Emma Krupp

Welcome to another weekend in Chicago! We blinked and somehow it's already August—but instead of despairing about how much of summer has already passed, why not look forward to all the late-in-the-season fun still to come? This weekend, check out everything from summer festivals and block parties to the world premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical, a new musical adaptation based on the memoir-turned-movie. Ready to make the most of your days off? Check out the rest of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Chicago right now

Looking for the best things to do in Chicago this week? Don't worry—we've got you covered! Somehow it's already August, but summertime fun is still in high gear throughout the city. From summer music festivals to the pre-Broadway world premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical (featuring music by none other than Sir Elton John), there are plenty of ways to keep busy as the dog days of summer pass us by. Scroll through our roundup of the best things to do in Chicago this week and start planning your calendar.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Chicago right now

Craving a quick day trip from Chicago? The season for lavender fields has mostly passed, but that doesn't mean you can't still plan a flower-themed expedition this summer. Grab a pair of gardening clippers and hop in the car to reach these stunning sunflower fields, where you'll find acres upon acres of stunning yellow blooms (and plenty of Insta-worthy photo ops, too). Whether you're looking for u-pick options, pre-cut flowers or interactive activities—like twisting sunflower mazes and duck races, for instance—these farms in the suburbs and surrounding states are filled with enough cheery sunflowers to fill an afternoon's worth of exploring.  RECOMMENDED: The best places for hiking near Chicago

August 2022: It might feel like the best days of summer are already behind us, but we're staunch believers in the perks of August in Chicago—from warm Lake Michigan water to the month's underrated slate of summer festivals. If you're looking for a change of pace, grab tickets for an outdoor show at Salt Shed (a new music venue located at the site of the iconic Morton Salt building) or plan a cheery day trip from Chicago to check out cheerful fields of sunflowers, which reach peak bloom in August and September.  No matter where your interests lie, you can always find something to get excited about in this no-nonsense Midwestern metropolis. The best things to do in Chicago run the gamut—from seriously fun to awesomely educational. Looking for culture? Spend a day exploring Chicago museums. Hungry? You've come to the right place, because Chicago is famous for its delicious cuisine. There are tons of amazing restaurants in Chicago that highlight the city's rich and diverse culinary landscape. (And plenty of uniquely Chicago bars that do the trick, too.) We've searched all across the city to assemble this list of the best things to do in Chicago. Follow it and never get bored here again. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.

The secret drinking days of the Prohibition era might be long behind us, but Chicago is still home to a thriving network of underground bars perfect for grabbing a drink away from the crowds—and best of all, you (probably) don’t have to worry about the feds raiding these contemporary speakeasies. Venture beneath Chicago restaurants, behind closed doors and through alleyways to find clandestine bars offering intimate, dimly-lit settings and cocktail menus dreamed up by some of the city’s best mixologists, plus live music and other tempting attractions. Ready to drink on the down low? Here are some of the best speakeasies in Chicago, no secret password required. RECOMMENDED: Uncover more of the best bars in Chicago

When the Chicago summer kicks in, the mercury starts to rise and the humidity reaches its sticky heights, there’s one thing on every Chicagoan’s mind: to get in some water and cool down as soon as humanly possible. And sure, Chicago’s finest beaches are always worth a visit, but sometimes nothing quite beats a sumptuous dip in a beautiful private pool. Enter Airbnb, which has positively bucketloads of rentals with swimming pools within a few hours of Chicago. From forested backyard oases to indoor spa pools, here are six of the best pool-equipped Airbnbs perfect for beating the summer heat. RECOMMENDED: Lakefront Airbnbs to rent for a summer getaway from Chicago This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

As it turns out, some of the best things in life—or at least, some of the best things to do in Chicago—are free. Spend your August at events like the Bud Billiken Parade along King Drive (and see corresponding animations at Art on theMART), or crane your neck upwards to watch jets whoosh by during the Chicago Air & Water Show. Plus, don't miss out on gallery shows, concerts and other recurring events that won't cost you a dime. Ready to save some money? Check out more of the best free things to do in Chicago this month. RECOMMENDED: The best cheap eats in Chicago

Frustrated by the dating app struggle? We feel you. That’s why Time Out Chicago is relaunching the Undateables, a series in which we send two eligible singles on a date at some of our favorite Chicago restaurants and bars in the hopes of striking up a new spark. Following the night out, the daters report back with their candid thoughts on first impressions, chemistry and (of course) the inevitable awkward moments. This time, we sent Lauren and Prabu to Tack Room in Pilsen for dinner and live music—read on to see how it went.  Interested in being set up on a blind date? Apply today by sending an email to undateablechicago@timeout.com.   Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas   THE DATERS Lauren is a 40-year-old teacher, voracious reader, sci-fi enthusiast and lover of BBC. Prabu is a 42-year-old software developer, foodie, traveler and jungle music fan.  Why they’re single Lauren: She hasn’t been actively dating since the pandemic.  Prabu: He spent his earlier years focused on his career and has struggled to find someone who shares his interests on dating apps.  Ideal date Lauren: Dinner and then a play or musical, with a stop at a café afterwards to discuss. Prabu: Getting to make a real connection with someone.  THE DATE First impression Lauren: “He’s a very amiable individual. When I walked in, he seemed scared, so I called his name. You know, ‘Prabu! Hello!’ I don’t think he knew who I was. But then I thought immediately that maybe I’m overdressed.” Prabu: “She was great. She

