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.
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Tuesday, March 19
Fiesta del Sol, an annual fundraising event organized by the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, runs this weekend from July 31 to Aug. 3 at 1400 W. Cermak Rd. The biggest Latino festival in the Midwest, activities include futbol, Latino art, carnival rides, rollercoasters, and food from dozens of taquerias, hurache vendors, and more. The festival is open from 11am to 10pm today. Free.
The Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival showcases fine art by over 100 artists in 11 categories. While browsing and buying the artwork, you can listen to live jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, rock, baroque and indie pop music. Be sure to make a bid or two at the silent art auction, and bring your children or grandchidren to the popular Children's Craft Tent. The festival hosts 11 restaurateurs serving a variety of culinary delights. Admission is free. This year, the festival will take place in Centennial Park (directions). For more information, please call 847-448-8264.
Stop by the Comfort Station, located in Logan Square at 2579 N. Milwaukee Ave, and visit the artists from Autotelic Studios for homemade pickles, vegan black bean brownies and conversations with friends and neighbors. The event is held today, August 3rd from 11AM-1PM. Please bring food that is ready to serve and all utensils which accompany your treat. Plates, bowls and towels will be provided. Free; donations welcomed.
The epic 3-day fest gets going in Grant Park on Friday and runs through Sunday night. read our Lollapalooza previews in Transmission, and be on the look out for daily set reviews. Tickets are currently sold out.
The Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., hosts a screening of American Graffiti and a classic car show today at noon. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day-of. Kids get in free.
The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., hosts the Chicago French Film Festival July 31-Aug. 5. Today's screenings include Jappeloupe at 1:45pm, School of Babel at 4:30pm, Tenderness at 6:30pm and Eastern Boys at 8:30pm. Tickets are $12 per film, or get a festival pass to five films for $45. (Alliance Français members get $2 off individual tickets.)
The launch of the Stylish Sip & Swap Soiree, the ultimate gathering where Chicago's finest fashionistas swap their previously coveted items for other like items and sip on refreshing summertime cocktails without spending a dime, launches today to benefit the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. All items not traded will be donated to Mercy Home for Boys & Girls resale shop, Mercy Beaucoup! The soiree runs from 2 to 5pm (Item drop-off begins at 1pm). RSVP on Facebook.
Chicago Ukulele Cabaret, the local open-mic night devoted to the ukulele, holds its fifth Great Midwest Uke Fest this afternoon & evening at Chief O'Neills, 3471 N. Elston Ave. The afternoon from 3 to 6:30pm is reserved for open mic performances, and 7 to 11pm is reserved for headlining performances by local groups Heavy Boxes, Lanialoha & Aloha Lives, Seeso, Vic Miguel, and others. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets.
Hunter Moore of Parson's Chicken and Fish creates a three-course meal tonight at the Land and Sea Dept (3124 W. Carroll) as part of the From Good Stock dinner series. Tickets are $75; beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from Rare Tea Cellars are included. Event runs 6:30-10pm.
The Burlington, 3425 W. Fullerton Ave., hosts the Neon Marshmallow music festival July 31-Aug. 3. Tonight's lineup includes Headless Horse Head, Closet Heat, Alex Barnett and Dylan Ettinger. Doors open at 8:30pm, with a Stoli open bar for the first hour. Tickets are $10; festival passes are $30 and include an unreleased Telecult Powers track. Read our preview in Transmission. 21+