Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
Tuesday, March 19
Celebrate Earth Day a little late with the 25th annual Parks & Preserve Clean-Up at parks and forest preserves throughout the county. See locations and register to volunteer here.
The Randolph Street Market is back this weekend at Plumbers Hall, 1340 W. Washington St., with dozens of vendors selling antiques, vintage fashion, art and more. The show is open today and Sunday from 10am to 5pm both days. Admission is $8 in advance, $10 at the gate.
C2E2 returns to McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Dr., this weekend, April 25-27.Meet Hulk Hogan, Gene Ha, Brian Posehn, Scott Adsit, Ernie Hudson and Stan Lee (check the guest list for details), attend sessions and walk the floor. The show's open from 10am to 7pm today; tickets are $25 in advance, #35 at the door; $5 for kids 12 and under. Three-day passes are $60 preshow, $70 at the door.
Author and teacher Nina Mukerjee Furstenau talks about her memoir Biting Through the Skin, which chronicles the intersections of her Indian heritage with her upbringing in 1960s Kansas, at Kendall College (900 North Branch), 10am-noon. Event sponsored by Culinary Historians of Chicago; admission $3-5 (Kendall College students free). Free parking.
Chicago Youth Shakespeare holds its annual Battle of the Bard Team Shakespeare Competition. Teams from public and private high schools throughout the Chicago area, including Francis W. Parker's own Shakespeare team, will compete in a "slam-style Shakespeare competition with the goal of promoting student achievement and building community across demographic boundaries through Shakespeare performance, friendly competition and team spirit." The event will be judged by a panel of professional Shakespeare actors, directors and teachers. Free.
The corner of Roosevelt and Halsted turns into Pork Central at Baconfest, which runs in a lunch (12:30-3pm) and dinner (7-9:30pm) session at UIC Forum (725 W. Roosevelt). You'll get to sample bacon cooked in different ways, flavors and forms from an impressive showing of the city's best restaurants and chefs. Tickets $100 ($200 for VIP entry, which gets you a hour early admission).
Join five community organizations for a free walking tour of South Shore's historic 71st Street. Highlights will include President Obama's first campaign office, the Jeffery Theater and the thoroughfare's early 20th century streetscape. Meet at Give Me Some Sugah bakery at 1pm. Visit the tour's Facebook page for more information.
The Paper Machete this week features Rob Anderson, Sam Bailey, Lisa Buscani, Jon Forsythe, Natalie Jose, Alex Moffat and Steve Waltein, plus music by Bill Larkin and Mister Suit. Christopher Piatt hosts at the Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway, today at 3pm. Free, 21+
The Chicago Red Hots take on the Pennsylvania All-Stars for some high-speed roller derby tonight at Cicero Stadium, 1909 S. Laramie Ave. in Cicero. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for kids 6-17, and free for littler ones. Doors open at 6pm, the match starts at 7pm.
The Chicago Outfit roller derby holds its home opener versus Champaign-Urbana tonight at the Windy City Fieldhouse, 2367 W. Logan Blvd. Doors open at 6pm, first bout is at 7. Tickets are $15.
826CHI hosts Prom 9 from Outer Space tonight from 8pm to midnight at the St. Vincent DePaul Center, 2145 N. Halsted St. Dress up in your best sci-fi themed prom wear and head to the party for a night of cosplay, dancing, silent auctions and raffles. There's an open bar, too. Tickets are $55 for one ($60 at the door) or $100 for two. Proceeds benefit 826CHI creative writing programs. 21+
The Guild Literary Complex presents Applied Words: Voices of Protest tonight at 8pm at Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. Two short documentaries from Al Jazeera's "Poets of Protest" series will be screened, followed by readings by exiled poets Manal Al-Sheikh (Iraq) and Mazen Maarouf (Palestine). Tickets are $5.