The Five
Don’t-miss picks for Wednesday, August 31 through September 6, 2016
1 Chicago Jazz Festival
Jazz:This annual free fest is always a safe bet, but this year is special: On Sunday night, jazz fans of all ages gather ’round the Pritzker Pavilion to celebrate the 95th birthday of the legendary Candido Camero, who performs alongside M.F. Productions’ Latin Jazz All Stars.
9/1–4. Free. Millennium Park. cityofchicago.org
2 Lauryn Hill
R&B:In purchasing a Lauryn Hill ticket, fans run several risks. First, there’s the chance Hill won’t show up. Then, if she does, her spontaneous performance style could render her timeless hits nearly unrecognizable. But there’s also the chance that Hill, one of soul’s greatest living vocalists, brings her A-game for a transcendent two-hour jam.
9/1 at 7:30 p.m. $38–$95. Ravinia, 200 Ravinia Park, Highland Park. ravinia.org
3 Movies in the Park
Film:The Chicago Park District’s summer series of free movies ends with Some Like It Hot at the north end of Lake Shore Drive. Bring a blanket and snacks for a night of PG-rated fun.
9/5 at 8 p.m. Free. Osterman Beach, 5800 N. Lake Shore. chicagoparkdistrict.com
4 North Coast Music Festival
Festival:This EDM-heavy fest may sound suspiciously like Mamby on the Beach, sans beach—plenty of upbeat, dance-happy acts colonizing Union Park. But North Coast boasts one thing that Mamby can’t match: Jamila Woods. The local poet and songwriter performs her superb new album Heavn in full on Friday.
9/2–4. $60–$120. Union Park. northcoastfestival.com
5 Taste of Polonia Festival
Festival:Chicago’s Polish influence is so ubiquitous that it’s easy to take for granted. This weekend fest celebrates the food, music, and art of Poland, with kielbasa galore and more Polish pop and polka than you can shake a sausage at.
9/2–5. Free–$10. Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Laurence. topchicago.org
What I’m Doing This Weekend
Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals: Emily Goldberg, who stars in the Chicago premiere of Amour, opening Friday at the Athenaeum Theatre.
“Friday, we have our first preview of Amour, and we open Saturday. It’s a musical about this unassuming office clerk who realizes he has the power to walk through walls and becomes a present-day Robin Hood. His whole life he’s been in love with this woman he’s never met—Isabelle, that’s who I play—who’s unhappily married, kept under lock and key, and dreams someone will take her away from all of this. She’s reading about this guy, dreaming he’ll save her from her crappy life, but when he appears he’s not what she’d imagined. If I weren’t in the show, of course, I’d definitely go see the Fly Honey Show at the Chopin Theatre.
“Saturday we have rehearsal—to fix anything that went wrong Friday—but if I had time, I’d probably go to Alexander’s Restaurant in the morning. It’s a little family-owned place off of Granville and Clarke, a block away from my house. I get the wrap—chicken, feta, and avocado—and delicious, bottomless diner coffee.
“We have another show Saturday, and afterward the cast and I will hang out in the bar at the Athenaeum and have a little opening celebration. If I weren’t there, I’d definitely check out the Bonnie Raitt show at Ravinia. Past that, I’ve really been wanting to see Lights Out, the horror film.
“Sunday, we have a show at 2 p.m. On any other Sunday morning, I’d take my bike on the trail—start up in Edgewater, go as far south as I could before my legs turn to jelly, bike back to Berger Park, and grab a bite and drink at Waterfront Cafe. Past that, I’ll take care of some Sunday life maintenance: Clean my apartment, catch up with my roommates, read—I’m reading Stephen King’s Finders Keepers right now—and knit. I’m starting on scarves for all my friends for the cold weather.” —As told to Matt Pollock
Freebie of the Week
Skillshot: The Collaborative Art of Pinball
Art:Before arcades went the way of the dodo, Chicago was a hub for pinball machine production—and every cabinet represented a collaboration between artists, engineers, and composers. That teamwork is on display in Skillshot, which examines the history of the popular machines. “They’re thought of as machines designed to generate revenue, but their production is very artistic,” says Mark Porter, who curates the show.
9/6–11/5. Free. Glass Curtain Gallery at Columbia College Chicago. colum.edu/deps