Amid uncertainty in Chicago and across the nation, a ray of hope: Chicago’s baseball teams are in first place, and the city’s beloved Bears pulled off a miracle comeback. Can professional sports actually be a tonic for tough times?

​Mexican Independence Day celebrations are a community staple across many communities in Chicago and beyond. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, those celebrations are looking very different this year.

Alleys serve many purposes, but they’re not typically used as the backdrop for public art. Enter Teresa Parod, who is using house paint to elevate the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Two famous Germans take up permanent residence in Chicago, only to witness the evolution of a West Side neighborhood. Geoffrey Baer goes long on two enduring Humboldt Park statues.

Football is back. The Chicago Bears are set to kick off the regular season Sunday against the Detroit Lions. It’ll be the first time the Bears face an opponent this year, since the NFL skipped the preseason due to COVID-19.

The kickoff of the NFL season Thursday with 17,000 fans in the stadium illustrates the nation’s determination to resume its most popular sport in the middle of a pandemic that has already killed nearly 200,000 Americans.

The coronavirus has shuttered concert venues around the world, but that hasn’t stopped artists and musicians from finding new ways to share their work. Soprano Renee Fleming tells us about Lyric’s upcoming concert.

DANK Haus is offering all the fixings for a classic German feast this weekend, in lieu of what would have been the 100th anniversary of Chicago’s annual German Day celebration.

A local theater artist goes on house calls and takes his puppets on the road in Chicago neighborhoods.

For now, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be focused on intimate, virtual experiences for its fall 2020 season, which includes the launch of a new digital series of performances. 

An iconic Chicago building could soon be facing an identity crisis. Geoffrey Baer has the backstory of a prominent – and sometimes underrated – member of Chicago’s skyline.

The latest selection for the citywide reading program is “Exit West” by Moshin Hamid. Events and discussions will be centered around the theme of “Beyond Borders.”

Inside a 1907 tavern once owned by Schlitz that's being restored by new owners and heading for city landmark status.

The conservatory has transformed its Artist’s Garden into a reflection of Monet’s vision, featuring plants that inspired some of Impressionism’s most memorable paintings. The exhibit opens Saturday in tandem with “Monet and Chicago” at the Art Institute. 

A Highland Park shop specializing in ukuleles is keeping its music community alive by offering virtual lessons on how to play the “happiest instrument on the planet.”

The pandemic has led many cooped-up city dwellers to seek out the companionship of a pet. It’s kept rescue organizations busier than usual — and has led to some unexpected benefits as adoptions go virtual.