Stories by Rebecca Palmore

Pride Month culiminates on Sunday with the 47th annual Chicago Pride Parade. Free movie screenings and concerts, a food truck fest and a celebration of encased meats are also on tap.

This week's primary isn't the only race in town. Amateur runners can apply for a spot in the 39th annual Chicago Marathon starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The 26th annual festival returns with a new-and-now group of talented writers, performers and creative thinkers who head up 130 events throughout the city. We'll help you navigate the options.

According to a recent report by Swiss financial services company UBS, Chicago joins New York City, Zurich, Geneva, Oslo, London and Hong Kong in an exclusive group of the most-expensive cities in the world. As an antidote to what may seem depressing news, we scoured the web for something everyone can feel good about: free stuff.

Saturday's concert marks the 30th anniversary of Farm Aid: A Concert for America, which drew a crowd of 80,000 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. on Sept. 22, 1985. Nearly 500 artists have performed at concerts held mostly across the Midwest and along the East Coast nearly every year since. Learn more about the organization, and this weekend's show at Northerly Island.

A group of local science researchers want your help on a truly wild project. Learn about Chicago Wildlife Watch, and how you can help them better understand the urban ecosystem of Chicago.

After much anticipation, the Chicago Botanic Garden on Saturday night announced that Spike is not expected to bloom. 

Neighborhood festivals, a pop-culture convention and the return of a historic bike ride through the city highlight this weekend's event lineup. Check out those events, and more, in our roundup.

From a free outdoor horror show to '80s fashion finds to aerial feats along the lakefront, we've got your weekend picks.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Perseid meteor shower will be at peak visibility around the globe, but light pollution can greatly diminish what you see. In west suburban Sugar Grove, Northern Illinois University and a NASA ambassador have teamed up to host a free viewing party Wednesday night. Learn more about it here.

Gear up, Bears fans: Single-game tickets are available for purchase online or by phone starting 11:00 am Thursday, July 16. 

The 35th annual summer event, billed as the world's largest festival of its kind, returns to Grant Park this week with food, fun, and live music from Spoon, Erykah Badu, and others.