Axios Chicago Weekender

July 03, 2025
👋🏾 Hey, friends! What's the Fourth without fireworks? Plus, it's a three-day weekend so even more opps to check out what's happening in the Chi.
Today's newsletter is 793 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: How to celebrate July 4th weekend
You can catch Chicago's fireworks on Saturday this year, but here are some other ways to enjoy the holiday weekend in the city and 'burbs.
- The South Side parade features marching bands, live music and fun for the whole family.
- Parade tomorrow, 11am, and the festival is noon–3pm at Nichols Park in Hyde Park.
- Free.
🍻 Red, White and Brew Bar Crawl
- Grab a pal and your best fit for an evening of patriotic bar hopping.
- Tomorrow, 4-11pm, at PB&J: Pizza, Beer and Jukebox in Fulton Market.
- Tickets start at $14.79.
- Eat and celebrate all day with a beautiful view of the city skyline.
- Tomorrow, 11am-8pm, at Offshore Rooftop on Navy Pier.
- Tickets start at $23.18.
🎆 Suburban Parades and Fireworks
- Tomorrow, 2pm, at Central Street and Central Park Avenue.
- Fireworks: Tonight, 9:15pm, at McCullough Park
- Parade: Tomorrow, 10am, downtown at Benton and Broadway Streets.
- Parade: Tomorrow at 1pm at Main and Grant.
- Fireworks: Tomorrow, 9:30pm at 75th Street and Lemont Road.
- Fireworks: Tomorrow, 9:30pm at Frontier Sports Complex.
- Remembrance Tomorrow, 9am, and parade at 11am downtown.
2. More things to do this weekend in Chicago
NASCAR street race is back, yoga takes over the beach and dance to Afrobeats in the West Loop this weekend.
- Celebrate the art and culture of Tango with hands-on dance sessions, or step inside the ballroom to enjoy evening dance performances.
- Today—Sunday, beginning at 11am, at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in the West Loop.
- Tickets start at $39.19.
- Jam out to live music all weekend at this outdoor festival, featuring 40 different performances from artists like The Wallflowers, Samantha Fish, The Cactus Blossoms and many more.
- Today—Sunday, 4-11:30pm, at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn.
- Tickets start at $71.25.
- Kick it with great tunes and tasty BBQ from local eateries at this outdoor food fest.
- Today—Sunday 3-9pm, at 4750-4751 S. Vernon Ave. in McCook.
- Tickets start at $15.
🏎️ NASCAR Chicago Street Race: Grant Park 165
- Experience NASCAR racing through the heart of the city.
- Friday and Saturday, times vary, in Grant Park.
- Tickets start at $99.
Flashback: Go behind the scenes with us to relive some of our favorite moments from last year.
- Stop by for housemade pizzas, charcuterie and desserts.
- Friday, 3-7pm, at Eataly.
- Tickets start at $28.
- The Pride celebration continues with this live drag show on wheels!
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30-9pm, leaving from 209 W. Lake St.
- Tickets start at $60.86.
- Stretch your body and calm your mind with a refreshing morning workout along the lakefront.
- Sunday, 10-11am, at 31st Street Beach.
- Tickets start at $ 13.84.
- Experience a Sunday Funday at this party featuring Afrobeats, Soca, Hip-Hop, Latin vibes, and more!
- Sunday 3-9pm, at Recess, in the West Loop.
- Tickets start at $23.81.
- Calling all Sade fans! Experience this Sade-inspired art exhibit and dance party.
- Sunday, 4–9pm, at Hoste in Pilsen.
- Free but RSVP here.
- Grab the snacks to watch this popular drama-filled Netflix series with your neighborhood crew.
- Sunday, 8-10:30pm, at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in River North.
- Free but RSVP.
- Step into the jungle for tasty bites, specialty drinks and photo-ops at this family friendly Jurassic Park-themed pop-up restaurant.
- Times vary at Neon Gardens in Lincoln Park.
- Reserve a table.
3. New movies and shows streaming this week
Here's what's new on Prime Video, Max, Disney+, Paramount+ and Netflix.
What we're watching: A new, star-studded action film, a documentary on a groundbreaking magazine and the sequel to 2020's "The Old Guard."
"Heads of State" available now on Prime Video
State of play: John Cena and Idris Elba play the leaders of the U.S. and U.K., respectively, in this buddy action comedy also starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Jack Quaid.
"Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print" available now on Max
Zoom in: This documentary explores the origin of the trailblazing "Ms." magazine and three of its most iconic cover stories. Available now
"The Old Guard 2" available now on Netflix
The intrigue: Academy award nominees Uma Thurman and Chiwetel Ejiofor star alongside Charlize Theron ("Andy") as her team of immortal warriors faces a new threat.
Catch up quick: At the end of "The Old Guard," Andy's mortality mysteriously leaves her, Nile (played KiKi Layne) becomes immortal and joins the group, and Booker (played by Matthias Schoenaerts) is punished for his sins and exiled.
"Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel" on Netflix
- This chapter in Netflix's "Trainwreck" series dives into the rise of fashion brand American Apparel and the self-inflicted undoing of its founder, Dov Charney. Available now
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