THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – It’s Winter Alright!
It’s bad enough that we hardly see the sun in Chicago during winter but to have a polar vortex take up residence and keep us indoors is another thing! Who’s ready to get out of the house this weekend for some winter enjoyment? After all, temps are expected to be in the double-digits!
Look who’s back for their 17th year and ready to feed our winter doldrums. It’s Chicago Restaurant Week celebrating the city’s award-winning culinary scene now through February 4th with a wide range of options citywide. This year’s participants of over 400 restaurants, which includes many of Chicago’s best restaurants as well as beloved neighborhood favorites, will be serving up special prix-fixe menus consisting of a brunch for $25, a lunch for $25, and/or a dinner for $42 or $59. Start making reservations so you can enjoy those restaurants that are usually out of your price range!
One of the Old Town neighborhood’s gems will be celebrating their 24th anniversary this Saturday and Sunday at Adobo Grill located at 215 West North Avenue. This beloved Mexican eatery will feature an exclusive, pre-fixe menu for $24 per person which includes an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. It’s the beloved choice of both locals and tourists!
Come join us at Chicago’s tastiest party this Saturday (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) at Moe’s Cantina (155 W. Kinzie St.) in the River North neighborhood for Stan’s Donut Fest. In celebration of the chain’s 10th donut fest, attendees can indulge their sweet tooth with a sample of 12 different flavors of Stan’s sugary treats along with specialty cocktails, a live DJ, photo ops, giveaways, and more!
If you’re feeling really adventuresome, the Chicago Park District’s Polar Adventure Days runs through February 17th from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Big Marsh Park (11559 S. Stony Island Ave.) in the South Deering neighborhood. This adventure features Siberian Husky teams sledding around the park, guided bird hikes, making a nature-inspired winter craft, and more as you journey through the park’s natural winter wonderland. Plus, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or roasting marshmallows over a bonfire. It’s a great, invigorating way to celebrate winter!
If you need to get the kids out of the house, the 6th annual Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is taking place now through January 28th at multiple locations throughout the city. Spanning 11 days, this festival brings puppeteers from across the globe for 100+ puppet performances, events, symposiums, workshops, and more!
Or perhaps, the kids may enjoy a day of Disney magic at Disney on Ice Presents: Magic in the Stars this Saturday and Sunday at the Allstate Arena (6920 N. Mannheim Rd.) in Rosemont with timeless stories of Frozen, Aladdin, Toy Story, Encanto, and more all performed on ice by your child’s favorite characters. In addition, you can purchase a character meet-and-greet that includes storytelling, crafting, interactive time, and photos with Elsa and Mirabel!
The Great American Dog Show is taking up residence this Saturday and Sunday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center (1551 Thoreau Dr.) in Schaumburg. This year’s show features premier show dogs competing for top prizes, demonstrations, a grooming show, a kid’s zone, expert advice providing educational programming, shopping galore at vendors offering pooch-friendly products, and more! And brand new for 2024, is a special competition just for puppies!!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago