(Chicago Auto Show)

The newest cars, vintage finds, medieval music and thousands of orchids usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago this weekend.

(Credit: Chicago Loop Alliance)

Street festivals, Latin jazz, an artistic run and a modern twist on Shakespeare usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

(Courtesy of Writers Theatre)

How do you design a pandemic-era theater season? The Glencoe-based theater has devised a multifaceted plan that combines a degree of certainty with the option of built-in flexibility, with the ultimate goal of keeping live theater alive.

(Courtesy of Jurassic Quest)

Prehistoric creatures, a costumed shopping cart race, thousands of flowers, and an environmental film festival usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

(Couleur / Pixabay)

Fall flavors, a community art project, pumpkin patches and a scary film series usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Michael Mahler, left, Brianna Borger, center and Bethany Thomas in “Into the Woods.” (Photo: Michael Brosilow)

One of Stephen Sondheim’s most popular works is now on stage at Writers Theatre in a sophisticated, powerfully sung, environmentally enveloping production directed by longtime Sondheim aficionado Gary Griffin.

Bud Billiken Parade (kojoman68 / Flickr)

A huge South Side parade, food festivals, acrobatic felines and natural wines usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

A bumblebee lands on a flower. (Courtesy Chicago Botanic Garden)

Pollinating animals account for an estimated one out of every three bites of food humans eat. “Bees & Beyond” explains how the process works, traces its evolutionary history and demonstrates its impact on our daily lives.

A monarch butterfly (Pixnio)

It’s a colorful sign of summer: brightly colored butterflies floating on the wind. From nature museums to forest preserves to beachfront parks, Chicago has plenty of spots to see these beautiful insects. Here are 10 of the best. 

Java, a corpse flower at the Chicago Botanic Garden, bloomed May 23, 2019. (Courtesy Chicago Botanic Garden)

At 82.5 inches, Java is not only the tallest corpse flower to bloom at the Chicago Botanic Garden, but the quickest among its type at the garden to re-bloom.

David Schlumpf and Keely Vasquez in “Next to Normal” at Writers Theatre. (Photo credit: Michael Brosilow)

This 2008 musical is unsettling, irritating, frustrating, relentless and more. But director David Cromer and his actors have tapped into the dark charm and moments of humor in the show with great skill.

Java the corpse flower is on bloom watch at the Chicago Botanic Garden. (Alex Ruppenthal / WTTW News)

After blooming for the first time in June 2017, Java, one of the dozen or so corpse flowers at the Chicago Botanic Garden, is preparing to bloom again. 

(Chicago Botanic Garden / Facebook)

Blooming orchids, an outdoor beer fest and a massive bike ride usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago. 

From left: David Alan Anderson, Kelvin Roston, Jr. and A.C. Smith in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Writers Theatre. (Photo credit: Michael Brosilow)

The harmonies, dissonances and inflections of the conversations among the four men who form Ma Rainey’s fractious band are something of a spoken-word blues opera in this Writers Theatre revival.

(Trina Mae Studio LLC / Facebook)

Pet portraits, model trains, fermented tea and a murder mystery usher in the first weekend of 2019. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

The Bulb Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. (Courtesy Chicago Botanic Garden)

Sunny days and cool nights have helped produce a vivid display of fall colors this season. At the Chicago Botanic Garden, thousands of trees are at their peak.