Chicago weekend guide: Printers Row Lit Fest, Bears home opener and more
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People shop for books at the Printers Row Lit Fest. Photo: John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Enter a world of literature, try some of the best food in town or cheer the Bears to victory at Soldier Field.
📖 1. Printers Row Lit Fest
Find your next favorite read at the 38th annual Printers Row Lit Fest, featuring booksellers, authors, readers, publishers and literary enthusiasts.
Why it matters: It's the largest free outdoor literary festival in the Midwest.
- The event brings more than 100,000 visitors and offers products from over 100 booksellers.
Details: The festival is held at Printers Row and runs from 10am–6pm Saturday and Sunday. Here's the schedule.
Monica's picks: I wish I could clone myself and see all 70+ amazing sessions on six stages. But if I have to choose, here are the five events I'd make sure to attend:
- WBEZ's Natalie Moore interviews authors Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa about their biography "His Name Is George Floyd" — 11:15am Saturday at the Feinberg Foundation Stage
- Dave Eggers talks about his new book "The Eyes and the Impossible" — 3pm Saturday at the Grace Place Stage
- WBEZ's Susie An chats with Curtis Sittenfeld, author of "Romantic Comedy" — 12:30pm Saturday at the Feinberg Foundation Stage
- Playwright Vicki Quade interviews John D'Emilio, author of "Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood" — 11am Saturday at the Plymouth Stage
- Oh, and me with my "Made In Chicago" co-author David Hammond and Big Jones chef and "Midwestern Food" author Paul Fehribach, interviewed by the Tribune's Louisa Chu — 1pm Sunday at Center Stage
🏈 2. Northwestern home opener
- After dropping their first game to Rutgers, the Wildcats host the UTEP Miners at Ryan Field. Kickoff is at 2:30pm Saturday. Tickets start at $25.
- Go deeper: Check out Justin's preview of Northwestern and the rest of the Big Ten conference.
🍴 3. Taste of Chicago
- Chow down on some of the city's signature dishes from dozens of booths and trucks at Grant Park. Music lovers can sing at a karaoke stage and see performances by headliners Doug E. Fresh, KRS-One, Slick Rick, Whitney, Kaina and Rae Chardonnay. The festival runs from 11am–9pm Friday–Sunday.
- Details: Here's the list of food vendors, menu items and a map. Plus, check out Monica's roundup of four cool things you can't miss at this year's fest.
- Cost: Entrance is free, but food costs vary by vendor.
- For a different kind of food fest, check out World Dumpling Fest in Logan Square at noon Saturday, presenting musical performances and dozens of dumpling varieties from around the world.
🐾 4. PAWS Chicago 5K
- Walk or run in Chicago's largest dog-friendly charity event 7:30am Saturday at Montrose Harbor-Grove 16. The proceeds go towards supporting the Midwest's largest no-kill animal shelter, PAWS Chicago. Register.
🌽 5. Richardson Corn Maze opens
- Walk along a 9- to 10-mile trail through 28 acres of corn in this "Jurassic Park"-themed maze at Richardson Farm in Spring Grove. You can spend anywhere from 1o minutes to two hours in the maze, which opens for the season Sunday at noon. Tickets start at $24 for guests 13 and up.
🐻 6. Bears home opener
- Justin Fields and the Bears will open their season against the post-Aaron Rodgers Packers at Soldier Field 3:25pm Sunday. Tickets start at $225.