THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Venturing Outside Again!
Climbing the walls and just need to get out of the house no matter how cold or snowy it might be this weekend? Well, here are a few suggestions to get yourself outside again!
Returning to its original home, the 12th annual Cider Summit Chicago is this Saturday (2 p.m.-6 p.m.) at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood. This year over 125 selections from 40+ leading cider, mead, and fruit spirit producers will be featured. Other features include onsite food sampling and food sales; an event store offering a variety of merchandise and selected bottles/cans to-go; and live Instagram segments. In addition, new this year is a pre-opening (12 p.m.-1 p.m.) Cider-Cupcake Tasting featuring Molly’s Cupcakes which is limited to 72 participants who must have a VIP or General Admission ticket to be allowed access. Plus, each ticket holder will receive a $20 coupon from Postmates (convenient ordering and delivery from local restaurants/stores delivered by Uber) good for orders between January 31-February 8!
It’s time to brave the cold for the 19th annual Chicago Restaurant Week 2026 now through February 8 held at various locations throughout the city and suburbs. It’s the perfect opportunity to finally dine out at Michelin-star restaurants and/or neighborhood favorites that offer special prix fixe menus for brunch and lunch ($30), and dinner ($45 and/or $60). With over 550 participating restaurants, this 17-day celebration of Chicago’s dining scene is one of the most anticipated culinary events of the year, and not to be missed! Bon Appetit!
Liven up your winter this weekend with some Live Ice Sculpting organized by SSA 27 (Special Service Area 27 serving Chicago’s West Lakeview neighborhood). Saturday’s event will be held at the CTA Paulina Brown Line (3411 N. Paulina St.) from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. while Sunday’s event will be held at St. Alphonsus Church (1429 W. Wellington Ave.) from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Watch master ice carvers as they sculpt a block of ice into a beautiful creation that was suggested by a member of the audience. In addition, attendees will receive complimentary beverages and pastries provided by Café Tola. If you can’t beat the cold, you might as well enjoy it!
Enjoy an evening out this Saturday (6 p.m.-11 p.m.) at Artifact Events (4325 N. Ravenswood Ave.) in the Ravenswood neighborhood for Begyle + Friends with participating Breweries and Cideries that include Begyle Brewing, Dovetail Brewery, Revolution Brewing, Tandem Cider, Uncle John’s Cider, and many others too long to mention here and participating Distilleries and Cocktail Experts include Aged & Infused, Old Forester & Ford’s Gin, WhistlePig Whiskey, and others. In addition, food trucks and pop-up options from El Zorro, Beard & Belly, Happy Lobster, and others will be available to feed your hunger along with live music provided by Punk’d (7 p.m.) and Yacht Rockettes (9 p.m.). Afterall, it’s just a friendly winter party!
Since Super Bowl LX isn’t until next weekend, this weekend’s Chicago sports event takes you to the Ramova Theatre (3520 S. Halsted St.) in the Bridgeport neighborhood this Saturday (6 p.m.) for the last day of SoxFest Live. A General Admission ticket ($35) gets you access to SoxFest Live Level 1 theatre, main stage floor, and taproom; event programming with mixed GA seating and standing options; experiences with opportunities for spontaneous and authentic White Sox player interaction; photo opportunities with access to installations and setups; and concessions available for purchase. Plus, a SoxFest Kids Camp will be held this Saturday (9 a.m.-11 a.m.) at the ComEd Rec Center (1434 S. Loomis St.) in the Pilsen neighborhood and will feature a hands-on baseball clinic; rotating stations focusing on hitting, pitching, fielding, and outfield skills; autograph and photo opportunities with select White Sox players; and a limited-edition SoxFest Kids Camp T-Shirt. Believe it or not, warmer temps are on the horizon!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
