CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Bucktown and Wicker Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Edgewater, South Loop, Evanston

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Bucktown and Wicker Park: Always looking for your next caffeine fix? You’re in luck! Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea Bar opens next Wednesday in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Located at 1620 N Milwaukee Ave, the shop has a grand opening planned for Wednesday, March 29.  The shop will donate 20% of its opening day sales to Wicker Park’s A.N. Pritzker School. Fairgrounds will also give Chicago public school teachers a 10% discount year-round. The menu will include eight distinct roasters for pour-over coffee and draft cold-brew. The shop will also serve Rishi tea, sparkling teas, granitas, and kombuchas. They will also serve a number of food items, including hot and cold sandwiches, salads, pastries, and breakfast tacos. Fairgrounds is open Mondays through Thursdays from 6:30 am to 9 pm, Fridays from 6:30 am to 10 pm, Saturdays from 7:30 am to 10 pm, and Sundays from 7:30 am to 9 pm.

Lakeview: The much-anticipated opening of Lakeview’s new Whole Foods is finally here! Located at 3201 N. Ashland, the store is Chicago’s second largest Whole Foods outpost. The store opens at 9 am on Wednesday, with a host of goodies for opening day customers. The first 500 people will receive gift cards for anywhere between $5 and $500. They will also donate 1% of sales in the first 5 days to five  neighborhood schools. Special features include Allegro Coffee, a first-bar coffee bar that will serve espresso, cold-brew, wine, and beer. The Wine Box, tucked in the back corner of the store, will sell 35 wines by the glass, as well as some small plates. Check it out starting Wednesday to see the other amazing features of this new store!

Lincoln Park: If you live in Chicago, you already know, many TV shows and movies at locations all over the city. Well now, a little-known spot in Lincoln Park can be added to that list. The green roof at the Notebaert Nature Museum is featured in a new web-only nature series from WTTW-TV. “Urban Nature”, the 16-part series, was just released on the WWTW website on March 17. This rooftop garden not only has incredible views of the Chicago skyline, but is also home to a sanctuary for prairie grasses. Dan Protess, writer and producer of the show, says, “We know that green roofs cool buildings and absorb rainwater, but scientists are asking whether or not they might provide refuges for wildlife.” Want to find out more? Check out the whole series on the WWTW website, it will only take 100 minutes of your time to watch the entire thing.

Edgewater: If you’ve ever driven through the Edgewater neighborhood, you’ve certainly passed the famous pink building at the corner of Sheridan and Bryn Mawr. This weekend marks the second annual Free Art Fair at the Edgewater Beach Apartments. From 10:30 am to 3:30 pm on Saturday March 25, the free show will display jewelry, paintings, photographs, and more. All pieces are from 15 artists who reside in the apartment building. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Care for Real food pantry.

South Loop: Lollapalooza, a popular Chicago music festival, has just released its lineup for 2017. From August 3-6, Grant Park will be filled with concert-goers and famous bands. Featured acts include Chance the Rapper, The Killers, Muse, The XX, Blink-182, and many more. Four-day passes and single day passes are already sold out, but you can still purchase VIP passes and packages here. This year, the festival debuts its new “platinum” passes. While not cheap ($2800 per day), the passes include access to front row viewing areas, food and drinks, air-conditioned restrooms, and onsite concierge services.

Evanston: Are you a book nerd? Don’t miss out on this great opportunity in Evanston! This weekend is Evanston’s Public Library Book Sale, named “The Best” by the Chicago Reader. The proceeds of the sale will support the collections and services of the library. Sale hours are Friday, March 24, from 10 am to 5:30 pm (with a $5 charge from 10 am to noon), Saturday from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 5:30 pm. For more information, check out their website.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO