(Chicago Polar Bear Club / Facebook)
1. Splash
Embrace the elements and take a dip in the frigid waters of Lake Michigan at the Chicago Polar Bear Club Polar Plunge. Costumes are highly encouraged. Make sure to pack a pair of closed-toe shoes to wear when you plunge, towel and warm clothes to change into post plunge. Funds from this year’s event benefits a trio of families.
Details: Noon Saturday at Oak Street Beach, 1ooo N. Lake Shore Drive. $30; free to watch / MAP
2. Reflect
“Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till” brings the 1955 court proceedings that played out in Sumner, Mississippi to life. The play features key characters based on real life, including the presiding judge, attorneys, witnesses, Till’s mother Mamie Till-Mobley, and J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant – the two men who were found not guilty of murdering Till but later admitted to the crime.
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday at The DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place. $25-$45; $15 for youth, educators, seniors, activists and low-income patrons / MAP
3. Pedal
Join fellow cycling enthusiasts for the Chicago Critical Mass, which seeks to raise awareness of downtown cyclists. Expect to ride a dozen or so miles slowly through city streets.
Details: 6 p.m. Friday at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. Free / MAP
4. Revere
The Black History Month Celebration at Loyola Park seeks to honor the rich heritage of African American, African and Caribbean families through music, spoken word performances, historical remembrances and a pop-up art display featuring work by Chicago Public School students.
Details: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sunday at Loyola Park, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave. Free / MAP
5. Interact
“The Light Returns: Dance & Music at Unity Temple” features custom choreographed performances inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple. Created by choreographer Winifred Haun and composer Renee Baker, the first half of the performance will be an immersive experience for audience members as they walk throughout the space.
Details: 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at Unity Temple, 875 Lake St., Oak Park. $35-$39; $24 for kids ages 6-18; free for kids 5 and under / MAP
(WTTW News)
6. Browse
Local plant-based chefs and cruelty free makers showcase their wares at the Chicago Vegan Test Kitchen market.
Details: Noon-5 p.m. Sunday at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Free / MAP
7. Jam
Goose Island Beer Company and Empty Bottle’s annual winter block party Music Frozen Dancing returns with performances by Divino Nino, Sweeping Promise, Pixel Grip Automatic, and more.
Details: 1-8 p.m. Saturday at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave. Free; donations accepted for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless / MAP
8. Strut
Check out the latest trends at the Black Fashion Week 2022 Runway Show, featuring designs by Amara Black, BelBlak Couture, Tomkat Fashion & Art Boutique and more.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Royal Garden Banquets & Catering, 2515 N. Harlem Ave. $40-$60 / MAP
9. Persist
A young, interracial couple’s plans to elope are interrupted when they find themselves at the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968 – the day the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated. Tensions rise when both sets of parents arrive unannounced to prevent their union. “Lorraine” depicts the resilience of love and humanity through the lens of King’s assassination that shifted the civil rights movement and gave new meaning to the fight for justice.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $20-$25 / MAP
10. Marvel
Meet the largest predatory dino yet discovered at “National Geographic Live – Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous” and learn about how this prehistoric giant was almost lost to science before being uncovered again with the help of paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim.
Details: 2 p.m. Sunday at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive $51-$63 / MAP
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.
