Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

Compiled by Dave Hamilton

Celebrating South Asian Culture!

4th Annual Mandala Makers Festival

Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, which connects audiences and students with the vibrancy, flavors, and colors of the performing arts traditions of South Asia, presents its fourth annual Mandala Makers Festival June 16–26, returning to in-person performances in the Devon Avenue community and concluding with an Artist Showcase June 24–26 at Indian Boundary Park, 2500 W. Lunt Ave., including indoor and outdoor spaces. All events are free and open to the public. The festival features nationally recognized and emerging artists who reside in the community in and around Devon Avenue, a hub for immigrants and members of the South Asian diaspora. “One of the festival’s goals is to amplify voices and draw attention to the generations of artists, communities, and culture in the neighborhood to promote positive change through better representation of and advocacy for artistic communities of color,” said Mandala Associate Artistic Director Ashwaty Chennat, who is curating the festival. For a full schedule of artists, visit makersfestival.mandalaarts.org.

Beauty in Nature!

‘Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design’

“Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design,” opening June 18 and running through August 14, at Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, includes an installation by Chicago architect Alicia Ponce telling how her architectural structures emulate patterns, forms, and processes found in nature. Two additional exhibitions at the museum will complement the nationally traveling show: a solo show by Chicago painter Raúl Ortiz within the Museum’s historic McCormick House; and approximately 35 local artists in the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Summer Members Show. The Museum has also announced exhibition-related programming for all ages, including STEAM-focused family programs plus architecture and gallery tours to reveal how art, design, and environmental science can lead to extraordinary inventions that improve lives. $15 general admission, $12 for seniors, children under 18 visit free, at elmhurstartmuseum.org.

See it All Around!

'Immersive Monet & The Impressionists'

Step inside the works of some of the world’s most famous painters at the premiere of this one-ofa-kind art experience. The "Immersive Monet & The Impressionists" invites guests to view these iconic artworks in a whole new way, via stunning projections custom designed for the historic venue. These moving images fill each room with color and light, immersing the viewer in every brushstroke and detail of paintings by Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and many more. Showing June 17 through September 25 at Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago, inside Germania Place, 108 W. Germania Place. Tickets start at $44.99 at immersivemonet.com/chicago.

One Night Only!

Make Music Chicago 2022 in Bughouse Square

Go to Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St., June 21 at noon for a celebration of Chicago Blues with performances by Mississippi Heat and John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band. Hear sounds from the Mississippi Delta that made their way to the Windy City as part of the Great Migration. Inspired by the Newberry Library’s spring exhibition “Crossings: Mapping American Journeys,” this outdoor concert presents Chicago Blues songs with southern roots. Mississippi Heat is a world-class Chicago Blues Band. Their name reflects their reverence for Mississippi’s blues culture and music. John Primer was a band leader for legends like Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Magic Slim & The Teardrops. FREE.

Delicious!

Taste of Randolph

Commemorating the iconic street festival’s 25th anniversary, Star Events and WLCO will bring together the biggest and brightest names in Chicago dining, featuring over 16 restaurants known for delectable menus and irresistibly unique flavors. StarEvents has curated a list of the nation’s hottest up-and-coming bands and musicians, as well as the biggest names in Chicago house music, performing on two stages and a DJ stage, to entertain guests on their culinary adventure. Entrance to the festival is a suggested $10 donation, to benefit the West Loop Community Organization, which has been advocating for the West Loop neighborhood since 1991, supporting local businesses and economic development. June 17 - 19, Noon - 10 p.m. daily at 900 W. Randolph St.

A Father's Day Tradition!

Real Men Cook

Real Men Cook® – Urban America’s premiere Father’s Day charity event – will host its fun-filled, food-tasting celebration for men 3-6 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at the Quarry Event Center, 2423 E. 75th St. Men will cook and serve their favorite dishes to the community with proceeds going to Real Men Charities. Now in its 33rd year, Real Men Cook's longevity makes it one of Chicago's most eagerly-awaited and most popular Father's Day events. It has remained true to its original mission to emphasize fatherhood and father engagement as well as men’s health and family wellness. The Quarry will transform its entire Event Center into stations where chefs will serve their delicious samples. This will take place at the main banquet hall and the adjacent dining area. Chefs will also spill out onto the back patio for additional food tasting, mostly from grills, as well as programmed activities. Register at realmencharitiesinc.org.

Laugh Out Loud!

“Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” taping

“Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!,” NPR's weekly hour-long quiz program, will resume live audience recordings this summer in a new Chicago home: the historic Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, 401 S. Michigan Ave. “Wait, Wait” audiences will be among the first to experience the Studebaker Theater’s multi-million dollar restoration, which is near completion under the direction of property owner Berger Realty Group. Among key enhancements and modernization are all-new seating, updated lobbies, a newly designed VIP lounge in the second balcony, and a state-of-the-art technical booth. Tickets for the inaugural taping at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, start at $36, at www.npr.org/waitwait or www.fineartsbuilding.com; guest panelists will be announced soon.

The World is Your Runway!

Drag Me to the Fairmont

Drag yourself to the Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Drive, at 7:30 p.m. June 18, to spend the night with some of your favorite Queens in partnership with the AIDS Foundation Chicago! Featuring show-stopping performances by drag legend Lady Bunny (pictured) as well as RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni Miz Cracker, Mimi Marks, Mayhem Miller and more. Tickets start at $45, with all proceeds to benefit AIDS Foundation Chicago, at www.exploretock.com/fairmontchicagomillenniumpark/

A Centennial Celebration!

A Moveable Reading of James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’

Where would Leopold Bloom have wandered in the city of Chicago? During a movable reading of James Joyce’s “Ulysses,” in honor of the centennial of its publication, the Newberry Library's experts will round up performers, scholars, and Joyce enthusiasts and visit Chicago spots inspired by the novel. For this event, participants will visit four locations within walking distance of the Newberry Library, with lively readings from select chapters at each location. Participants should meet at Oak Street Beach, 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive, at 2 p.m. June 16 (Bloomsday, the day in the novel). Register for FREE and learn full details of speakers and locations at newberry.org/06162022-movable-reading-james-joyce-s-ulysses