The Chicago Air and Water Show is officially set to return to the city's skies this summer, presenting a series of death-defying jet flyovers above the lakefront on August 20 and 21 (in addition to practice runs earlier in the week). Want a front-row seat to the aerial action? You can't go wrong finding a spot at Chicago beaches—especially those locate between Fullerton Avenue and Oak Street, where the show is centered—but those looking for an enhanced experience can also attend viewing parties at waterfront restaurants and rooftop bars, or even get out on the water for a boat tour. Find your preferred vantage point with our guide to where to watch the Chicago Air and Water Show. RECOMMENDED: Your complete guide to the Chicago Air and Water Show

Bored of taking the same old day trips from Chicago? While we love Lake Geneva and Saugatuck as much as the next Chicagoan, sometimes it's nice to explore a place that's a little more out of the ordinary for a breezy change of pace (and to escape the worst of summer tourism crowds, too). Whether you're itching to tour stunning mid-century architecture, watch live theater in the open air or go hiking near Chicago to spot herds of wild bison, these Midwest attractions offer a change of pace from the usual day trip suspects—and best of all, they're all easily reachable by car. Plan a miniature adventure when you check out these out-of-the-box day trips from Chicago this summer.  RECOMMENDED: The best weekend getaways from Chicago

Summer in Chicago hits its peak during July, when some of the city's biggest festivals and events return to town with enough live music, incredible food and general outdoor merry-making to fill every weekend (and probably a good amount of weekdays, too). Kick off the month with a long weekend of 4th of July celebrations, including a special Grant Park Music Festival performance and sparkling fireworks shows across the city and suburbs. From there, take a deep dive into the heart of summer festival season at events like Wicker Park Fest, Fiesta del Sol, the Silver Room Sound System Block Party and Chinatown Summer Fair, or explore some of the city's free summer music festivals. And speaking of summer music festivals, need we remind you that Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Festival are returning this month? For even more ways to keep busy on long summer days and nights, check out our guide to the best things to do in Chicago this July. RECOMMENDED: Events calendar for Chicago in 2022

Brace yourself for yet another long weekend of music at Lollapalooza! The four-day fest returns to Grant Park this year from July 28–31, with headliners including Metallica (Thursday), Dua Lipa (Friday), J. Cole (Saturday) and Green Day (Sunday). And as always, you'll find plenty of other big name acts on the lineup, including rapper Lil Baby, rapper-turned-pop punk artist Machine Gun Kelly, producer Kygo and BTS member J-Hope (who replaces Doja Cat and will be the fest's first-ever South Korean headliner).  It's also a good year for TikTok users: From "abcdefu" singer Gayle to English bedroom pop artist PinkPantheress, the 2022 lineup is crowded with performers whose earworms found virality on the video app. Plus, catch a full roster of indie and electro pop acts like Caroline Polachek, King Princess, Muna, Charli XCX and more.  You can grab four-day passes and single-day tickets via the Lollapalooza website. (And if you're not planning on attending the fest this year, you can always stream it from home.) Need some help sifting through the lineup? Scroll through the daily Lollapalooza 2022 schedule below and get ready to plan your weekend.  RECOMMENDED: Check out photos and coverage of Lollapalooza These are the latest Lollapalooza schedules available online, but the schedule often shifts slightly throughout the weekend. According to Lollapalooza, the most up-to-date schedule is available via the festival's mobile app. Courtesy Lollapalooza Courtesy Lollapalooza Courtes

Those shuttered storefronts and empty office buildings don’t lie: Despite valiant efforts, the Loop isn’t quite the bustling city center that it used to be. But there’s a silver lining to be found amid this particular tale of pandemic woe in the form of GoodFunk, a new wine bar and café that’s poised to become a destination fit for downtown commuters—should they ever return—and wandering wine enthusiasts alike. Run by hospitality company Bonhomme Group (Beatnik, Porto), GoodFunk specializes in the vast and trendy world of natural wine, a catch-all term that generally refers to wine produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides or additives. Like many of its compatriots in the natural wine biz, the bar takes an almost philosophical approach to drinking, eschewing the “privilege and complicated language” of the wine industry for a bottle list that spotlights eclectic producers from across the globe, with special attention paid to regions not typically associated with wine production. You get an immediate sense of the globe-trotting sensibility upon walking into GoodFunk, which is located along the Chicago River—next to its sister restaurant, Beatnik on the River—in a slender space outfitted to resemble a 1930s European cafe. Leafy potted plants twist above a 16-seat bar of pale pink marble; behind the bar, wine bottles, rows of tinned fish and baguettes arranged in baskets lend a more intimate touch, like the inside of a well-curated pantry.  This heady ethos and millennia

