CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Lincoln Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park, Lakeview, River North, Edgewater, Oak Park

Lincoln Park: It’s time to bust out your ugly Christmas sweater! It’s the Ugly Christmas Sweater Lincoln Park Zoolights Crawl. This crawl bar hops through Lincoln Park and will pass through the breathtaking Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo. To end the night, there will be a vote for the Ugliest Christmas Sweater. The winner will take home a Miller Lite holiday sweater, a Starbucks gift card, and a trip on the Polar Express. The bar crawl takes place on December 9, 16, and 23. Don’t wait, get your tickets here now!

Bucktown and Wicker Park: Warm up on this chilly Chicago weekend with a Chili Cook-Off! Held at Lottie’s Pub, the cook-off is this Sunday, December 10 at 12 pm. Guests can enter their chili into the competition or simply enjoy the free tastings. Then they can submit their vote for the winner! The first place winner will receive a $200 grand prize and the second and third place winners will get prizes from Dos Equis. Specials for the day include $3 Dos Equis, $4 Dobel, and $9 pizzas. Email Jannika@PioneerTavernGroup.com to enter your chili!

Lakeview: This weekend only, Saint Luke Church presents “Bending Towards the Light: A Jazz Nativity”. The performance is this Saturday, December 9, at 4 pm at 1500 W. Belmont. Admission is free and so is parking. The performance will benefit the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago and dogs (on leashes) are allowed to attend as well! Jazz arrangements of traditional Christmas carols, along with original compositions, will tell the Nativity story. The show features vocal soloists, a vocal jazz quartet, choir, and an eight piece jazz band. Find more information here!

River North: Fathom Events presents a special holiday event: Bolshoi Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. The performance was captured live on December 21, 2014 and will be shown in movie theaters for a one-day only event. It will be presented at Webster Place 11 (1471 W. Webster Ave.) at 12:55 pm on Sunday, December 17. Tickets are $20.16 and can be purchased here.

Edgewater: Looking for something a little different than a traditional Christmas Carol? Check out Steampunk Christmas Carol, running at Raven Theatre until December 16. E.D.G.E. Theatre and Steampunk Chicago have collaborated to create a production where “Charles Dickens meets Jules Verne (the Father of Science Fiction)”. General admission tickets are $18 and are available in advance online.

Oak Park: Continue to get in the Christmas spirit with the “Home for the Holidays” event in downtown Oak Park. On Saturday December 16 from 11 am to 3 pm, Oak Park will be bustling with a variety of free activities. A Miracle on 34th Street is showing at Lake Theatre at 10 am. From 11 to 3, horse-drawn sleigh rides will pick up at Sugarcup Trading. Free hot chocolate will be provided by Lea French Street Food at the hospitality tent. There will also be holiday carols and a visit from Santa! Find more information about this exciting holiday event here.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO