Chicago weekend events: Chicago Gourmet, live music and fall fun
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May your weekend be sweeter than cherry pie. Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Fall is definitely in the air. We're in that sweet spot where outdoor activities are quite pleasurable — not too sweaty but not shivering.
- Here's how we plan to savor it.
Carrie's picks:
🚇 I'm fairly certain I could dominate at a Red Line scavenger hunt. And if Justin, Monica and I were all one team?! No contest! This looks like a great way to explore the city and meet new people at an after-party while competing for a cash prize. | Meet at North and Clyborn stop | $20 | Saturday, 1-4pm
🦬 The first national tallgrass prairie in the country is right in our backyard! Well, more like 60-90 minutes southwest of downtown. But still! And there are bison! The National Forest Foundation is hosting volunteer projects and a picnic, so enjoy nature and do some good. | Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie | Saturday, 9am-1pm
🚶🏼A walking tour of the "first planned suburb" sounds like the perfect way to spend a crisp Sunday afternoon. That suburb is, of course, Riverside, designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. A little secret: I've never been to Riverside! I plan to change that this weekend. | Riverside Train Station | $25 | Sunday, 2pm
Justin's picks:
🍽️ Chicago Gourmet is back this weekend. The upscale culinary festival has been a go-to for me for years — and a reminder of why Chicago remains one of the world's great food cities. My favorite event, the Hamburger Hop, is sold out, but plenty of other cool events are on the menu. | Millennium Park | Thursday-Sunday
🎸 Two Door Cinema Club is not only a great band to see live, but they were once the theme music for my radio show on WGN! | Salt Shed | Thursday, 7pm
🎤 The Interview Show returns Friday with a slew of great guests, including Maxwells Trading owner Erling Wu-Bower. Mark Bazer's shows are always a blast, and the tight-knit community of cool Chicagoans who turn out reminds me why I love this city so much. | Hideout | Friday, 6:30pm