To book a reservation at Armitage Alehouse, Brendan Sodikoff’s latest addition to the Hogsalt Hospitality restaurant empire, you’ll need a routine—and likely a fair bit of luck, too. The Anglo-Indian gastropub releases new openings every morning at 9am, which fill up astonishingly fast (as in less than a minute) even for less appealing weeknight slots (as in 10:15pm on a Wednesday). Walking in appears to present similar difficulties: When I visited on a Tuesday night, a few walk-ins lingered forlornly in the restaurant’s front vestibule; on weekends, I’ve heard stories of lines leading out the door.  So why are people electing to wait around in a Chicago winter—or frantically refresh Resy every morning—to eat at Armitage Alehouse? It might have something to do with Hogsalt’s pedigree and the hospitality group's reputation for drumming up excitement around its restaurants (look no further than block-long lines outside Doughnut Vault or multi-hour waits, even years after opening, for the famous Au Cheval cheeseburger).  I’d also stake a bet on the restaurant’s decor, an intimate homage to the pubs of 1920s England that offers some of the most gorgeous dining scenery I’ve ever experienced in Chicago. Hogsalt’s proclivity for dim lighting and glitzy design is on full display here, with walls covered in clusters of antique oil paintings, chandeliers overhead and hand-carved wooden detailing lining the booths—it's a little like stepping into an episode of some BBC period drama, or

“You’re our advertising right now,” a server joked while uncorking a bottle of wine for my dining partner and me on a recent visit to Dear Margaret, a French-Canadian restaurant near the border of Lincoln Park and Lakeview. We were tucked into a cubby-like space at the front of the restaurant, our table framed by a window draped with gauzy blinds facing out onto Lincoln Avenue, where passersby might be able to sneak a look at our meal. There probably wasn’t enough foot traffic at 9pm to allow for many chance glimpses, but still—I’ll happily serve as advertising for Dear Margaret, which has provided some of my favorite dining experiences of the past year or so.  Helmed by executive chef Ryan Brosseau (Le Sud; Table, Donkey and Stick) and owner Lacey Irby, Dear Margaret opened in early 2021 as a takeout-only venture, when COVID-19 closures left indoor dining off the table. I’m told Dear Margaret’s food stands up well as takeaway, but I can’t imagine eating it anywhere other than the sweet little restaurant itself. Warm and nearly always bustling, it’s the type of place that gives you a good feeling the instant you step inside, with wide-paneled wooden flooring, honeyed lighting and a smattering of homey decor befitting of its namesake—Brosseau’s grandmother, the muse behind the restaurant’s French-Canadian menu.  Brosseau also draws inspiration for the menu from his upbringing in the agricultural reaches of southern Ontario, a region not entirely unlike the Great Lakes states o

A word of advice: Don’t come to Brunch N Burgers if you’re anything less than ravenous. Do you know those weekend mornings when you linger in bed so long that you accidentally work up an all-consuming hunger, reduced to feverishly googling “brunch near me”? That’s when you should make the trip to Brunch N Burgers. And when you do, I promise it’ll be worth any pain and suffering you’ve incurred from the wait. Located on a quiet stretch of Taylor Street in Little Italy, Brunch N Burgers is the first restaurant of chef Erica McGhee, a former chef de cuisine at the Hilton Chicago. McGhee’s menu, as you might have guessed from the name, focuses on brunch (think breakfast sandwiches, shrimp n’ grits, chilaquiles and hash) and burgers loaded with assorted toppings, plus a handful of other sandwich offerings. Visitors order at the counter and take their own seats in the restaurant’s dining room, which is outfitted cozily with an electric fireplace on the wall. I’d been nursing my appetite all day when I arrived at Brunch N Burgers for lunch on a recent Saturday, having seen photos of the restaurant’s towering burgers online ahead of my visit. Still, I don’t think I’d fully prepared myself for the formidable creation that landed on my table. Called the Southern Draw and served teetering atop a small wooden charcuterie board, this five-inch-tall stunner of a burger stacks two steak patties with slabs of pork belly and slathers them in bubbling pimento cheese, pickled onions, mayo, toma

