10 Things to Do This Weekend: July 20-23

Go for the green -- and the gold -- in the historic Sheffield neighborhood this weekend. (Courtesy of Special Events Management)Go for the green -- and the gold -- in the historic Sheffield neighborhood this weekend. (Courtesy of Special Events Management)

1. Explore

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Secret gardens meet wide-open spaces at the 49th annual Sheffield Music Festival and Garden Walk. Explore more than 100 gardens (noon-5:30 p.m. daily), take a guided architectural tour of the neighborhood, and soak up live music on two stages during the weekend event. Headliners: Jessica Lea Mayfield and Foxygen (Saturday); and Lucky Boys Confusion and We The Kings (Sunday). Kids activities take place daily from noon-7 p.m.

Details: Noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday along Belden Avenue between Sheffield and Seminary avenues. $10 suggested donation for garden walks; $20-$25 for live music access. | MAP

2. Tap in

Put your taste buds to the test at the Chicago Craft Beer Festival, held in conjunction with the Sheffield Music Festival and Garden Walk. More than 70 specialty beers are on tap from about 35 local, regional and national breweries. A one-day tasting ticket includes 3-ounce samples of 15 beers and a souvenir tasting glass. 

Details: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at Sheffield and Webster avenues. $40-$45. | MAP

(Courtesy of Special Events Management)(Courtesy of Special Events Management)

3. Dream

Led by Lookingglass Theatre Company co-founder David Catlin (a Northwestern University alumnus), a theatrical team reimagines Shakespeare’s classic comedy with “A Midsummer Night’s Daydream.” The adaptation preserves much of the language from the Bard’s original, but makes room for musical acts, circus arts and other storytelling techniques.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston. $25; $10 for students. Performances run through July 30. | MAP

4. Feast

More than a dozen local restaurants set up shop at the annual Taste of River North, including El Hefe, Big & Little’s, The Motel Bar, Pranzi, Safe House and Pinstripes. The riverfront setting also features local artists, merchants and a family area. Live music highlights: Boy Band Review (Friday), Sixteen Candles (Saturday) and The Heard (Sunday). 

Details: 5-10 p.m. Friday; noon-10 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday at Ward Park, Kingsbury and Erie streets. $5 suggested donation. | MAP

Pranzi Chicago is serving up dishes at Taste of River North. (Pranzi / Facebook)Pranzi Chicago is serving up dishes at Taste of River North. (Pranzi / Facebook)

5. Toast

Raise a glass to neighborhood breweries at Friday Night Flights. The city’s fourth installment of the new summer series features Motor Row Brewing, Baderbrau, Rock Bottom Brewery, Eataly’s Birreria and Gino’s East. Tickets include 10 3-ounce samples and live music from The Original Chicago Blues All Stars. Food is available for purchase. 

Details:  6-9 p.m. Friday on the block of 2300 S. Indiana Ave. $15-$20. | MAP

(Motor Row Brewing / Facebook)(Motor Row Brewing / Facebook)

6. Roll

Mingle with other art lovers and visit a half-dozen neighborhood galleries during the third Friday Bronzeville Arts District Trolley Tour. Among the stops: the South Side Community Art Center, Blanc Gallery and Gallery Guichard. Hop on and off continuously rotating trolleys, which also make periodic stops at other local establishments.

Details: 6-9 p.m. Friday at Gallery Guichard, 436 E. 47th St. Free. | MAP

7. Dive

Grab your dancing shoes for Lake Street Dive, the Brooklyn-based, southern rock, indie pop band that’s been together since 2004.

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. $36. | MAP

8. Brace for impact

Dubbed Chicago’s “Derby Little Secret,” the Chicago Outfit Roller Derby takes to the track for a double-header against the DuPage Derby Dames to finish up the last home game of the season. Grab some pizza from Giordano’s, a cupcake from Posh Pastries, and drinks from Lagunitas and Dark Matter Coffee while watching the action unfold. Vader Wins spins the tracks, and a photo booth is on hand to document the night.

Details: 7-10 p.m. Saturday at the Windy City Fieldhouse, 2367 W. Logan Blvd. $15-$20. | MAP

The Chicago Outfit Roller Derby plays its last home game of the season. (Chicago Outfit Roller Derby / Facebook)The Chicago Outfit Roller Derby plays its last home game of the season. (Chicago Outfit Roller Derby / Facebook)

9. Cheer

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 27 years ago. Celebrate the community at the Chicago Disability Pride Parade, which aims to “promote the belief in society that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can take pride.” After the parade, now in its 14th year, stick around for speeches and performances in Daley Plaza, where the parade ends.

Details: 11 a.m. Saturday beginning at 401 S. Plymouth Ct. Post-parade programming at 12:30 p.m. at Daley Plaza. $5 suggested donation. | MAP

10. Shop

Browse fine art alfresco when 100 juried artists set up shop along Chicago’s most iconic streets for the Artfest Michigan Avenue. Sculptures, paintings, photography, jewelry and other work is on display.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave. Free. | MAP

Work by photographer Tracey Capone is on display at Artfest. (Amdur Productions)Work by photographer Tracey Capone is on display at Artfest. (Amdur Productions)

Events listed are subject to change. We recommend double-checking times and locations before you head out the door. Want to share your upcoming events with us for consideration in a future roundup? Send us an email.


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