Slowdown

Windy City Wine Festival @ Buckingham Fountain

Get your drink on at the second annual Windy City Wine Festival, which starts at 4pm at Buckingham Fountain (301 S. Columbus). Sample vino from over 300 vendors, enjoy food (Hearty Boys and Adobo Grill are among the attendees), cooking demos, wine talks, and entertainment. Event also runs Saturday, 2-8pm. Tickets $29-35; designated drivers get a $10 admission that includes non-alcoholic drinks and a fist bump.

Hideout Block Party & A.V. Fest

Featured at one of Chicago's most unique music venues, the annual Hideout Block Party & A.V. Fest features an emphasis on local indie folk and rock acts throughout its two-day span. Presenting attendees with Chicago-centric food options and with a portion of each ticket sale going to charity, this is one multifaceted music fest. Friday's lineup beginning at 5:15pm includes Nude Beach, Trampled By Turtles, Mavis Staples, and Neko Case. Tickets are $35-$40 for a one-day ticket, and $70 for a two-day pass. The Hideout is located at 1354 W. Wabansia Avenue, (773) 227-4433.

First Friday @ Old Town School of Folk Music

The Old Town School of Folk Music presents their monthly First Friday, an open house where they invite the community into the school to sample their many classes, play along with the school's instructors and students, and watch an evening of music and dance put on by the school. The evening starts at 6:00pm in the East building at 4545 North Lincoln Avenue. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 ($10 for families). Full details available at the school's Website, or call (773) 728-6000.

German Fest

The annual German Day Festival takes over Lincoln Square, on Leland from Western to Lincoln and Lincoln to Eastwood, Sept. 6-8. The festival kicks off from 6pm to 11pm tonight, with music, beer and German food. Admission is free.

Button-O-Matic Release Party @ Busy Beaver

Busy Beaver Button Co. celebrates the release of its 14th edition of Button-O-Matic buttons tonight from 6 to 9pm at the shop, 3279 W. Armitage Ave. The new button series includes designs by Milton Glaser, Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, Ann Friedman and Dylan C. Lathrop, Margot Harrington of Pitch Design Union, Cyrus Highsmith of The Font Bureau, Marieke McClendon, Peggy Noland, The Office of Jason James, Plural, Jose Salazar, and Fred Sasaki of the Poetry Foundation. The party will feature a fruit and popcorn carts, hot dogs/sausages from Hot Doug's, treats from Paper Moon Pastry, and beer from Revolution Brewing, plus Miko's Italian Ice will be making pear ice using pears picked from the tree in Busy Beaver's backyard. Free, but bring quarters for buttons. RSVP on Facebook.

Chicago Fringe Festival

The Chicago Fringe Festival runs Aug. 29-Sept. 8 at several venues in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. More than a dozen performances of theater, sketch comedy, spoken word and other experimental works stage tonight, beginning at 7pm; see the schedule for details. Admission buttons are $5 (they're required to get into any show); tickets are $10 per show. You can also buy five- and 10-ticket packs for $45 or $80, respectively, or go to everything for $180.

Dave Foley @ UP Comedy Club

Dave Foley of "Kids in the Hall" and "Newsradio" fame is doing three nights of standup at UP Comedy Club, 320 W. North Ave., Sept. 5-7. He does two shows tonight, at 8pm and 10:30pm; doors open 45 minutes before showtime. Clark Jones opens, Charlie Bury emcees. Tickets are $25 in advance or at the door. 21+

Willis Earl Beal @ Schubas

Willis Earl Beal celebrates the release of his new album, Nobody knows, tonight at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave. Doors open at 7:30pm. Tickets are $12. 21+

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GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50
Shipping included

GB T-Shirt $12
Shipping included

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15
Shipping included

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