10 Things to Do This Weekend: May 17-20

(Courtesy Special Events Management)(Courtesy Special Events Management)

1. Clink

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Celebrate fermented grapes with the return of the Lincoln Park Wine Fest, featuring more than 80 varietals from across the country and the world. New this year: a pair of evening tasting sessions.

Check out more of the season’s upcoming festivals in our 2018 Chicago Summer Festival Guide.

Details: Four tasting sessions available: 6-10 p.m. Friday; noon-4 p.m. Saturday; 6-9 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday at Jonquil Park, 1001 W. Wrightwood Ave. $40-$60 (includes souvenir glass and 12 tastings); $75-$85 VIP tickets (includes up to 17 samples) / MAP

2. Rewind

Experience the 1893 World’s Fair at Revel in the White City, a virtual simulation of the World’s Columbian Exposition. To mark the 125th anniversary of the storied event, Chicago historian Tim Samuelson and UCLA’s Lisa Snyder (who created the simulation) will narrate the tour.

Details: Two sessions available at 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive. $25 (plus museum entry) / MAP 

(Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago / Facebook)(Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago / Facebook)

3. Woof

Pamper your pooch this weekend at Bark in the Park, where your fur baby can get doggie massages, try his paw at a canine agility course and learn from some of the city’s leading dog trainers. An optional 5K walk kicks off the event, which benefits The Anti-Cruelty Society.   

Details: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Stadium Green next to Soldier Field, 1410 Museum Campus Drive. $40-$45; $10-$15 for kids / MAP

(Pixabay)(Pixabay)

4. Gorge

Pause your beach bod exercise routine (there’s plenty of time for that – if that’s your goal) and feast on grilled cheese, pierogis, tacos and doughnuts at the Lincoln Park Zoo Food Truck Social, an after-hours party held on zoo grounds. Extras include activities and DJ music. Drinks also available for purchase. 

Details:  6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St. $10 / MAP

5. Chuckle

Stand-up comedians, musical sketch comedy groups and nerd-themed belly dancing and fire spinning are among the highlights at the Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival. Headliners include Tamale Stepp (Friday), who was voted runner-up for Chicago’s Best Stand Up Comedian by the Reader, and WGN Radio’s Patti Vasquez (Saturday), who has toured the country and appeared in HBO’s Las Vegas Comedy Festival. The event wraps up Sunday with a trio of free panels on comedic podcasts, including a session with Caitlin Rosberg on the comics industry.

Details: Performances and events start 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 3 p.m. Saturday; noon Sunday at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. $15 for individual tickets (free on Sunday); $100 all-festival pass / MAP

The Stuntmen perform Saturday. (Courtesy of Stage 773)The Stuntmen perform Saturday. (Courtesy of Stage 773)

6. Leaf through

Celebrate independent publishers at the ninth annual Chicago Zine Fest, where more than 250 artists and creators share their stories, knowledge and love of zines (aka fan magazines). The two-day fest kicks off Friday evening with a panel discussion and readings in Uptown; the main event – featuring workshops, a zine swap, exhibitors and more – takes place Saturday in West Town.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Institute of Cultural Affairs, 4750 N. Sheridan Road. Free / MAP; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at Plumbers Union Hall, 1340 W. Washington Blvd. Free / MAP

7. Tour

Discover the tastes, sounds and sights of dozens of cultures around the world at the 28th annual Skokie Festival of Cultures. Programming includes ethnic folk music and dancers, a bazaar, food and beer vendors, arts and crafts, displays and more.

Details: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Oakton Park, 4701 Oakton St., Skokie. Free / MAP

8. Sip

Celebrate Illinois Craft Beer Week at Beer Under the Glass, where you can sample brews from more than 100 Illinois and out-of-state craft breweries. Admission gets you after-hours access to the conservatory’s indoor collections and outdoor gardens.

Details: 6-9 p.m. Friday at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. $60; $80 for VIP tickets (5 p.m. entrance) / MAP

(Illinois Craft Brewers Guild)(Illinois Craft Brewers Guild)

9. Rock

Party under the big tent at Mayfest while sipping adult beverages, noshing on festival food and rocking out to a dozen bands, including Sixteen Candles (Friday), Too White Crew (Saturday) and Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press (Sunday).

Details: 5-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Ashland and Barry avenues $10 / MAP

10. Devour

The best foods are dipped in chocolate or (let’s be honest) entirely covered in the stuff. Get your fill of savory and sweet chocolate-tinged dishes from pudding pops to burgers lathered in barbecue chocolate sauce at Chocolate Fest.

Details: Noon-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday in Historic Downtown Long Grove, 308 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. $5; $10 three-day pass / MAP

(Long Grove Chocolate Fest)(Long Grove Chocolate Fest)

Events listed are subject to change. We recommend double-checking times and locations before you head out the door. Want to share your upcoming events with us for consideration in a future roundup? Send us an email.


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