the United States and is the fifth-largest lake in the world. 307 miles long by 118 miles wide, with a shoreline 1,640 miles long, the lake is our city's deep blue gem. While you can always stroll along the beautiful lakefront or swim at one of the many city beaches, why not hop into a kayak, step atop a paddleboard, snorkel, scuba or even surf Lake Michigan? Here are five unique, active ways to experience Chicago's beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan.