Weekend Events Around Town: 5/3 - 5/5

Music from Poland's golden age, high fashion and Cinco de Mayo festivities; Chicago Tonight knows what's going on this weekend.

Wacław z Szamotuł? Mikołaj Gomółka? Ring a bell? Unless you’re an aficionado of 16th and 17th century Polish composers, probably not. But renowned instrumentalist and Chicago native Tom Zejac is: Zejac spent a lot of time recently poring over forgotten masterpieces by these lesser-known composers of the Polish Renaissance. And after much digging, Zejac is ready to present his findings, with some help from the Newberry Consort’s world-class musicians. Performed on fiddles, bagpipes, flutes, trombones, recorders, lutes, and with harmonizing voices, Chicago audiences will have a chance to hear many of these rarely performed classics, as the Newberry Consort presents a weekend-long tribute to Poland’s Golden Age. The weekend slate features three performances: tonight at 8:00 pm at the Copernicus Foundation Annex, (5216 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago); Saturday, May 4 at 8:00 pm at The Logan Center for the Arts (915 E. 60th St., Chicago); and Sunday, May 5 at 3:00 pm at Northwestern University’s Lutkin Hall (700 University Place, Evanston). Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as each performance is preceded by an hour-long lecture on the history and context of the music that will be performed. Tickets are $32 in advance or $35 at the door, but for students with a valid student ID, admission is only $5, payable only in cash at the door. For more information on the performances and to purchase advance tickets, click here.
We finally made it. With temperatures climbing into the 80s this week, it appears Chicago may have finally shaken itself from winter’s ice-cold stranglehold. The lakefront trail is again a blur of runners and cyclists, and this weekend, one of the final harbingers of spring returns to the south end of Lincoln Park. After spending winter inside the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Green City Market moves outdoors Saturday for the first time this season. As always, the market features some of the highest-quality food available in the city – from locally grown veggies and sustainably raised meat products to artisan breads and cheeses. To celebrate the move outdoors, the market will also feature cooking demonstrations from chefs like Shelley Young of Chopping Block and Andrew Horza of Goose Island Clybourn. The market is free but if you plan to take home any of the delicious food, be sure to bring your wallet. For more information on the market and its vendors, click here. For directions to the market. click here.
There are few things better than a cup of freshly brewed joe and in Chicago, there is no shortage of coffee shops serving top-notch lattes. However, the cost of dropping five bucks daily on that double espresso many of us require to function can really add up. Have you ever wondered “Hey, I wonder if I could make this at home?” If so, make plans to head to CoffeeCON on Saturday. Coffee lovers can enjoy a day of sampling coffees brewed by renowned roasters from around the world, and some choice roasts from local favorites like Metropolis, Counter Culture Coffee and Dark Matter. For you aspiring at-home baristas, the festival is also a chance to learn from the pros: attendees can choose from an array of hands-on brewing and roasting classes. And for those interested in buying really high-end beans, the Indonesian Trade Board will be on site with a selection of exotic coffees, including the famous Kopi Luwak coffee that sells for a mere $300 per pound. Advance tickets are $15 online, but Whole Foods is offering a $5 off discount; when buying tickets online here, just enter the code “WF” in the promo area. Tickets are $20 at the door. For more information on festival hours, brewing classes and coffee roasters in attendance, click here.
IBEW Local Union 701
28600 Bella Vista Parkway
Warrenville, IL 60555
For 50 years, Eunice Johnson’s Ebony Fashion Fair gave fashion fans around the nation a chance to see cutting edge work from Europe and America’s best couture houses, all geared toward the African-American consumer. Over that time, Mrs. Johnson amassed an incredible collection of over 3,500 garments from top designers like Emanuel Ungaro, Yves St. Laurent and Christian Dior. And while the traveling fair is no more, a new exhibit offers fashion fans an opportunity to view these rarely seen ensembles and to relive the history of the Ebony Fashion Fair. Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair tells the story of innovation, power and the fair’s impact on African American culture, and is on display through January 14, 2014 at the Chicago History Museum. Admission to the museum is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors (65+) and students (13-22), and free for children age 12 and under. For more information on the exhibit and museum hours, click here. View a Chicago Tonight story featuring an interview with the curator of Inspiring Beauty
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
While Cinco de Mayo isn’t until this Sunday, the Little Village Chamber of Commerce is commemorating the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla with a weekend-long celebration of Mexican culture. Held in the Little Village neighborhood that is the heart of Chicago’s Mexican community, the festival features live mariachi performances, authentic Mexican street food, and arts and crafts. The festivities begin tonight at 6:00 pm and last until 11:00 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, festival hours are from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and admission to the festival is free. For more information on festival events and activities, click here
4th Annual Little Village Cinco de Mayo Festival
26th Street & Kostner
Chicago, IL 60623

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