I’d barely spent 30 seconds inside of Esmé before a server asked if I’d like a glass of champagne. “Complimentary,” she specified, ushering my date and I toward a standing table where we’d kickstart the evening’s tasting menu with a series of canapes. A minute later we stood peering over our first bite, dubbed the “cheeto.” Molded with a custom grain extruder machine, the crisp little corn puff—only loosely evocative of its Frito-Lay namesake, though just as addictive—arrived dusted with an umami sprinkling of mushroom powder. Consider, for a moment, the whimsy of drinking champagne and eating a single fancy Cheeto: It would be a touch too on the nose if it weren’t so delicious. Located on a well-to-do corner in Lincoln Park, Esmé is the first solo restaurant from chef Jenner Tomaska (Next) and his wife/business partner Katrina Bravo. It’s billed as a reimagined take on fine dining—one that, aside from the rarefied food on the table, is driven by art and philanthropy—and a sort of love letter to the community-building power of art. Taking a lead from their shared mentor (the similarly community-minded Virtue chef Erick Williams) Tomaska and Bravo plan to offer collaborative, artist-inspired dinners and, as the restaurant’s website reads, for philanthropy and art to be “integrated into the foundation of the experience, an expression of [Tomaska and Bravo’s] shared vision for the community-focused restaurant.” What does it mean for art to be integrated into the dining experienc

Do you remember a few years back when lifestyle writers and home retailers became briefly obsessed with hygge, the Scandinavian conceptualization of wintertime coziness? I won’t speak to the merits of buying knitted socks or drinking glogg all the time (that’s what the Danes do, according to the aforementioned lifestyle writers), but I think I could spend more than a few nights escaping the Chicago cold this winter at En Passant. When I visited the Logan Square restaurant on an especially blustery October night, stepping inside made me feel like I was warming up in front of an invisible fireplace. The dining room, outfitted with wooden tables and mismatched chairs, is shrouded in flickering candlelight and the glow of crystal chandeliers overhead; on the walls, wide, impressionistic brushstrokes of paint and assorted clocks lend a homey touch. I felt like I’d walked into a European bistro decorated with the sensibilities of a Midwestern mom—charming, somewhat kitschy and very, very cozy. Named for an obscure chess move, En Passant is the first solo venture from chef Sam Engelhardt (a veteran of Au Cheval, where he helped mastermind its famous burger), with a focus on “globally-inspired comfort food” befitting of its intimate space. That approach manifests as a menu of starters, sides, sandwiches and hearty mains, many of which are of vaguely European origin, like chicken liver mousse and mushroom risotto. It won't take you long to consider the entire menu while cracking open

“Have you ever had omakase before?” my server asked at the beginning of a recent visit to Hinoki Sushiko, a two-level izakaya and omakase restaurant that opened earlier this year on a quiet strip along the Elston Industrial Corridor. My date and I were ascending a dim stairwell leading to the second level of the building that's reserved exclusively for omakase dinners, where I’d booked a table for the 15-piece dining experience. Candidly, I had not had omakase before. The Japanese dining style, which translates to something along the lines of, “I’ll leave it up to you,” allows chefs to curate imaginative, ingredient-driven menus night-by-night, or even course-by-course, if inspiration strikes. It’s also expensive—prohibitively so, for most of my life thus far—often fetching upwards of $120 a head to compensate for the skilled labor and hard-to-come-by cuts of fish (at Hinoki Sushiko, table service runs $150 a person, while the more intimate counter service is $175). Chicago has experienced something of an omakase renaissance over the past few years, including the Michelin-starred likes of Omakase Yume and Mako. As a first-timer, I figured I could do worse than to put my trust in the hands of chef Otto Phan, who also runs the acclaimed 14-seat omakase restaurant Kyōten in Logan Square. Phan partnered with chef Gustavo Barahona to open Hinoki Sushiko, giving Barahona control of the first floor izakaya (where you’ll find more casual small plates, like chicken karaage and donburi

I’m not normally the type of person who gravitates toward beef tartare, but the version of the dish offered at Parkside—a new restaurant from the folks behind the specialty grocery store L&M Fine Foods in North Center—might make me rethink my raw meat squeamishness. Instead of its traditional preparation, in which ground beef is topped with raw egg yolk, the dish arrived at my table in a cloud of cured egg yolk and white cheddar shavings, with pieces of tender beef in tallow chimichurri and brackish pickled mustard resting on a hashbrown disc. It's sort of like the platonic ideal of the kind you’d find in a McDonald’s breakfast meal—and probably nothing like what's accompanied the beef tartare you’ve had at more buttoned-up establishments.   That unstuffy, slightly unusual treatment of the dish is characteristic of Parkside, which takes a self-professed “playful” and ingredient-driven approach to American cuisine. Led by chef Justin Kaialoa (The Bristol, Violet Hour), the ever-evolving menu shifts based on seasonality, which can include minute adjustments. For example, on the night of my visit, an appetizer of duck prosciutto came with slices of September honeycrisp rather than its usual artichokes. I’d recommend grabbing a tipple from beverage director Allassandra Ventola’s cocktail menu (developed with BLVD and Rose Mary’s Robert Shamblin) while you browse dinner options, because orders are placed all at once and coursed out—a somewhat hefty decision-making process right f

