steven / June 30, 2005 8:07 AM

Staying away from sparklers. They're dangerous, you know.

emily / June 30, 2005 8:49 AM

cooking, mixing, serving, hosting and enjoying the weather on the 3rd. on the 4th i'll be recovering and cleaning. all in the spirit of celebrating our country's independence, of course.

Paula / June 30, 2005 8:59 AM

Lots of grilling out - especially all the great veggies from the farmer's market and buffalo burgers from Nueske's - and a trip to Berwyn to Fitzgerald's American Music Fest!

Ken / June 30, 2005 9:38 AM

Uh, celebrating this great nation's independence?

USA, USA, USA!

robin.. / June 30, 2005 9:47 AM

headed north to wisconsin, and the lake, and the porch, and never getting more than, oh, 50 feet from the beer fridge, except to go to the farmer's market and buy beautiful, beautiful veggies.

jima / June 30, 2005 9:57 AM

Practicing for the Folk & Roots Festival next weekend. Plus, catching up on the summer movies I've missed so far.

Eamon / June 30, 2005 10:32 AM

Oddly enough, yes. Shorts shopping, Dollar Store @Hideout, Sin City & Kung-fu Hustle @Brew 'n' View, food with friends, food with neighbors, food with my parents' friends, food with strangers, Dirty Dancing, Dirty Dancing 2, and fireworks galore. Madness!

waleeta / June 30, 2005 10:32 AM

Yep - there's a great little patch of land next to the Pentagon with a great view of the fireworks around the National Monument. That's where I'll be.

Overwrought / June 30, 2005 10:39 AM

Other than a trip to IKEA on the 5th and a possible short stop at my parents for dinner, hopefully NOTHING.

Four GLORIOUS DAYS of NOTHING.

Veronica #2 / June 30, 2005 10:48 AM

I just found out this morning that we do not get any days off for July 4. So I have to work not only tomorrow, but monday as well. I am super pissed about this. I had plans and everything to go to the beach monday. This new job search needs to be sped up ASAP.

Dean Rank / June 30, 2005 12:01 PM

uh...no one's invited me to anything. Who's got me?
I'm real funny and I don't eat very much. I'm also the most pleasant drunk you'll ever meet.

Andrew / June 30, 2005 12:12 PM

My Sunday is packed, but I'm somehow free most of the rest of the weekend.

Huckle Cat / June 30, 2005 12:25 PM

Celebrating having the rest of the summer off! Woo-hoo!

Cinnamon / June 30, 2005 12:46 PM

My weekend starts tomorrow and it will be full of sewing, illustratoring a purse pattern, and cooking with lettuce. Then I've got a haircut, watching my man either be funny or get made fun of at Comedy Improv, and on Sunday I've got lots of drinking, eating, laughing, and unwinding to do. The time not described above may just very well be spent sleeping. Some of it in the sun possibly.

Erica / June 30, 2005 1:08 PM

Henry, Ill./Illinois River, July 1-5.

It's become a tradition for my family to spend the 4th boating in Henry.
This town of 2,500 goes all out for the 4th. They have fireworks, a carnival and, as always, lots of folks sporting mullets and acid-washed jeans. It also has that small-but-thriving feel to it complete with little mom-and-pop ice cream stands, pizza joints and townie bars -- even a public pool for those who aren't brave enough to venture into the murky waters of the Illinois River.

Sarah / June 30, 2005 3:01 PM

Holiday weekends mean half empty houses for most theaters. So it's always a good time to look for discounts, promotions and industry tickets. Both Steppenwolf and the Goodman are running 2 for 1 ticket deals this weekend.

Marc / June 30, 2005 3:10 PM

Giant day of fun on Sunday:

-Squirrel fishing
-Bocce Ball
-Capture the Flag
-BBQ
-Fireworks by the lake

Jeremy / June 30, 2005 5:05 PM

Chalk up another for a DC 4th. Except I'll be slumming it with the rest of the fireworks goers along the banks of the reflecting pool.

Steve / June 30, 2005 6:16 PM

Oh the fun to be had. Saturday is my birthday, but we're waiting 'til next weekend to celebrate -- then I get a friends party and a family party, just like we did it in the good old days.

Sunday we'll hit some outlet malls up north before veering off onto Highway C West in search of the legendary Bohner Lake. Once we achieve our destination, we'll be grilling, boating, drinking, bonfiring, and -- oh yes -- blowing off fireworks. I am a man of many Roman candles.

Monday morning, vomit and leave. I believe in going out in style, after all.

Joe / June 30, 2005 11:50 PM

Maybe I'll burn a flag before the Thought Police have the authority to break down my door and haul me off to jail for it.

sarah / July 1, 2005 10:40 AM

I'm going to watch the fireworks in elitist splendor from the air conditioned, glass-enclosed perch of the 48th floor of Harbor Point tower. Doesn't get better than that.

Stephen / July 1, 2005 4:55 PM

I'm going to watch the fireworks in elitist splendor...

I too will be watching the Grant Park fireworks, but alas, I'll be found amongst the unshowered, beer-and-beef swollen castoffs from the Taste of Chicago. Any tips for a claustrophobic Chicagoan on good places downtown to catch the fireworks? Or am I screwed?

miss / July 1, 2005 8:18 PM

stephen, i recommend urban ascent - find a susceptible building and climb,climb,climb. college campuses are especially good for this and when you get to the top you may find that you're not alone.

i, on the other hand, am still at work right now for some reason even though i was supposed to go home 3+ hours ago.

Victor / July 2, 2005 10:38 AM

1) Friday night: Dinner at Lula's Cafe (Corn Chowder, Indonesian PB&J and Chick Pea Couscous; all out of this world tasty) followed by Rachid Taha at the Logan Square Auditorium.

2) Taste of Chicago followed by Santana

3) Fireworks spectacular from the Shedd Terrace. THE BEST palce to view the fireworks. of course, I may be biased since I volunteer there!

jm / July 2, 2005 2:48 PM

Lazy breakfast outside at the Rockwell Cafe this morning...LOVE that place. Then the rest of the week, it's: finish painting 2nd floor, strip remaining trim, work with router to weatherstrip wood windows, install new medicine cabinet, uninstall radiators so floors can be redone, etcetera, etcetera.

Hmm. Not much different than any other weekend, actually. Except for sailing on Monday evening. That will be nice. Oh, and sit on the roof to enjoy our neighbor's yearly backyard fireworks display. Heh. If you can't sit on your own roof as an adult, what fun is owning a house?!

Chris / July 4, 2005 1:56 AM

Sit in inside, stay off the roads, play with my computer and new wireless keyboard and mouse. Maybe drink some beer.

Ed / July 4, 2005 3:38 PM

I googled "Abby Ryan" the other day and your site came up in my search. Did you know she has a website? www.abbyryan.com Log on and check it out!

Ed

Andrew / July 4, 2005 10:57 PM

Awesome! Thanks, Ed!