Chicago Neighborhood News: West Loop, Blue Island, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Streeterville

West Loop: Beginning today, March 25, and running until Saturday, March 27, visit the Cobra Lounge, located at 235 North Ashland Avenue, for the Chicago Craft: A Collective Grip Pop Up Shop. Starting at 1 pm each day, visitors can check out vendor’s arts and crafts inside the Cobra Lounge (social distancing rules apply, and masks are required) while also purchasing beer from local breweries. Build your own six-pack, try shots of Barrel Aged Malört, and enjoy a drink while basking in the warmth of the outside bonfire at this event brought to you by the team of Cobra Lounge and Jeppson’s Malört. Find more info here.

Blue Island: The temps are rising after a frigid February, and the Rock Island Public House, located at 13328 Olde Western Avenue, is hosting a drive-in movie series that will help get us in the mood for warmer weather. Beginning Friday, March 26 at 7:30 pm, you can catch a screening of True Stories, directed by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame. On Saturday, March 27, you can watch the hip-hop mockumentary Fear of a Black Hat and finish off the weekend on Sunday, March 28, with a screening of That Thing You Do! directed by Tom Hanks. All showtimes are at 7:30 pm, and you can eat and drink from the comfort of your car. The best part? The films are free to watch, but it is first-come, first-served. Find more info here.

Lincoln Park: The Lincoln Park Conservatory, located at 2391 N Stockton Drive, is back in action and ready to welcome visitors with its Spring Flower Show entitled Pretty in Pink. Come see a wide array of amazing flowers, including azaleas, tulips, and cymbidium orchids, bursting in pink that will definitely get your mind of this past winter. The flower show runs each weekend beginning Friday, March 26 to May 9, with operating hours from 10 am to 2 pm. The show is free, with donations encouraged. You will need to book a reservation ahead of time for a 60-minute visit. The typical COVID-19 safety restrictions will apply to all visitors. Find more info here.

Andersonville: The annual InsideWalk Sale in Andersonville brings together over 30 neighborhood businesses offering fantastic sales as they clear out their winter merchandise to make room for spring. A long list of merchants is taking part this year, including AKIRA, Andersonville Galleria, Brown Elephant, Rattleback Records, StellaLily, the Swedish American Museum, Woman & Children First, and many more. The event kicks off Friday, March 26, and runs until Sunday, March 28, with hours varying by business. You can also shop online if you can’t make it out this weekend. Find more info here.

Streeterville: Looking for some arresting eye candy? Look no further than the new Christina Quarles exhibit taking place now at the Museum of Contemporary Art, located at 220 East Chicago Avenue. The Los Angeles-based artist’s work captures surreal and stunning paintings of the human body where limbs, faces, and more crash into something entirely new and mesmerizing. This current exhibit features Quarles’ output from the past three years. Entry to this showcase is included in the price of admission to the museum. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO