THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Summer Slowly Melting Away?
Unfortunately, summer is slowly melting away but not this August weekend here in Chicago! We’re not ready to give up on summer just yet, and here’s why.
The 94th edition of the world’s oldest and largest African-American parade, the Bud Billiken Parade, will help kick off the upcoming school year at 10 a.m. this Saturday on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive from 39th to 55th Streets in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Along this two-mile route, you’ll see colorful floats, marching bands, talented dance and drill teams, and notable figures along with this year’s grand marshal, Grammy-winning poet J. Ivy. Then all are welcome to join in the post-parade festivities being held in Washington Park!
The Roscoe Village neighborhood is all set to kick off their 26th annual Retro on Roscoe this Saturday and Sunday (12 p.m.-10 p.m.) at Damen Avenue and Roscoe Street. This festival stretches six-blocks containing three stages of live music featuring tribute bands performing hits from the ‘80s and ‘90s; top neighborhood restaurants serving up their summer treats; tree-lined streets setting the scene for artisans, antique vendors, and cool merchants for your shopping pleasure; a family area offering inflatables, crafts, balloon artists, face painting, music, rides, and more; and finally, for the car enthusiasts, there’s the Antique and Classic Car and Motorcycle Show showcasing over 50 antique, classic, and muscle cars. If you’re looking for a blast from the past, this is the place to be!
The 41st annual Northalsted Market Days® welcomes you this Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m.-10 p.m.) to Halsted Street from Belmont Avenue to Addison Street in the Lakeview neighborhood. It’s a ½-mile-long summer celebration of live music with all-day lineups on five stages, DJs, dancing, food, and drink along with over 250 unique vendors, arts, crafts, and more!
Returning after a three-year hiatus, the Ginza Holiday Festival takes place in the parking lot of the Midwest Buddhist Temple (435 W. Menomonee St.) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood this Saturday (11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.) and Sunday (11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.). It’s a celebration of Japanese culture featuring Waza artisans from Japan displaying crafts handed down through generations; performances by Minyo folk dancers, Taiko drumming, and martial arts demonstrations; many Asian themed craft vendors; and, of course, their famous charcoal-grilled Chicken Teriyaki which can be pre-ordered!
Also getting in on our street festival season of fun is the far Northwest Side neighborhood’s Edison Park Fest this Saturday and Sunday (12 p.m.-10 p.m.) at 6755 North Northwest Highway between Oshkosh and Ottawa Avenues. This fest is packed with live music, delicious food from local restaurants, a beer garden, a classic car show on Saturday, a bingo tent, a bags tournament, and a host of activities for the kids that include carnival games and rides, and more!
Celebrating pop culture, Chicago’s longest-running fan and comic convention is back with FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 this Saturday (10 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River Rd.) in Rosemont. Besides shopping for exclusive pop culture merchandise and collectibles or geeking out with other fans for virtual meetups, movie screenings, game nights, and more, be sure to experience the once-in-a-lifetime iconic cast reunion from the classic sci-fi movie Back to the Future with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and Tom Wilson! Other reunions at the expo include Chevy Chase, Anthony Michael Hall, Christie Brinkley, and Randy Quaid (National Lampoon’s Vacation), Giancarlo Esposito, and Henry Winkler (The Mandalorian), and Sam Raimi (legendary director of Breaking Bad).
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