Shortly after taking a seat at Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, I overheard a server attending to the table next to mine offer a very of-the-moment endorsement for the Wicker Park restaurant’s baja tacos: They were TikTok famous.  My date and I didn’t bother to fact check the claim until after we had already ordered, when a cursory search through TikTok revealed at least one video on the subject (albeit with a middling amount of likes). No matter—if these tacos haven’t already achieved TikTok fame, they deserve to. Banana blossom, a fibrous flower that grows from the end of its namesake fruit, is tempura battered and fried until shatteringly crisp, then nestled within a bed of fermented cabbage and hemp seed tortilla; on top, paper thin radishes, cilantro and a drizzle of chili oil provide crunch and heat. With its picture-perfect presentation and novel list of ingredients—I’d hazard a guess that many Americans haven’t yet tried banana blossom—the dish could easily spark some kind of TikTok micro-sensation.   It also tasted a good deal like a fish taco, though I’m aware that might be a reductive comparison. Like its name suggests, Bloom Plant Based Kitchen is 100 percent vegan, and gluten-free to boot. Chef Rodolfo Cuadros, who heads the nearby pan-Latin restaurant Amaru, initially launched Bloom as a ghost kitchen last year before opening the airy brick-and-mortar location this summer with an express goal of bringing health-conscious, plant-based food to the Chicago dining scene.

Walking into Logan Square’s Lardon—a meat- and cheese-centric cafe off the California Blue Line stop—is a bit like entering an amalgamation of every little bistro you’ve ever seen on the European episodes of Parts Unknown, down to the whorled wooden tables and hanging cylinders of house-cured salumi behind glass. Of course, most European bistros aren’t spinning records, nor do they serve Wisconsin-made hunks of gouda, but that’s what happens when you bring the Old World to Logan Square. Lardon operates as an all-day concept, serving Metropolis coffee and baked goods from Aya Pastry in the morning, sandwiches for lunch and charcuterie and drinks in the evening, plus a selection of dinner entrees on weekends (the schedule evidently leads to some confusion: On a recent visit, no fewer than four customers walked in and tried to order sandwiches for dinner). It’s worth popping in to try the cafe’s cured meats during every meal, but we recommend grabbing a table in the evening for a meat-and-cheese board, which you can customize or order from a set of pre-selected combinations. The chef’s board pairs two smaller meat and cheese plates onto one generously-sized slab of wood, with a presentation that almost begs a surreptitious photo before you dig in—full of glistening Bresaola, salami, honeycomb, smears of house-made preserves, rosemary-flecked truffled lardo and Midwestern cheeses, it looks like a still life sprung into reality. Split between two people, the chef board is nearly e

Looking for a new spot to go dancing? The 7th-floor rooftop bar atop the ever-trendy Ace Hotel Chicago has rebranded from its previous concept (a laid-back, reservation-free hangout called Waydown) to Little Wild, which centers around its expansive dance floor and a regular lineup of DJ nights, takeover parties, album drops and more. Guests can soak up skyline views at the open-air patio or head inside to an indoor banquette and dance floor, where nightlife director Natalie Figueroa (The Silver Room, Y.G.B Portland) has curated a lengthy roster of one-off parties and recurring programming; The Rhythm Method, for instance, spins disco, dance, house and other off-beat records from the Buenört Collective every fourth Sunday of the month.  When you're not hitting the dance floor, settle in with a cocktail from the bar's drink list, which skews toward lighter, more summery fare like Polyester Bride (vodka, strawberry, basil syrup and ginger beer), No Name (bourbon, amaro Nonino, lemon, honey) and a frozen Painkiller, plus a selection of wine and beer on tap. Pair your drinks with bar snacks—ranging from spiced nuts to more filling beef sliders—and you're all set to dance the night away. 

A one-stop shop for vinyl aficionados, this Portage Park spot home stocks record cleaning kits, storage accessories and and offers an in-store record washing service, in addition to its selection of new and used vinyl that ranges from well-worn classic rock albums to new independent releases. Keep an eye out for events, too—Tone Deaf Records also hosts live music and film screenings.

It’s easy to slip into a state of malaise once August swings around, knowing that summer’s all-too-brief warmth is more than halfway over. Thankfully, a new rooftop bar has arrived in the West Loop with a stacked lineup of warm weather cocktails just in time for the season to hit its hazy, humid peak.  Tabu Rooftop, located on the 8,000-square-foot rooftop space above the pan-Latin restaurant of the same name, is a temporary concept by the hospitality group Atomic (Recess, Untitled Supper Club). It’s operating through the summer as a pop-up inspired by Tabu’s menu, with a separate, permanent rooftop concept to come later this year. Guests enter through a separate entrance at 406 N Sangamon St before taking an elevator up to the colorful patio area, which features a series of eye-catching murals, string lights and seating for more than 120.  Photograph: Courtesy Atomic Hospitality The food menu centers around a concentrated selection of dishes from Tabu as well as a handful of new bites made for the pop-up by chef Saúl Román, including a watermelon and burrata salad topped with watercress, candied jalapeno, cherries and toasted pepitas. Other menu items are modified slightly for a rooftop setting—for instance, the restaurant’s cheeky churroulette dessert, which features a single churro piped with habanero filling, has been replaced with tamer guava-filled churro bites.  Photograph: Courtesy Atomic Hospitality On the drinks side of things, Tabu beverage manager Javier Arroy

