Chicago

blue

A guide to fun things to do in Chicago this weekend.

Axios Chicago Weekender

Weekender

Get smarter, faster on what matters in Chicago with Monica Eng, Justin Kaufmann, and Carrie Shepherd.

Axios Chicago

Standard

Chicago Alerts

Alert

Axios Chicago Partners

Axios Chicago Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Chicago Members

Membership

Fox 32 Chicago's talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck's departure

The Chicago product is moving on from anchoring the Fox 32 newscast.

News

Fox 32&#x27;s top news anchor, Dawn Hasbrouck, has left Fox 32 after <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nearly 17 years" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/10/23/tom-skilling-news-anchors-talent?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_chicago&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/10/23/tom-skilling-news-anchors-talent?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_chicago&amp;stream=top" target="_self">nearly 17 years</a>. Why it matters: Hasbrouck signed off late last week as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="colleagues showered" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-rgjigwnp60959atb?link_source=ta_first_comment&amp;taid=6a4491f4ad50b40001f1728e&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=trueanthem&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawS44v5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFtS0lmZkx2Vks0b0FXSUFtc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn206hgddY52zAuOdaoUr_QFGz9Mneh-DiiAqyYBRPBcg4fNIWJK2cr2Twwt_aem_caObK1836hXGIMj0UJGTLA" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-rgjigwnp60959atb?link_source=ta_first_comment&amp;taid=6a4491f4ad50b40001f1728e&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=trueanthem&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawS44v5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFtS0lmZkx2Vks0b0FXSUFtc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn206hgddY52zAuOdaoUr_QFGz9Mneh-DiiAqyYBRPBcg4fNIWJK2cr2Twwt_aem_caObK1836hXGIMj0UJGTLA" target="_blank">colleagues showered</a> her with compliments on air. <ul><li>The Chicago native was only the second female ever to lead the station&#x27;s 9pm news. </li></ul>Context: Hasbrouck is the latest personality to depart Fox 32 this year, joining sports anchor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lou Canellis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/26/lou-cannelis-fox-32-nbc-5-sports-bears-bulls" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/26/lou-cannelis-fox-32-nbc-5-sports-bears-bulls" target="_self">Lou Canellis</a>, political reporter <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Paris Schutz" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/27/fox-32-political-reporter-paris-schutz-is-leaving" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/27/fox-32-political-reporter-paris-schutz-is-leaving" target="_self">Paris Schutz</a>, and longtime anchor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sylvia Perez" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/06/15/sylvia-perez-leaving-fox-32-40-years-chicago-television-news" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/06/15/sylvia-perez-leaving-fox-32-40-years-chicago-television-news" target="_self">Sylvia Perez</a>. <ul><li>Morning anchor Roseanne Tellez and Hasbrouck&#x27;s former 9pm co-anchor, Scott Schneider, were <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fired in the spring" data-vars-click-url="https://chicago.suntimes.com/fox-32-chicago-fires-anchor-scott-schneider-executive-producer-marissa-rubino-sean-oheir-lou-canellis-roseanne-tellez" data-vars-content-id="14bebbfa-947b-4b68-ad0c-c62a71bcbd4d" data-vars-headline="Fox 32 Chicago&#x27;s talent exodus continues with Dawn Hasbrouck&#x27;s departure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/fox-32-chicago-fires-anchor-scott-schneider-executive-producer-marissa-rubino-sean-oheir-lou-canellis-roseanne-tellez" target="_blank">fired in the spring</a>. </li></ul>

Suburbs pay less than Chicago for lead line removal

Chicago officials are mum, but experts say permits and "contractor-friendliness" play a role.

Public Safety

Nearby suburbs — including Evanston, Elgin and Riverside — pay less than half of what Chicago does for lead service line removal despite having access to the same local contractors to remove them, an Axios analysis finds.Why it matters: While some federal funding goes to lead line removal, Chicagoans will shoulder much of the estimated $12 billion cost of removing our record <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="400,000 toxic lines over the next two decades" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/07/25/chicago-state-federal-lead-deadlines" data-vars-content-id="5ff5f67e-36a2-41ad-8194-c719777418e1" data-vars-headline="Suburbs pay less than Chicago for lead line removal" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/07/25/chicago-state-federal-lead-deadlines" target="_self">400,000 toxic lines over the next two decades</a>.

Sotheby's selling rare Virgil Abloh prints to fund scholarship

Four signed prints from Abloh's UW collaboration will fund scholarships at his alma mater after auction.

