Windy City Events

Fractured Lens Video Fest: Portage Theater (10/22) 8pm

The Portage Theater is hosting a 3rd Fractured Lens Video Fest this Thursday.  Anyone attending is invited to bring in their own short films (there are rules of course, but just check out their website) and to share and watch others.  It will be a feature length of submitted shorts.

The Portage Theater is an historic theater that opened in the 1920′s, and it has been hosting an assortment of different events and movies there (they had a night of Point Break last week).  It will be a great way to watch films the way that the minds behind them intended them to be seen.  Plus, it’s only $7.

Fractured Lens
4050 N. Milwaukee Ave [google map]

Franken Plaza at Daley Plaza (Fri. 10/23 to Sat. 10/31)

This Halloween, Daley Plaza again becomes FRANKEN PLAZA on October 23-31 with new performances, movie nights, arts & crafts and much more. Opening day is 11am Friday, October 23 and admission is free.  Presented by the City of Chicago, FRANKEN PLAZA continues through Halloween: Monday-Wednesday 11am to 3pm and Thursday -Sunday 11am to 8pm. Please note that the Halloween Happening Parade is canceled.

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Heart of Chicago Festival (Friday 10/16- Sunday 10/18)

Many people are doing their part to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but let’s not forget about Italian-American Heritage Month, which is also celebrated in October. One great way to celebrate is at the Heart of Chicago Festival.

This festival is from 6 PM- 10:30 PM Friday October 16, noon- 10:30PM Saturday October 17 and noon- 8PM Sunday October 18 and is at 24th Street and Oakley [google map]. It will have food, entertainment and even a grape stomping competition. Proceeds will benefit the Heart of Chicago Association.

Music Box Massacre 5: Music Box (10/10 noon till 10/11 noon)

One of the largest horror film festivals in the country is happening this weekend at the infamous Music Box.  For only $33  (you can get tickets for $27 in advance) you can get over 12 classic horror films.  24 straight hours of film, and you can come and go as you please.

The Music Box is also happy to bring in some classic horror film stars, including Stuart Gordon, Art Hindle, and more.  Bring a pillow and your pajamas and stay the entire time, or bring a costume and catch what you want.   There will be auction items and prizes gore… I mean galore.

musicboxtheatre.com

Google Map

Bucktown Apple Pie Contest (Sun. 10/18)

If you can bake a mean apple pie, or are more savvy in the taste-testing department, get excited for the Bucktown Apple Pie Contest! A fundraising event for Holstein park, the contest offers 200 homemade apple crisps and brings together 120 amateur bakers for what Time Out Chicago has called “the clash of the pie pans!” Renowned chef Michael Taus from Duchamp and Zealous will serve as guest judge for the 5^th annual pastry party, and will assess pies based on taste, texture and appearance. For only $3, you too can sample some of Chicago’s best homemade cookin’ while dancing to live bluegrass music from Tangleweed! If scrumptious treats and knee slapping beats aren’t enough to bring you out, reevaluate your priorities, and then bid on something fabulous at the silent auction, or take your chances on a $1,000 cash raffle.

Free Event
Register a Pie!
October 18^th 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
2200 N. Oakley Ave.
Google Map

Fall Beer Festival (Wed. 10/14)

Lettuce Entertain You staple, Brasserie Jo, is hosting a Fall Beer Festival with as many beer samples as there are colors in the trees (which is more than 40, in case you were too lazy to count.) The French powerhouse will offer local brews such as Two Brothers Brewing Company, Three Floyds and Half Acre along with regional, and international lagers hailing from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Scotland. The $22 ticket also buys you passed appetizers from Chef Jean Joho’s kitchen, including her famous Tarte Flambees! In case you decide to get all cerebral on our arses, there will be plenty of connoisseurs on tap to answer even your most heady questions. Hurry up and purchase your tickets now as the Spring Beer Fest was a sell out!

October 14^th 6-8 p.m.

Brasserie Jo

59 W. Hubbard St.
312-595-0800
$22 per ticket
RSVP required
Google Map

Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Fest: 1 Day, 25 Bands, $35 (Sat. 12/12)

The Congress Theater, in conjunction with Chicago independents Kingtello Presents, is proud to announce the second coming of the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival. While rooted in the foot-stomping influences of bluegrass and blues, the festival will transport the concertgoer through the genre-defying evolution of music today. The all-ages one-day event, held on Saturday, December 12 from 11 a.m. to midnight, will serve as a tribute to two schools of music that continue to shape and inspire contemporary rock, jam, funk, folk, roots, Americana, and indie cultures. [via jambase.com] › Continue reading

Clark/Belmont Music Fest (Sat. 10/10)

Think that fall means the end of outdoor festivals? Think again. This music fest presented by the Next American Star is the perfect way to take advantage of the rest of the good weather before the cold Chicago winter sets in.

The Clark/Belmont Music Fest will have food, arts and crafts and seven young adult rock band finalists competing to win The Next American Star.

The event is from noon through 10 PM on Saturday October 10 on Belmont Avenue between Clark and Sheffield [google map].

Performance Schedule
12:30 p.m. – Britney Christian (Los Angeles)
1:30 p.m. – Amanda Kaletsky (Bethany, CT)
2:30 p.m. – Sammy& Sasha (Chicago)
3:30 p.m. – Awake in Reno (Chicago)
4:30 p.m. – Treaty of Paris
5:30 p.m. – Shorelines End (Dallas)
6:30 p.m. – Fashion Bomb
7:30 p.m. – Asteria (Crown Point, IN)
8:30 p.m. – Cinder Road (Baltimore)
9:30 p.m. – Vanilla Ice

Eli’s Cheesecake Festival (Sat. & Sun. 10/3 & 4)

The 13th annual Eli’s Cheesecake Festival will take place October 3rd from 9AM through 5PM and October 4th from 11AM through 5PM. Admission is free, along with free parking and free cheesecake samples. The festival will benefit the New Horizon Center for Developmentally Disable and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Entertainment includes the Jesse White Tumblers, Karen Hart Band, Band on the Run and more.

6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr. [google map]
Chicago, IL
elicheesecake.com

Moon Festival Chicago (Sat. 9/26)

The Chinese Moon Festival is an important traditional event in the Chinese culture. Celebrate it in Chicago’s  Chinatown Square [google map] from noon until 10 PM with performances, games, raffles, traditional dance and more. Visit moonfestchicago.com for more details.