Have a gap in your Lollapalooza schedule this weekend? When you’re not dashing between stages or chowing down at Chow Town, scores of brands would love to offer you free merch (so long as you sign up for their email blasts or download their apps, of course) at pop-ups sprinkled throughout the festival grounds. We paid a visit to nearly every pop-up and activation at Lolla this year—here’s a roundup of some highlights to peruse when you’ve got some time to kill between sets.  RECOMMENDED: Lollapalooza 2022 lineup and schedule Photograph: Emma Krupp / Time Out Chicago 1. Try on glittery makeup   Where: about x face pop-up Closest stage: Discord  Time to complete your festival look! Halsey’s new-ish makeup line, about x face, is popping up in a small trailer near the fest’s western edge, where visitors can try on everything from shimmery lavender lipstick to body highlighter (just remember to use hand sanitizer liberally between applications). Bonus: No email sign-up or data sharing is necessary to enter the pop-up.  Photograph: Emma Krupp / Time Out Chicago 2. Make a customized friendship bracelet  Where: Toyota Music Den Closest stage: BMI If you really wanted to immerse yourself in the world of Corolla Crosses and Camry Hybrids, you could likely spend upwards of an hour at the Toyota Music Den, a mid-sized compound offering a daily lineup of performances from smaller Lolla acts (like Emmy Meli, midwxst and Maude Latour) in addition to a lengthy list of giveaways and activ

If you’re spending time at Lollapalooza this weekend, chances are you’ll need to fuel up at Chow Town—the festival’s packed lineup of food and drink vendors—between acts. And while you’d be hard-pressed to find a bargain within the confines of Grant Park, there are plenty of solid picks to choose from among this year’s roster of vendors, whether you’re craving lacy-edged quesabirria, towering ice cream sundaes or about a dozen different variations of French fries. Need help sorting through the options? Take a look through some of our favorite food and drink selections this year and prepare for a festival feast.  RECOMMENDED: Lollapalooza 2022 lineup and schedule Photograph: Emma Krupp / Time Out Chicago 1. Quesabirria from Tacotlán Hermosa restaurant Tacotlán is serving up platters of three quesabirrias made with shredded beef, which you can order plain or with the classic dressing of onions and cilantro (you should definitely do the latter). Crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside, the quesabirrias are delicious yet filling—so much so that you could likely split an order between two people—and come with a miniature cup of consomme for dipping. $20 for three  Photograph: Emma Krupp / Time Out Chicago 2. Frozen banana pudding from Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding  Ever wonder what frozen pudding tastes like? Turns out it’s a lot like ice cream, albeit with a slightly fluffier texture. Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding is offering three flavors of its signature treat at Chow Town

In case the ongoing stage set-up process in Grant Park hasn’t tipped you off yet, Lollapalooza is once again headed to downtown Chicago for a four-day musical extravaganza this weekend. The city’s largest summer festival—which typically hosts around 400,000 attendees—will bring a packed slate of performers to Grant Park, including Metallica, Dua Lipa, J.Cole, Green Day and BTS’s J-Hope, among a long list of other genre-spanning acts.  RECOMMENDED: Lollapalooza 2022: Everything you need to know Not planning on attending this year? You can still get in on the festival action from home, thanks to Lollapalooza’s live streaming partnership with Hulu. The streaming platform will livestream select acts from all four days of Lolla, from headlining performances by Kygo and Machine Gun Kelly to comparatively smaller artists like Tove Lo, The Wombats, Tinashe, Djo and Beach Bunny (for a full schedule of performances, visit Hulu’s website).  Of course, you’ll need to have a Hulu subscription to tune in, but that’s still a good deal cheaper than shelling out for $350 GA four-day passes—and if you manage to scoop a week-long free trial, you could even eke out an at-home Lolla experience without spending a cent. It’s not quite like the real deal, but hey, at least you won’t be rubbing elbows with thousands of sweaty festivalgoers out in Grant Park!