Culture

Proceeds from the sale of limited-edition prints will benefit a scholarship at the late artist and designer Virgil Abloh&#x27;s alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison.The big picture: Considered by some as one of the most influential young designers of the 21st century, Abloh often credited his time at UW for shaping his creative side.<ul><li>The sale aims to do the same for future students, with proceeds benefiting the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund at the university. </li></ul>

Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on

DHS officials say they're "not going to confirm our vehicles."

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is urging residents to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report immigration agents" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/11/14/report-immigration-abuse-illinois" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/11/14/report-immigration-abuse-illinois" target="_self">report immigration agents</a> who remove their license plates after a video appearing to show an agent with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a plateless SUV went viral." data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DaLTNbSCbrE/" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DaLTNbSCbrE/" target="_blank">a plateless SUV went viral.</a> Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The announcement" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaNyl1Fif4T/" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaNyl1Fif4T/" target="_blank">The announcement</a> is reigniting battles between Illinois and the feds as federal immigration operations are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="quietly ramping up again" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-arrests-increase-significantly-marking-turn-immigration-strategy-rcna352736" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-arrests-increase-significantly-marking-turn-immigration-strategy-rcna352736" target="_blank">quietly ramping up again</a> around <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chicago" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEil0Q698MA" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEil0Q698MA" target="_blank">Chicago</a> and across the nation after <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Congress narrowly approved $70 billion in funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/2026/06/09/nx-s1-5851664/house-reconciliation-vote-immigration-enforcement-ice-border-patrol" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/2026/06/09/nx-s1-5851664/house-reconciliation-vote-immigration-enforcement-ice-border-patrol" target="_blank">Congress narrowly approved $70 billion in funding</a> for the agency.What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;Let me be absolutely clear: tampering with, removing, obscuring or operating a vehicle without the required license plates is illegal in Illinois,&quot; Giannoulias says in an Instagram post. <ul><li>&quot;That applies to everyone. No one is above the law. So if you see a vehicle with missing, altered or obscured plates, we need you to report it [at 312-814-1730 or <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="platewatch@ilsos.gov" data-vars-click-url="mailto:platewatch@ilsos.gov" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="mailto:platewatch@ilsos.gov" target="_blank">platewatch@ilsos.gov</a>].&quot;</li></ul>The other side: &quot;DHS is not going to confirm our vehicles and put an even larger target on our officers&#x27; backs or confirm law enforcement tactics,&quot; the DHS press office wrote to Axios in response to questions about plateless vehicles.<ul><li>&quot;When our heroic law enforcement officers conduct operations, they clearly identify themselves as law enforcement while wearing masks to protect themselves from being targeted by highly sophisticated gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, criminal rings, murderers, and rapists.&quot;</li><li>DHS officials did not respond to multiple follow-up questions asking if they specifically approve of officers driving in cars without plates.</li></ul>Friction point: Some commenters on Giannoulias&#x27; post claimed that federal or undercover agents aren&#x27;t required to drive with license plates. But officials at the Illinois secretary of state&#x27;s office say that&#x27;s not true.<ul><li>&quot;There is no general exemption excluding undercover police vehicles from displaying registration or license plates. However, in order to avoid displaying &#x27;municipal police&#x27; plates, undercover police vehicles obtain standard passenger registration,&quot; ILSOS officials tell Axios.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: Immigration watchers, including former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who heads the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ICE Accountability Project," data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/12/lightfoot-ice-accountability-investigations" data-vars-content-id="f1c15b65-f525-4297-8c75-533ab7346944" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias warns ICE agents to keep plates on" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/12/lightfoot-ice-accountability-investigations" target="_self">ICE Accountability Project,</a> are warning that &quot;immigration enforcement activity is increasing across Chicagoland even as it becomes harder for the public to see and document,&quot; she said in a recent statement.

Chicago Fourth of July quiz: Test your knowledge of local traditions

History

A Chicagoan's quest to visit every public library branch

He's explored 56 libraries so far, finding standout architecture, art and neighborhood character along the way.

Things to Do

Chicago&#x27;s 82 public <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="library" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/05/12/illinois-library-school-book-ban-law-pen-america-2025" data-vars-content-id="c7c4b6b9-850d-40cb-9b2a-41b2b8fe9f08" data-vars-headline="A Chicagoan&#x27;s quest to visit every public library branch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/05/12/illinois-library-school-book-ban-law-pen-america-2025" target="_self">library</a> branches stretch far and wide, so visiting every single one is a feat.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="City Cast Chicago" data-vars-click-url="https://chicago.citycast.fm/" data-vars-content-id="c7c4b6b9-850d-40cb-9b2a-41b2b8fe9f08" data-vars-headline="A Chicagoan&#x27;s quest to visit every public library branch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://chicago.citycast.fm/" target="_blank">City Cast Chicago</a> host Jacoby Cochran took up the task.</li></ul>

Why Chicago sees LGBTQ+ tourism as a growing economic opportunity

The popular gay neighborhood is going to get a tourism boost from two new luxury hotels.

