
Check out the following reasons we all put up with the Snowpocalypse: a revamped
Brigadoon at the Goodman, street festivals celebrating bikes and bouzoukis, the Ed Paschke Art Center, and a neighborhood tour by the comics at Second City. And, as always, check Groupon for even more great
things to do in Chicago.
Brigadoon
The Loop | Through August 10
The village of Brigadoon only rises from the mists every 100 years, which might be how long you’ll have to wait for another production on par with the one currently on stage at the
Goodman Theatre. The new adaptation features an updated book and music retooled to the specifications of producer Liza Lerner, daughter of original lyricist and Broadway titan Alan Jay Lerner. (
170 N. Dearborn St.; $27.50+; buy tickets here)
Second City’s Neighborhood Tour
Old Town | Wednesdays and Sundays, through October 29
Freed from their laugh-filled pods housed deep within
Second City, some of Chicago’s best comics take to the streets for a skewed walking tour of Old Town. Worry not, fact buffs: between the jokes and Second City anecdotes, an informative script by tour guide and comedy historian Margaret Hicks keeps tales true to life. (
1616 N. Wells St.; $15; buy tickets here)
Square Roots Festival
Lincoln Square | Friday-Sunday, July 11-13
Lincoln Square is home to the
Old Town School of Folk Music, so it’s fitting that the neighborhood’s summer festival focuses on roots, folk, and world music. In addition to tunes, the fest also boasts
beer from nearly a dozen local brewers and
food from neighborhood favorites such as
Fountainhead and
Bistro Campagne. (
Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson Avenues; $5–$20 suggested donation)
Works by Ed Paschke, 1969–2004
Jefferson Park | Ongoing
Ten years after his death, legendary Chicago Imagist painter Ed Paschke finally has a permanent monument to his life’s work. At the recently opened
Ed Paschke Art Center, visitors can view Paschke’s work, learn about his place in the art world, and even peer into a recreation of his Howard Street studio as it stood on the day of his death. (
5415 W. Higgins Ave.; free)
Tour de Fat
Palmer Square | Saturday, July 12
The craft brewers at
New Belgium Brewing Company pair their two great passions—beer and bikes—for the annual Tour de Fat, which stops in Chicago this weekend. A bicycle parade, a car-for-bike swap, and sets by local marching-band punks Mucca Pazza pair well with samples of 11 New Belgium brews. Be sure to try Carnie Blood—the blood-orange saison is a Tour de Fat exclusive. (
3100 Palmer Blvd.; RSVP here)
Image credits: Goodman Theatre; Mid-American, courtesy of the Ed Paschke Art Center