Yer a wizard, Harry! Or at least, you can pretend to be once a new immersive Harry Potter experience opens in Chicago this fall.  Designed by Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and immersive experience company Superfly X, “Harry Potter: Magic at Play” plans to take up residence at Water Tower Place for its worldwide debut on November 11, where it will remain through May 2023. The three-floor, 30,000-square-foot exhibition will offer kid-friendly celebration of “Harry’s journey to Hogwarts,” including games, activations, set recreations and other themed installations to explore.  “From the moment guests arrive, they are immersed in Harry’s story and are an active participant in their own journey through innovative play, experiential sets, games and more,” said Peter van Roden, senior vice president of Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment, in a news release. Details about the contents of “Magic at Play” are light so far, but Potterheads will nonetheless recognize some key names from the Harry Potter franchise. The exhibition begins at the Dursleys’ home at 4 Privet Drive before moving to Hogwarts, offering a series of interactive “classes”—like Potions, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts—as well as quidditch courses and recreations of iconic locations like the Forbidden Forest and other “surprises,” according to a release. In addition to the ticketed exhibition area, visitors can also check out a gift shop that’s open to the public, where merch and wizard-approved food and dr

Chicago Gourmet is back! After hosting a retooled slate of festivities in 2021, the four-day food festival is set to return this September with a host of events dedicated to Chicago’s culinary scene—including showcases of tacos, hamburgers, beer and the fest’s all-star tasting event.  Tickets for the festival, which range from $60–$255, are on sale now via the Chicago Gourmet website. Curious about what to expect for this year’s iteration? Take a look through the lineup for some of the fest’s main events and start planning your feasting well in advance.  Tacos & Tequila  The festival kicks off with this taco-centric event hosted by celebrity chef (and Mexican cuisine devotee) Rick Bayless, which offers guests a range of gourmet tacos paired with tequila and mezcal alongside live mariachi and mojiganga performances.  Lineup:  Chef Marcos Ascencio, Taqueria Chingon Chef Michelle Bernstein, Café La Trova, La Cañita and Sweet Liberty Chefs Inocencio and Marcos Carbajal, Carnitas Uruapan Chef Marco Colin, La Luna Chef Elizabeth Godines, La Lagartija Chef Maria G. Landa, Rubi's on 18th Chef Rick Ortiz, Antique Taco Chef Saúl Román, Tabú Chef Yani Sanchez, Bar Takito Chef Andrew Sikkelerus, Barrio Chefs Jaime and Alfonso Sotelo, Cinco Rabanitos and Chile Toreados  $99. September 22 from 7–10pm at Harris Theater Rooftop, 205 E Randolph St.  Somm Sessions This lunchtime event hosted at West Loop Greek restaurant LÝRA features a showdown between two Chicago sommeliers, who will offer

Wondering why you spotted so many hordes of wristband-clad fashion plates out and about the city this weekend? That's because Pitchfork Music Festival took over Union Park for its annual three-day slate of indie, hip-hop and experimental acts curated by the eponymous music media outlet, returning to its usual July weekend for the first time since 2019. Despite some run-of-the-mill setbacks (rain, a few last-minute cancellations, even more rain, mud), things were mostly business as usual in Union Park this year—below, read through some of our favorite moments from the weekend, including killer covers and a surprise appearance from one of Chicago’s hometown music heroes.  RECOMMENDED: Our complete guide to Pitchfork Music Festival View this post on Instagram A post shared by DAWN (@dawnrichard) A truly astonishing show from Dawn Richard  Halfway through her Friday night performance of “Bussifame,” Dawn Richard made a proclamation to a poncho-clad audience crammed around the festival’s Blue Stage: “Yeah, y’all better dance in this motherfucker,” the former Danity Kane singer said, bouncing along with her floor-length red wig. “Come on, dance, Pitchfork!” She didn’t have to tell us twice. With boundless energy and incredible choreography (in tandem with a well-utilized set of backup dancers behind her), Richard had the whole crowd jumping around from start to encore as she cycled through her discography along with interpolated covers of songs like The Cran

It’s going to get fast and furious in Grant Park next summer! Chicago is officially set to host the first-ever NASCAR street race in 2023, sending speeding cars careening down the streets of Lakeshore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and other downtown thoroughfares for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series.  The televised street race, which is scheduled for July 2, 2023, will be preceded by an additional IMSA-sanctioned race on July 1. According to a city press release, the street course will span a 2.2-mile, 12-turn stretch near Grant Park, with a start/finish line and pit road located at South Columbus Drive in front of Buckingham Fountain. Spectators can watch the elite racers speed by from a safe distance, and the course will be surrounded by yet-to-be-announced music and entertainment options for a full-out sporting extravaganza.  Wondering just how fast race cars can go within city limits? A NASCAR official told the Chicago Tribune they’re still running simulations to determine speed limits, but it’s currently estimated the vehicles could hit “120-plus” miles per hour along the street course. That’s not quite race track speed (which hovers around 200 miles per hour) but hey—it’s still probably the fastest car you’ll see barreling past Buckingham Fountain!  Tickets for the race go on sale later this year, and additional details about the lineup are expected to be announced soon. In the meantime, you can take a look at a map of the proposed course layout below. Courtesy NASC