Business

<div><iframe name="opinionstage-widget" alt="Opinion Stage Embed" src="https://www.opinionstage.com/api/v2/widgets/4585ba33-10b6-47f4-8d02-413f381112ce/iframe" data-opinionstage-iframe="4585ba33-10b6-47f4-8d02-413f381112ce" data-vars-category="embed" data-vars-sub-category="embed-poll" data-vars-asset-id="4585ba33-10b6-47f4-8d02-413f381112ce" data-vars-content-id="836bd9c5-2582-4081-a0d8-a28333044aac" width="100%" height="800" allow="fullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" class="gtmView" referrerPolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe><div style="display:none"></div></div>This Sunday, the Pride Parade will draw hundreds of thousands of spectators to Northalsted for one of the country&#x27;s biggest neighborhood parades.Why it matters: As some states become less welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors, Northalsted is betting that Chicago&#x27;s reputation for inclusion can translate into more tourism dollars.

Traffic snarls to avoid in Chicago this weekend

Uptown, Lakeview and Lincoln Park host the Pride Parade while Logan Square and Millennium Park welcome art fairs.

Transit

Chicago is celebrating Pride weekend with Navy Pier Pride on Saturday and the annual <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pride Parade Sunday" data-vars-click-url="https://pridechicago.org/faq-and-map/" data-vars-content-id="13a5d686-00fa-40d7-8720-a70d44105b21" data-vars-headline="Traffic snarls to avoid in Chicago this weekend" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pridechicago.org/faq-and-map/" target="_blank">Pride Parade Sunday</a> through Uptown, Lakeview and Lincoln Park where several streets will be shut down. As usual, this packed roster of events will bring congestion and street closures across the city, from Uptown to Garfield Ridge. Check &#x27;em out.

Food Fight: Who makes Chicago's best jibarito?

Axios Chicago reporters duke it out over who sells the best.

Food and Drink

Fiesta Boricua may be over, but Chicago celebrates Puerto Rican-influenced culture every day with our homegrown jibarito sandwich, a treat that uses fried plantains instead of a bun for the bread.We&#x27;re duking it out over who in Chicago has the best jibarito.

Obama's Museum Tower: Chicago's next big landmark

The tower is getting mixed reviews on social media, but history says that's par for the course.

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Obama Presidential Center" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/06/04/inside-the-obama-presidential-center-before-opening-day" data-vars-content-id="0800a119-c998-4a1e-a73f-20b6e7cab76e" data-vars-headline="Obama&#x27;s Museum Tower: Chicago&#x27;s next big landmark" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/06/04/inside-the-obama-presidential-center-before-opening-day" target="_self">Obama Presidential Center</a> opens to the public Friday, but Chicagoans are already panning one part of the project: the 225-foot Museum Tower. <ul><li>Social media has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="roasted the design" data-vars-click-url="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/06/17/obama-center-beauty-in-the-beholders-eye-00964455?" data-vars-content-id="0800a119-c998-4a1e-a73f-20b6e7cab76e" data-vars-headline="Obama&#x27;s Museum Tower: Chicago&#x27;s next big landmark" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/06/17/obama-center-beauty-in-the-beholders-eye-00964455?" target="_blank">roasted the design</a>, likening it to a mausoleum, while <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Guardian" data-vars-click-url="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/jun/02/klingon-prison-barack-obamas-presidential-library-chicago" data-vars-content-id="0800a119-c998-4a1e-a73f-20b6e7cab76e" data-vars-headline="Obama&#x27;s Museum Tower: Chicago&#x27;s next big landmark" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/jun/02/klingon-prison-barack-obamas-presidential-library-chicago" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> said it looks like &quot;a Klingon prison.&quot;</li></ul>

7 tips to maximize free Gallagher Way classes

Free 7am exercise classes near Wrigley Field can offer gateway to fitness.

