Stories by meredith francis

Mavis Staples (Jalylah Burrell)

Weekend Events: Mavis Staples, Maple Syrup Festival, Cocktail Class

From performances to seasonal treats to a spirited class in Wicker Park, your springtime agenda is in full bloom this weekend.

(Flickr / Jamie McCaffrey)

Weekend Events: St. Patrick's Day Parade, Leon Bridges, Orchid Sale

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early with three parades and the annual river dyeing. Live music, some impressive Lego-building skills and an acclaimed dance company round things out.

(Courtesy of Cook County Health and Hospitals System)

Dr. Quentin Young, Physician and Activist, Dies at 92

The longtime advocate for health care reform, whose patients included President Barack Obama and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., died Monday at age 92.

(Harvey Tillis)

Local Priest, Music Festival Use Jazz to Tackle Hunger

The Chi-Town Jazz Festival doubles as a fundraiser for area food pantries. The founder, a local priest, says jazz is a fitting genre to address social issues like hunger.

Weekend Events: Irish Film Festival, Polar Plunge, Terra-Cotta Warriors

Soak up Irish films in Logan Square, take a dip in the lake for charity and see a new special exhibition at the Field Museum. Details on these events and more in our weekend roundup.

Early Voting for March Primary Begins in Chicago

Early voting is underway at 51 locations across the city. Check out our interactive map to find a voting location close to you.

Weekend Events: Yo-Yo Ma, Urban Livestock Expo, Soup Walk

See Yo-Yo Ma perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, rub elbows with chickens at the Urban Livestock Expo and keep warm with homemade soup in Lakeview.

Weekend Events: Northwest Restaurant Week, Dog Tag Exhibit, B.B. King Tribute

Enjoy another restaurant week in the Northwest suburbs, see the reinstallation of the "Above and Beyond" dog tag exhibiton and watch Shirley King pay tribute to the King of Blues.

Weekend Events: Black Restaurant Week, Orchid Show, New Year Parade

It’s the Weekend Agenda: Feb. 12-14

Celebrate the Year of the Monkey or surround yourself with colorful flowers (or shiny new cars) this Valentine's Day weekend. We've got something for everyone in our weekend to-do list.

Weekend Events: Strandbeest, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Super Bowl Chili

It's the Weekend Agenda: Feb. 5-7

Find out what a "Strandbeest" is, see Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform and celebrate the Super Bowl with a bowl of chili.

Your Weekend Guide: Polar Plunge, Craft Beer, Trumpet Master

It's the Weekend Agenda: Jan. 29-31

Take a dip in Lake Michigan with the Lakeview Polar Bear Club, mellow out to the sounds of trumpeter Marquis Hill, sip wine and winter beer and more.

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