Spooky music, pet costume contests and a deli exhibit usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in and around Chicago.

A Chicago auction house is offering an astonishing archive of vaudeville posters, sideshow ephemera, and what is called magicana. All of it was collected by magician Ricky Jay, who died in 2018 at age 72.

Deronis Cooper said getting his hands in the dirt helps him cope with the challenges of being a police officer. What started with four planters has grown into more than 50 plant species in his backyard.

WTTW News theater critic Hedy Weiss recommends an evening spent with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, guest conductor James Gaffigan and the extraordinary pianist Conrad Tao.

A new study that aims to explore Midwest state boundaries and identity was a result of over 11,000 responses across 22 states.

Art Recovery International, a company focused on locating and recovering stolen and looted art, tracked down the painting after a person in Chicago reached out claiming to possess a “stolen or looted painting” that their uncle brought back to the U.S. after serving in World War II.

Tania León is an Afro-Cuban Latina composer who has made her mark by following the rhythm of her own beat. León’s pieces carry both her Caribbean influences and the sounds of her travels.

Despite mechanical woes, the vehicles have developed a cult following. And this one, a 1981 model that has spent the majority of its life in a barn, only had 977 miles on the odometer — a rarity.

Louis Armstrong, with his instantly identifiable raspy tenor voice, was a formative force in the world of jazz for nearly half a century. Now, the musical “A Wonderful World” has arrived in Chicago in a show that is bound to end up on Broadway.

A musical showcase, aura portraits and a clothing swap usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in and around Chicago.

Black Theatre United is an organization aimed at creating more diversity and inclusion in theater. With the help of that group, actress Vanessa Williams is making her producorial debut for the new musical “A Wonderful World.”

Jim DeRogatis serves as secretary of the Military Miniature Society of Illinois, and he’s a skilled maker of all things small. From Oct. 20-21, the group is hosting its annual show, with 200 exhibitors displaying their sculptures in a juried exhibition.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra was in its usual top form this past week in a concert that was zestily led by Jaap van Zweden, the Amsterdam-born conductor who is in his farewell season as music director of the New York Philharmonic.

Justin Fields was hurt on Chicago’s first possession of the third quarter against Minnesota. He seemed to land awkwardly on his hand trying to throw the ball away while getting sacked by Danielle Hunter. The Bears punted on the next play, and Fields headed to the locker room.

Over the years there have been countless interpretations of “Frankenstein,” Mary Shelley’s extraordinary 1818 Gothic novel. But the Joffrey Ballet’s production of the story that recently opened at the Lyric Opera House might very well be its most stunning interpretation yet.

Mayor Brandon Johnson this week unveiled his $16.6 billion spending plan for 2024. Meanwhile, Illinois confirmed its first measles case since 2019, and Chicago’s theater community is facing multiple challenges.