Weekend Events Around Town: 2/27-3/1

Enjoy a weekend of culture, comedy, cold beers, and even colder waters. Chicago Tonight has your weekend picks.

Maz Jobrani; credit: James Duncan DavidsonComedian Maz Jobrani
UP Comedy Club
230 W. North Ave., 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL  60614

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Yuck it up at UP Comedy Club this weekend, where Iranian-American stand-up comedian Maz Jobrani will be stopping by on his book tour for I’m Not a Terrorist, But I’ve Played One on TV: Memoirs of a Middle Eastern Funny Man. In his book, Jobrani, who’s appeared in numerous films and on television, chronicles his move to the United States from Tehran during the Iranian Revolution and his struggle to assimilate into American culture. The comedian discusses his experiences trying to find acting work in a post-9/11 Hollywood that consistently pigeonholed him as a Muslim terrorist or extremist. Jobrani injects endearing and self-deprecating humor into his life’s narrative. The event will be held at 8:00 pm and again at 10:30 pm this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 and March 1. Tickets are $38 and include a copy of Jobrani’s memoir.

credit: A. D. JamesonJean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Day
DuSable Museum of African American History
740 E. 56th Place
Chicago, IL  60637

Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable is considered the first permanent resident of what became Chicago. While not a great deal is known about his life, historians have said he settled at the mouth of the Chicago River sometime in the 1780s. He’s believed to have been of Afro-Haitian descent. Visit the DuSable Museum of African American History this Sunday to celebrate DuSable Day and the marking of Chicago’s 176th birthday. The event will include musical and dance performances, as well as art workshops. Families can climb into a “mobile museum” and learn about DuSable’s life and legacy through interactive exhibitions. The event is free and runs from noon until 5:00 pm this Sunday, March 1.

Brisk Brews Craft Beer Festival
800 W. Waveland Ave.
Chicago, IL  60613

It’s cold outside, which means weather complaints are at an all-time high. Why not soften the wintertime blues by treating yourself to a frothy adult beverage? You’ll get the chance to taste several different kinds of beer and listen to live music at the Brisk Brews Craft Beer Festival this Saturday, Feb. 28. The event is being put on by the Northalsted Business Alliance and culminates their “Frost Fest,” a week-long lineup of events celebrating and embracing the arctic climate. Fifteen breweries will provide more than 30 craft beers for tasting – all within the cozy confines of a heated tent. Try plenty of creative concoctions, like the creamy, sweet and toffee-tinged Caramelized Chocolate Churro Baltic Porter from the Chicago-based Moody Tongue Brewing Company. The event will have two tasting sessions on Saturday, the first from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm, and the second from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Tickets are $40 each and available for purchase online here.

credit: Special Olympics ChicagoChicago Polar Plunge
Castaways, North Avenue Beach
1603 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL  60614

What’s better than wading into the icy waters of Lake Michigan after what could be the coldest February Chicago has seen in 140 years? Doing just that for a great cause. This Sunday, Special Olympics Chicago is hosting their annual Polar Plunge, where participants trudge through the frigid lake to raise money for the Special Olympics. The event brings out some big names. Last year, late-night television host Jimmy Fallon and Mayor Rahm Emanuel braved the polar waters, while this year actor and Lake Forest native Vince Vaughn will participate. The event kicks off at 10:00 am this Sunday, March 1 and will convene at Castaways Bar & Grill before the brave (or foolish?) souls head to the beach.

Chicago Irish Film Festival

Music Box Theatre
3733 N. Southport Ave.
Chicago, IL  60613

Gallery Theatre
1112 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL  60642

The Chicago Irish Film Festival is celebrating its 16th year of screening the works of both contemporary and classic Irish filmmakers. The event showcases a wide range of feature, documentary and short films. The festival will be held at two Chicago theaters: the landmark Music Box Theatre in Lakeview and the Gallery Theatre in Noble Square. This year’s three feature films, which vary in genre, are Poison Pen, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and An Bronntanas, a contemporary thriller with Gaeilge, English and Polish subtitles. The festival will run from this Saturday, Feb. 28 until the following Saturday, March 7.

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