A fiesta at the zoo, free jazz concerts, and a Bunky Echo-Hawk exhibit at the Field Museum; Chicago Tonight knows what's going on this weekend.
Head to Hyde Park this weekend for some great food, dancing, and free live music. Presenting a variety of acts at 11 different venues, the 7th annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, September 28 from 1:00 pm to midnight and Sunday, September 29 from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The two-day festival has an exciting lineup that includes performances by the Willie Pickens Trio, the Jeff Parker Trio, and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Tammy McCann. All shows are free, but tickets are required for performances by Frank Rosaly’s Green and Gold, and The Gerald Clayton Trio. Free tickets for those shows will be available at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center box office on a first come, first serve basis. For a full schedule of performances, click here.
Hyde Park Jazz Festival
1511 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-6926
Bunky Echo-Hawk: Modern Warrior
This week, Chicago Tonight's Artbeat blog featured Native American hip-hop artist and painter Bunky Echo-Hawk. Known for merging Native American images with pop culture references, Echo-Hawk "uses humor to shed light on current issues facing Native American communities." This weekend, a new exhibit opens at the Field Museum that showcases large-scale paintings by Echo-Hawk that were inspired by historic Field Museum collections. For those interested in watching Echo-Hawk create his next masterpiece, a live painting event will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm in Stanley Field Hall at The Field Museum. The exhibit opens on Friday, September 27 and will stay open through September 2014. For more information, click here.
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 922-9410
Fiesta Familiar at Lincoln Park Zoo
Those who are seeking the perfect family-friendly outing this weekend should look no further than the Lincoln Park Zoo. Fiesta Familiar, which is presented by Hoy, is a free event that offers five different pavilions where kids can participate in hands-on art, health, gardening, science and music projects. The fun-filled day will also include Latin music and dancing. Fiesta Familiar takes place on Saturday, September 29 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information about the event, click here.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 742-2000
This month, a production that Time magazine named the Best Play of 2012 made its Chicago debut at the Northlight Theatre in Skokie. Written by Amy Herzog, the play is about a 21-year-old who seeks refuge in his grandmother's West Village apartment after a cross-country bike trip. Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones describes the characters in the play as "a crusty, old Manhattan lefty named Vera Joseph — and a grandson — a young, crunchy, West Coast lefty named Leo." Referring to their relationship, Jones --who gave the production three and a half stars – says, "no play I've seen has better understood what a grandparent and grandchild actually can do for one another, if they are given the chance." In another positive review, Chicago Sun-Times theater critic Hedy Weiss says the performance is “a theatrical journey worth taking.” The show runs through October 20, and tickets cost $25 - $75. For more information, click here.
Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Blvd.
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 673- 6300
Get outside this weekend and check out a variety of design vendors, artists, and local furniture makers at the third annual Design Harvest in West Town. Presented by the West Town Chamber of Commerce, Design Harvest will offer pop-up showrooms from local interior designers, and live music programmed by The Hideout. Attendees can also enjoy delicious food trucks, cold beer, hayrides, pumpkin painting, and a petting zoo. Design Harvest, which is free, takes place on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. For more information, click here.
Design Harvest
Grand Avenue between Damen & Wood Streets
Chicago, IL 60612