This season I&#x27;ve started working out like a Cubby — or at least close to Wrigley Field.State of play: I&#x27;ve been hitting the free 7am yoga, Pilates, cardio dance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes on the artificial turf at Gallagher Way next to the Friendly Confines.<ul><li>And I love it!</li></ul>Zoom in: Teachers deliver clear, competent and enthusiastic instruction, classmates are considerate and supportive. And the location inspires. <figure><img alt="Outdoor group yoga class in a city plaza; dozens of people in athletic wear twist and reach with arms raised. A tall glass building and a large digital billboard loom in the background under a gray sky." height="2776" id="1054c003-e56c-4b99-a19f-812ea32bd34d" src="https://images.axios.com/ZHyFInVRjFGj0lTTzfT-3EsO-lM=/2026/06/15/1781486522050.jpeg" width="3606"/><figcaption>Monica tries her hand at yoga with dozens of others at Gallagher Way. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios</figcaption></figure>Hot tips: Sign your<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" safety waiver " data-vars-click-url="https://www.gallagherway.com/fitness" data-vars-content-id="d20b3d5d-90fc-4082-a255-0cd8392594c7" data-vars-headline="7 tips to maximize free Gallagher Way classes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.gallagherway.com/fitness" target="_blank"> safety waiver </a>before you arrive to save time.<ul><li>Bring a water bottle, towel and mat on Pilates, dance and yoga days. You don&#x27;t need a mat for HIIT.</li><li>Take a bike or CTA if possible, as parking can be limited.</li><li>If you prefer shade, grab a spot closer to the stadium since the strip near Clark gets very sunny by the end of class.</li><li>Check the Gallagher Way <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="socials" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/gallagherwaychi" data-vars-content-id="d20b3d5d-90fc-4082-a255-0cd8392594c7" data-vars-headline="7 tips to maximize free Gallagher Way classes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/gallagherwaychi" target="_blank">socials</a> to see if classes are canceled for special events or weather.</li><li>While many people attend with pals, the classes don&#x27;t feel cliquish for those — like me — who go solo.</li><li>Beware of the HIIT class. It is tough. Don&#x27;t be like me. Pace yourself.</li></ul>Friction point: Some yogis might not dig the sounds of generators, semi-trucks and leaf blowers during class. My hope: That these early classes near my house can inspire me to become a morning exercise person and even join a real fitness club.If you go: The Gallagher Way <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fitness Series" data-vars-click-url="https://www.gallagherway.com/events/fitness" data-vars-content-id="d20b3d5d-90fc-4082-a255-0cd8392594c7" data-vars-headline="7 tips to maximize free Gallagher Way classes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.gallagherway.com/events/fitness" target="_blank">Fitness Series</a> offers Pilates on Monday, yoga on Tuesday and Thursday, HIIT on Wednesday and cardio dance on Friday through Oct. 2.

Chicago wins big at Beards in lots of ways

Creepies, Akahoshi, Cellar Door Provisions, Daisies, Bar Kumiko and Lula Cafe top the list.

Chicago may have snagged just one James Beard chef award Monday night, but the city&#x27;s restaurants scored other benefits from food writers, critics and chefs who packed dining rooms across town during awards week.State of play: Chef Jake Potashnick, whose Ukrainian Village restaurant Feld has wowed Chicago diners with its seasonality and inventiveness, took home a medal for Best Chef Great Lakes.

The 13 best things we ate during Beard weekend

Dishes range from Beverly bbq and Uptown Michelada oysters to Evanston brisket and Northbrook lamburgers.

Monday night, Chicago will host the 2026 James Beard chef and restaurant awards at the Civic Opera House following a weekend of events showcasing our gorgeous weather, warm hospitality and delicious food. Why it matters: The annual &quot;Oscars of food&quot; generate tourism, revenue, and a lot of great buzz for the city, even as some <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="choose to paint a different picture" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/16/trump-pritzker-national-guard-chicago-crime-memphis-ice" data-vars-content-id="6a5719f5-e4c9-4d19-a288-9d3fc48c2264" data-vars-headline="The 13 best things we ate during Beard weekend" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/16/trump-pritzker-national-guard-chicago-crime-memphis-ice" target="_self">choose to paint a different picture</a>.

Guillotine brings authentic French pastries to Chicago

Guillotine brings French ingredients and cool vibes to its new spot in Chicago.

The new West Town bakery Guillotine is French in every way — from the butter to the pastries to the way you order.What to expect: French-style laminated pastries, like pain suisse, pain du chocolat, croissants, raisin swirl and French cinnamon rolls (no thick cream cheese frosting on these).<ul><li>Guillotine opens June 17 at 1711 W. Chicago in West Town.</li></ul>

ð¨ Weekend traffic alert for June 26-28, 2026

Source: Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication. Chart: Monica Eng/Axios

Neighborhoods

Chicago Fourth of July quiz: Test your knowledge of local traditions

A Chicagoan's quest to visit every public library branch

Why Chicago sees LGBTQ+ tourism as a growing economic opportunity

Traffic snarls to avoid in Chicago this weekend

Food Fight: Who makes Chicago's best jibarito?