Chicagoans, as you’re likely aware, have a lot of opinions on hot dogs. But arguing about ketchup is passé at this point—instead, why don’t we debate the merits of hot dog-flavored ice cream?  The unsettling treat was unveiled at the Museum of Ice Cream Chicago opening this weekend, part of the exhibit’s multi-room, ice cream-themed array of interactive experiences. It’s not the first time someone’s dared to whip up a hot dog-flavored ice cream (some light research reveals attempts by Oscar Mayer and Brooklyn-based scoop shop the Social), but it might be the first time anyone’s presented their beefy creation in such a straightforward manner: Served in a pink poppy seed bun and dressed up in mustard and pickles, the museum’s ice cream hot dog is a serviceable-looking imitation of the real deal, albeit without most of the requisite toppings.  “We worked with a Chicago-based bakery to make the buns, and then there’s a hot dog-flavored soft serve inside,” explains Maryellis Bunn, the museum’s creator and co-CEO. “And no ketchup, Chicago-style.”  Staff say the flavor has been polarizing so far. One attendee told me she politely spit her first bite into the nearest garbage can; another admitted he wouldn’t even try it for fear of gagging. Still, there’s something alluring about the salty-sweet combo—could hot ice cream actually work?  If you’re asking this hot dog eater, the answer is a hesitant yes, especially if you’re not expecting a perfect simulacrum of a Chicago-style dog. Th

Second City? More like the Second Best City in the World. That’s according to the latest Time Out Index survey results, which ranked Chicago in the No. 2 spot for our 2022 roundup of the world’s very best cities.  A bit of context: Every year, Time Out quizzes more than 20,000 urbanites from across the world about life in their cities, inviting them to weigh in on everything from the local food, drink and culture scenes to friendliness, affordability and livability. Based on those results, Time Out editors crunch the numbers and assemble a ranking of the world’s greatest cities. This year’s list—which pays special attention to the qualities that make a city great to live in and visit—ranked Chicago as second best in the world, beat out only by Edinburgh, Scotland.  Wondering what qualities make us so great? Well, to put it simply, Chicago is a good time! Our beloved Midwest metropolis was voted the funnest city in the world this year, a fact borne out by the city’s near-overwhelming docket of summer festivals, outdoor events, art exhibitions and free stuff to do every weekend. After two years of on-and-off restrictions, Chicagoans are more eager than ever to get out and enjoy their city; for proof, just head to your local beach on a sunny Saturday afternoon, fight your way through crowds during street fests or attempt to snag a reservation for a buzzy new restaurant at a sensible hour (Hint: You might need to give it a couple tries).  Speaking of restaurants! A stunning 96 pe

The Blues Brothers are headed back to prison—well, sort of. More than 40 years after the release of the original film, the Old Joliet Prison will play host to the first-ever Blues Brothers convention this August, bringing two days of live blues and gospel performances, food and film-themed activities to the Chicago area.  The inaugural Blues Brothers Con is a partnership between the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Dan Aykroyd, Judith Belushi Pisano (John Belushi’s widow) and the Belushi family. Hosted on the grounds of the Old Joliet Prison—a now-defunct prison from which Jake Blues is released at the beginning of The Blues Brothers—the fest is designed to pay tribute to the cultural impact of the 1980 movie, as well as the broader legacy of blues and gospel music.  “It is now more important than ever that we recognize, venerate and celebrate the positive impact African American culture and blues music have contributed to the world,” Aykroyd said in a statement announcing the event.  In addition to a 90-minute headlining performance from Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi (reprising their roles as Elwood Blues and Brother Zee, respectively) on Friday night, the event will feature live music from blues performers like Toronzo Cannon, Curtis Salgado, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials and Mondo Cortez & The Chicago Blues Angels, plus a full ecumenical gospel music service from Joliet faith-based and civic leaders. When they’re not listening to music, guests can grab food from local resta

There’s already plenty to love about Chicago’s best rooftop bars, from killer cocktail menus to sweeping views of the Chicago skyline. But if you’re looking to punch up your sky-high drinking experience even further, consider visiting a new LED installation that’s lighting up one of the city’s most beautiful rooftop locales this summer.  LH Rooftop, located along the Chicago River in the Loop, has decked out its 22nd terrace in a colorful array of floral-themed LED lights for the bar’s Luminescence experience. Designed for Instagrammable snapshots (come on, you know you want to take some), the installation includes a bevy of hanging flowers, glowing string lights, verdant plant life and other botanical touches, like a collection of massive light-up blooms along the rooftop’s walls. Guests can grab drinks beneath a canopy of floral gardens at the bar before grabbing a seat—and if you happen to get sick of staring at neon flowers, we’re pretty sure the gorgeous cityscape views won’t disappoint.  LH Rooftop is open from 11am–midnight and reservations are available via Tock or email; for best results, book an evening slot to see everything aglow. Take a look through pics of the gleaming installation below. Photograph: Amy Ulivieri Photograph: Nick Ulivieri Photograph: Amy Ulivieri