ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Since being stuck inside, which shows have you been watching? Which movies? Have you read any good books lately? Any new music releases have you dancing in your living room? StreetWise vendors, readers and staff are sharing what is occupying their attention during this unprecedented time.

To be featured in a future edition, send your recommendations of what to do at home and why you love them to Creative Director / Publisher Dave Hamilton at dhamilton@streetwise.org

Inclusive Books!

Brown GIRL and Brown BOY Book Reading and Kid’s Red Carpet in Chicago

Summer reading just got more fun with this inclusive, interactive literacy event for kids! Dr. Pamela Gurley will be reading "Brown GIRL, be Social" and "Brown BOY, be Social," two of the books from her Brown GIRL and Brown BOY series, to introduce guests to her characters. The stories in this series will feature characters from varying backgrounds and abilities as they aim to teach confidence and self-worth. Event attendees will have the opportunity to have their books signed and participate in other activities like face painting, a kids’ red carpet and more, all in the interest of increased child literacy. The event runs from 12 - 3 p.m. on August 14 at Chicago Theater Works, 1113 W. Belmont. General admission starts at $5. To buy tickets or learn more about the series, search for Dr. Gurley at eventbrite.com.

Come Together!

Meet Me on the Mile - Sunday Spectacles: Music & Motors

On select Sundays through October, Michigan Avenue will be closed for live music, art exhibitions, and many other events and activities to bring people together as Chicago reopens. This Sunday’s theme is Music & Motors! Along with a live performance from the Chicago Bears Drumline, attendees will have the opportunity to pose with classic cars, relax on a temporary greenspace, and visit with local artists. Admission to the event is free, so bring your friends and your family to the Magnificent Mile anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Find more details about this and other events in the Meet Me on the Mile series at themagnificentmile.com/meet-me-on-the-mile.

Hip-Hop Takeover!

Firefest Hip-Hop Block Party 2021

The Firehouse Community Arts Center presents this annual festival to showcase its community programming and offer activities for neighborhood engagement. For over a decade, the Firehouse team has offered a safe haven for Chicago-area youth by using the arts to interrupt cycles of violence before more people fall into it. In celebration of this hard work, guests will have the opportunity to learn about the center, visit with local vendors, and eat delicious food on August 14 at noon. With bouncy houses, breakdance and footwork battles, live art, games and prizes, this day-long event is perfect for the whole family. Headliners include Duane Powell, Damon Lamar Reed, Phenom, and Lowdown Brassband. The Firehouse Community Arts Center is located at 2111 S. Hamlin Ave. Visit thefcac.org to learn more.

Community Explorations!

Thresholds Identity: Perspectives on Y(OUR)selves

In this one-of-a-kind exhibit, artists present work they created during Threshold’s Art Therapy Program. The artists took time to consider their own identity, their community, and the relationship between the two and turned those ideas into artwork as a way to creatively communicate in the interest of improved mental health. The resulting art is available for public viewing in the Chase Gallery at the Epiphany Center for the Arts (201 S. Ashland Ave.) now through September 12. Admission is free. Learn more at epiphanychi.com/thresholds-identity.

Take a Chance!

Chance the Rapper’s 'Magnificent Coloring World' Concert Film Opening

Directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Chance’s House of Kicks and Park Pictures, "Magnificent Coloring World" was recorded during Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring World Tour with the Chicago Children’s Choir. The concert featured current singers and instrumentalists as well as choir alumni, and the film release celebrates the fifth anniversary of Chance’s 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. The project is a celebration of Chicago music and community showcasing the power of unified effort as we all emerge from a time of isolation. The film will be showing in AMC theaters nationwide starting August 13. To learn more about the Chicago Children’s Choir, visit ccchoir.org.

Still Life IRL

'Still Life in Real Life:' Charles Ethan Porter

Every Wednesday through Sunday this summer and fall, the Garfield Park Conservatory will be open for guests to come see this special exhibit in the Artist’s Garden. Charles Ethan Porter was an African American artist known for his still life portraits. The "Still Life in Real Life" exhibit celebrates this work by bringing to life the fruits and flowers he was so adept at capturing in his art. The garden will be filled with strawberries, carnations, sunflowers, violets, and other plants as an homage to Porter. Admission is $5 for adults and free for kids with special discounts for people who live in Garfield Park. Learn more at garfieldconservatory.org/visit.

Hometown Celeb!

Work in Progress: a Comedic Showcase of Chicago

Improv comedian Abby McEnany is kicking off the second season of her Showtime show "Work in Progress," a comedy series set and filmed in Chicago, with a comedy showcase at Navy Pier. Presented by Chicago Humanities Festival, the show will feature sets from up and coming voices in Chicago’s comedy scene on the Navy Pier Lake Stage. Come on by August 11, from 7 - 8 p.m. for an evening of summer fun and to celebrate local talent. To reserve tickets and read more about the event and lineup, visit chicagohumanities. org/events. Admission is $20, and seating is outdoors on the lawn, so feel free to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair.

Smooth Jazz!

The SSJC Presents: Tuesday Jazz at Home

On August 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., tune in to this virtual jazz experience. The South Side Jazz Coalition presents a free jazz concert one Tuesday out of every month via Facebook Live to showcase some of Chicago’s local jazz talent and offer a form of entertainment and community engagement for those who remain in isolation due to COVID. Leading this month’s lineup is the jazz/soul group Soulvation. Learn more about other events in this series and how to access this free livestream through the South Side Jazz Coalition’s Facebook page or by visiting southsidejazzcoalition.org/events-blog.

Author Talk!

My America: Elly Fishman: Virtual Book Event

Hosted by the American Writers Museum, this virtual event will allow readers to engage with journalist and author Elly Fishman on Zoom as she discusses her book "Refugee High: Coming of Age in America." The book follows a year in the life at a Chicago high school with one of the highest proportions of refugees in the nation. On August 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Fishman will discuss the book and her writing process and will open the audience up to a larger discussion of social responsibility and the importance of telling these kinds of stories. Registration is free and can be accessed at americanwritersmuseum.org under Exhibits + Programs.

Monday Mania!

Edgewater Monday Market

There’re only a few Mondays left to enjoy this farmers market at 5917 N. Broadway. From 3 - 7 p.m., the Broadway Armory parking lot will be filled with 16 local regular vendors, including Global Garden Farm, Parra Farms, Farmer Nick’s, and Blaque Millennium Kitchens as well as a variety of pop-up booths for other community organizations and sellers. The market offers a wide selection of fresh produce, preserves, pastries, and prepared foods and is a great place to visit with community members outdoors this summer. This event is presented by the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, and more details are available on its website: edgewater.org/programs/farmers-market.

-Compiled by Audrey Champelli