Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

Compiled by Emma Slings

Summer is Back!

Millennium Park Summer Music Series

Millennium Park Summer Music Series at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St. (June 20 – August 18), offered 6:30-9 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, returns with an exciting variety of music from established and emerging artists. 2022 highlights include DakhaBrakha, a Ukrainian folk quartet that combines avant-garde, traditional and contemporary sounds; Charles Stepney: Out of the Shadows, a full ensemble tribute to “one of the underrated heroes of Chicago soul music”; globally renowned Nigerian Afrobeat saxophonist, composer and activist Femi Kuti; and Jeff Tweedy, founder of Wilco and one of contemporary music’s most accomplished musicians, with a special opening act from Chicago’s The People’s Music School. This program is made possible by the Millennium Park Foundation; sponsors include Chicago Transit Authority, Millennium Garages. MillenniumPark.org

Juneteenth Celebrations Continue!

Celebrate Juneteenth at the Field Museum

Illinois residents have free admission to the Field Museum on June 20 in celebration of Juneteenth. Related events will be hosted throughout the day (free with museum admission). “Exploring Juneteenth: How the 1893 World’s Fair Connects to the Legacy of Ida B. Wells and the Continued Quest for Freedom” is from 10–11 a.m. with author and historian (and great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells!) Michelle Duster in the James Simpson Theatre. “Meet a Scientist: Representing the African American Experience at the 1892 World’s Fair” is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m in the Grainger Science Hub. For details, visit fieldmuseum.org.

Part Of Your World!

Music Theater Works Presents Disney’s 'The Little Mermaid'

Spend part of your day under the sea with the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Now through June 26, Disney’s "The Little Mermaid" is performed at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL). This performance is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story and the Disney animated film and includes the familiar songs by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken. Tickets start at $19.50. Limited seating available! Interested in a more interactive experience, visit northshorecenter.org to purchase Under the Tea tickets where you can meet the characters while enjoying treats, beverages, and receive a special Under the Sea gift!

The Sound of Pride

'Together We Rise'

The Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire present their annual Pride Concert at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25 at Gannon Concert Hall of Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N. Halsted St., on the DePaul University campus. Each ensemble performs a variety of musical styles, from classical to pop. The Gay Chorus and Treble Quire are unique among LBGTQ+ choruses in that they perform both separately and together across a three-concert season each year: tenors, baritones and basses for the Gay Chorus, sopranos, mezzo-sopranos and altos for the Treble Quire. Tickets are $20-$40 at windycitysings.org/ pride. If you are interested in participating, email join@windycitysings.org or visit windycitysings.org/audition.

Just be a Queen!

Chicago Is A Drag Festival

It’s the return of Chicago Is A Drag Festival! Get tickets and head to the Cheetah Gym Parking Lot in Andersonville (5248 N. Clark St.) on Friday, June 24 from 4–10 p.m. The festival will be outdoors with an exciting lineup of performers brought to you by A Queer Pride. Must be 21 or older to attend. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for entry.

Art Goes Green!

'Unsettled Ground: Art and the Environment' from the Smart Museum Collection

What is happening in the conversation between art and the environment? Visit the Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., to listen. Curated by Katerina Korola with Berit Ness and student curators at the University of Chicago, the featured exhibit "Unsettled Ground" includes over 20 artists. Mukul Dey, Ruth Duckworth, Hiroshi Sugimoto and others observe a range of ecologies through a unique variety of media. Make a reservation to visit and reflect on the role and responsibility of humankind in relation to the Earth. Closes June 26. This exhibition has been made possible by the Feitlet Center for Academic Inquiry Fund and Museum’s SmartPartners.

Keep it Local!

Evanston Made BIPOC Members Group Show

Don’t end June without visiting the BIPOC Members Group Show in Evanston! At the Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central St., Evanston, you will see Curator Fran Joy exhibit a compilation of work from local individuals of color. Along with Joy’s own work, over 25 artists are recognized, including Indira Freitas Johnson, Jevoid Simmons, and Yaounde Olu. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Additional events throughout the week include Black Representation within American Media with Joyy Norris, Black Family Legacy and Art with Yeegah Thurman, and Social Justice Sewing Circle with Dr. Melissa Blount (space is limited). RSVP to attend. The BIPOC Members Group Show runs through June 30. More information at evanstonmade.org.

To Be, Or Not To Be!

50-minute Hamlet

Come experience the passion and tragedy of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in just 50 minutes and with only two actors! The Shakespeare Project of Chicago has already taken Jeff Christian’s adaptation of Hamlet to many Chicago audiences, and on Saturday, June 25 it will be performed outside at Washington Square Park (across from the Newberry) from 1–2 p.m. No registration or tickets required. Seating is limited. For more information, visit www.shakespeareprojectchicago.org.

Back to Festivals!

Logan Square Arts Fest Logan Square Arts Fest is back, organized by volunteers from the community to benefit the community. Enjoy poems while you wait, a community mural project Sunday with One Heart, One Soul, a live installation by Runways Lab Theatre on "How to Go to the Monument and Converse with the Eagle" (at the top of the Illinois Centennial Monument), a series of live-painted murals and more. Music by Combo Chimbuta, Man Man, Sarah Shook, Jnana, and more. Fri 5-10 p.m., Sat & Sun Noon-10 p.m. on Logan Square: Logan Blvd@Kedzie. logansquareartsfestival.com

Celebrate All Day Long!

Glenview Summer Fest

Glenview’s favorite food and vendors are showing up at its annual Summer Fest – and you’re invited, too! Come Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to Lehigh Avenue and Jackman Park, in Glenview, for food trucks, good sales, and family fun. This free event includes crowd-favorite bands and businesses along with crafts for kids and other entertainment from the Glenview Fire Department. The fun continues far into the evening as the Summer Fest transitions to the After Sunset Music Fest from 6-10 p.m. The Freddy Jones Band will headline the night. VIP tickets for prime seating, sponsor swag, food and drink tickets, private bathrooms, and more are for sale on their website. Non-perishable food items and personal care items are additionally welcome as donations for the Northfield Township Food Pantry. Visit business.glenviewchamber.com for more information.