Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

All That Jazz!

Chicago Jazz Festival

Celebrate all forms of jazz with the Chicago Jazz Festival! This Labor Day weekend tradition features free, high-quality music programming from local Chicago talent alongside national and international artists. Head to Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., on September 1 - 4 for one of the city’s most beloved art forms. And as you look forward to the Labor Day performances, get your fix of jazz at local venues across the city through August 31. Participating venues include The South Side Jazz Coalition, Hungry Brain, Constellation, Sleeping Village, The Birdhouse Inc., Live the Spirit Residency, 51st Street Business Association, Museum of Contemporary Art, Elastic Arts Foundation and The Whistler. For the full schedule, visit jazzinchicago.org. This event is supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Puerto Rican Fest!

Fiesta Boricua

The 29th annual Fiesta Boricua Festival will be from Noon - 8 p.m. September 3 and 4, at Paseo Boricua, Division street and California avenue. Fiesta Boricua hosts performances, artisans and food vendors and showcases a different Puerto Rican municipality each year (Lo Mejor de Nuestros Pueblos/The Best of Our Towns). Every year the Mayor of the chosen Puerto Rican municipality comes to Chicago with a delegation that includes artists, musicians, and poets who participate in the festival's programming. This year, Fiesta Boricua will be honoring the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico! FREE.

Run with the Chicago Bulls!

Bulls Fest

The two-day festival on September 3 and 4, from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., will feature a 3v3 basketball tournament, live music, art exhibitions, kid-friendly activities, and food and drink. A nod to Chicago’s iconic street festival culture, Bulls Fest will offer free admission to all fans and a new opportunity to build excitement as the Bulls get ready for the start of the 2022-2023 regular season. The festival’s 3v3 basketball tournament welcomes participants ages 8 and older across all skill levels up to an elite division, including a bracket for wheelchair basketball teams. Fans can also expect live music and entertainment from well-known and local performers, and appearances from the Bucket Boys, Bulls DJs, Incredibulls, Luvabulls, Da Brat, G

A Choo!

Hay Fever: A Comedy of Bad Manners

Noël Coward’s masterpiece is playing at City Lit Theater Company, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The four members of the eccentric Bliss family have each, without the other three knowing it, invited a guest to spend the weekend at their country estate. But the Blisses couldn’t be successful hosts to one visitor; confronted with four, they put their guests through their self-absorbed version of hospitality, utterly oblivious to the train wreck they’ve engineered. An irresistibly heartless comedy. Ticket are $34, seniors $29, students and military $12 (all plus applicable fees) at citylit.org. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. through October 9.

Sunday Funday!

Sundays on State

Stop by the last Sundays on State of the year on September 4 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Active recreation, shopping, outdoor dining, art, entertainment, and unexpected surprises will once again fill the iconic street, from Lake to Monroe, while simultaneously accelerating the economic recovery, uniting the community and creating joy. Make sure to say hi to our friends at GiveAShi*t, selling hand-screened T-shirts, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting StreetWise!

Stay In the (West) Loop!

West Loop Arts Fest

The hugely successful West Loop Art Fest returns for its fourth year in the heart of Chicago’s vibrant West Loop / Fulton Market, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. September 3 and 4, centered at 1340 W. Washington Blvd. Featuring four blocks of amazing art, the West Loop Art Fest is the perfect destination for a late summer shopping experience or ambient evening stroll. A diverse range of art media will be on display and available for purchase at a variety of price points. This free event is perfect way to enjoy a summer weekend in Chicago.

A Taste of Poland (& More)!

Taste of Polonia Festival 2022

The Copernicus Foundation presents the 40th Anniversary of the Taste of Polonia Festival! For four days, September 2 - 5, you can enjoy a true cultural experience that includes nonstop live music, dance performances, authentic Polish food and beer, exhibitions, local merchants, a casino, beer garden, a Kids Stage and an area filled with great activities and much, much more! Featuring 4 stages and over 30 bands at the Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave. $15 admission. To pre-purchase tickets, and see a full line up, visit topchicago.org.

Downtown Up North!

Downtown Evanston Thursday Night Market

Join an exciting mix of artists, makers and vendors at Fountain Square, 1601 Sherman Ave., Evanston, for the Downtown Evanston Thursday Night Market from 4 - 8 p.m. on September 1. Music will be provided by DJ Johnny Price and craft beer from local brewery Smylie Brothers Brewing Co. FREE.

A Moment in Time!

A Time Capsule of Art: Recollections of Tokyo: 1923-1945

After the destruction by the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923, Tokyo artists document their impressions of the city’s ruin and rebirth. Enjoy the time capsules from Oda Kazuma, Kawase Hasuri, Asakusa Kannon Hall, and more, as they depict the remnants of destroyed buildings, new developments and rebirthed communities before being subjected to firebombs during World War II. “Taken together, such representations of forgotten or lost places and buildings remind us of time’s passage and the ever-changing nature of a dynamic urban metropolis.” This exhibition runs through September 25 at the Art Institute of Chicago. Exhibitions are included in general admission tickets. The museum is open Thursday-Monday. More information at artic.edu.