(Courtesy Chicago Loop Alliance)
1. Connect
After a two-year hiatus, ACTIVATE, a celebration of local arts and culture, returns to the Loop. DJ sessions, performances by A Queer Pride and live, interactive art displays by Paint the City are among the highlights.
Details: 5-10 p.m. Thursday at LaSalle and Quincy streets. Free / MAP
Find more fests: 2022 Summer Festival Guide
2. Sweat
Start off the holiday weekend by getting your fitness on at Millennium Park Summer Workouts. With tai chi, yoga, Pilates and zumba classes, there’s something for everyone. Be sure to bring a mat, towel and water to stay hydrated.
Details: 8-8:45 a.m. tai chi; 9-9:45 a.m. yoga; 10-10:45 a.m. Pilates; 11-11:45 a.m. zumba at Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St. Free / MAP
3. Shake it
Pick up some new moves at Pier Dance. Bellydance By Phaedra will provide lessons on Middle Eastern and belly dance techniques before opening up the dance floor.
Details: 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Navy Pier Polk Bros Performance Lawn City Stage, 600 E. Grand Ave. Free / MAP
4. Watch
Take movie night outdoors this weekend and watch the Disney hit “Encanto” at Movies in the Parks at Hermitage. BYO blanket, chairs, snacks and drinks.
Details: 8:30-10:12 p.m. Friday at Hermitage Park, 5839 S. Wood St. Free / MAP
(Credit: Chicago Park District)
5. Study
In the 1986 classic, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Ferris and his crew visit the Art Institute of Chicago as part of their epic day playing hooky. Learn more about the artworks featured in the 2-minute clip, the film and art galleries at “The Art of Ferris Bueller: Walking Tour.”
Details: 1-2:15 p.m. Friday at The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave. $35 plus museum admission / MAP
6. Bust a move
Started more than 30 years ago as a small celebration of Chicago house music, the Chosen Few DJs Music Festival & Picnic has grown to attract tens of thousands each year into what organizers say is the longest-running event dedicated to house music.
Details: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday at Jackson Park, 63rd Street and Hayes Drive. $60 and up; Free for kids 12 and under / MAP
7. Listen
Tune into nature at Summer Soundwalks in the Parks at Big Marsh. Led by faculty and alumni from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the event explores listening and sound making as an ecological practice and an instrument for change.
Details: 5-7 p.m. Friday at Big Marsh Park, 11555 S. Stony Island Ave. Free / MAP
8. Marvel
Sit ringside under the big top for Cirque Italia’s “Water Circus I: Silver Unit,” featuring pirate fights, aerial aerobatics, balancing acts and “Wheel of Death” performances.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Monday at Chicago Premium Outlets, 1650 Premium Outlet Blvd., Aurora. $10-$50 / MAP
Morgaine Rosenthal and D. Fernandez perform aerial straps. (Photo by Alex Gaspar)
9. Gather
The Celebrate America Craft and Art Fair features 75 booths with vendors selling homemade wares, live music, turtle races, kids activities and a parade (stepping off at 10 a.m.).
Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday at Burlington Park, E. Chicago Avenue and S. Washington Street, Hinsdale. Free / MAP
10. Delight
Dozens of multicultural acts representing the African-Caribbean diaspora perform at the International Festival of Life. Arts, crafts and games are also on tap.
Details: 2-10 p.m. Saturday-Monday at Washington Park, 55th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. $25-$40; $20 for seniors; free for kids 12 and under / MAP
11. Ponder
Written by WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore, “The Billboard” follows a fictional women’s clinic in Englewood and its fight with a resident running for City Council who puts up a provocative billboard about abortion and Black women.
Details: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday through July 17 at Northwestern University, Abbott Hall, 710 N. Lake Shore Drive. $25 / MAP
12. Have fun
Carnival rides, a petting zoo, pickleball tournaments, rib and pie eating contests, a pet parade, wine tasting and live music are among the festivities on tap for Frontier Days Festival.
Details: 5-11 p.m. Thursday; 5 p.m.-midnight Friday; noon-midnight Saturday and Sunday; noon-10 p.m. Monday at Recreation Park, 500 E. Milner St., Arlington Heights. Free / MAP
(Arlington Heights Frontier Days / Facebook)
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.
