THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Taking Our Fun Indoors!
Welcome to your first weekend of 2018! And, with ‘ole man winter’s arctic grip on the City, we’ll just take our weekend fun indoors!!
Marking its 17th year this weekend, the annual Fifth Third Bank Winter Wonderfest held at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood will bring us thrills without the chills. This event is packed with family fun featuring dozens of attractions covering 170,000 square feet, including The Chicago Blackhawks Ice Skating Rink, Carousel, and so much more! It’s Chicago’s biggest and best indoor winter playground; it’s not to be missed!!
After playing in the winter playground at Navy Pier, head on over to the IMAX Theatre for a viewing of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It’s the eighth main installment of the Star Wars franchise and the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. This film has received positive reviews from critics, receiving praise for its ensemble cast, special effects, score ,and emotional weight. It’s also the final film performance by Carrie Fisher, who died in December 2016, and is dedicated to her memory! FYI, the final sequel is scheduled for release on December 20, 2019!!
Extend your stay in nature with Backyard Adventures at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N. Cannon Dr.) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, which wraps up this weekend. Kids will investigate what their favorite backyard critters do after dark with night vision, play dress up to see a bee’s eye view of the world, dig through the dirt in an augmented reality garden bed, and even get to play a round of Garden Golf! Plenty of interactive games will keep visitors of all ages engaged as they explore an unseen part of nature!!
Another event wrapping up this weekend is Jurassic World: The Exhibition at the Field Museum (1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.) in the South Loop. The exhibit is housed in a 16,000 square-foot tent on the front lawn. Visitors experience what it would be like to walk through Jurassic World and among these breathtaking dinosaurs, some more than 24 feet tall! The Exhibition is also infused with interactive educational elements and a family-friendly Gentle Giants Petting Zoo. Don’t miss this awe-inspiring journey into Jurassic World, where the park has come to life right before your eyes!!
If you like surprising variety, head on down to the Museum of Science and Industry (5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.) in the Hyde Park neighborhood for the Watson Adventures’ Mad Science Scavenger Hunt this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Here you will tackle a madcap tour of many crazy, amazing, and amusing sights and facts! You’ll be challenged to explore an actual Nazi submarine for an “inflatable woman,” find the missing piece in the world’s largest “flipper” machine, scan the globe at night, inspect vintage race cars, and so much more! It’s a smorgasbord of a hunt!!
Don’t Let ‘Ole Man Winter Stop Your Weekend Fun!
