There’s a riot going on! Riot Fest has taken over Douglas Park from Friday 9/15 through Sunday 9/17, but there are plenty of other events happening this weekend, too; here’s some of what we recommend:
Through Sun 9/17: Expo Chicago, the city’s biggest annual art event, returns to Navy Pier (600 E. Grand) with 135 galleries representing 25 countries and 58 cities. See our preview coverage, a report from the opening night Vernissage, and a piece on the local artists and galleries involved. Fri-Sat 11 AM-7 PM, Sun 11 AM-6 PM, $20 one day, $40 full festival
Fri 9/15: Writer and director Heather Frink screens her new film at iO Theater (1501 N. Kingsbury). The movie, Inside You, is about a couple who switch bodies after using a magical sex toy. Gives a new visual to conjuring a genie by rubbing a lamp. 11:55 PM, free
Fri 9/15: The Reader‘s Oliver Sava writes of Dancing With the Garden of the Phoenix at Jackson Park (6401 S. Stony Island): “Leaving Chicago convinced German choreographer Nejla Yatkin that she needed to be making art for Chicago. While traveling the globe for a year-long project, Yatkin got a taste of how the rest of the world perceives her hometown—negatively—and returned on a mission to showcase the city’s beauty.” 6 PM, free
Through Sun 9/17: Over the years, the warehouses on Ravenswood along the Metra tracks have been converted from industrial sites to artist lofts. The Ravenswood Art Walk, spanning Ravenswood from Irving Park to Leland, is an opportunity to view local work and practice ballroom dancing. Sat and Sun 11 AM-6 PM, $5 suggested donation
Sat 9/16: Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant people alive, has for years warned that the end of days is coming soon. F*ck You, Stephen Hawking! at Drinking & Writing Theater (737 W. Randolph) revolves around a married couple plunged into an existential crisis by their inability to contribute anything meaningful toward saving the multiverse. 4 PM, $15
Sat 9/16: To commemorate what would be Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday, the Chicago Architecture Biennial kicks off its tours of Wright’s buildings erected from here all the way up to Racine, Wisconsin. Tours leave from the Chicago Cultural Center (77 E. Randolph), and last the majority of the day. 9 and 10:30 AM, free
Sun 9/17: The Whole of the Moon by Brian Rogers weaves together the narratives of six disparate characters linked by one thing: they’ve all checked out the same public library copy of The Great Gatsby. Rogers shares excerpts at 57th Street Books (1301 E. 57th), and given he’s a former stand-up comic, expect jokes.
For more things to do this weekend—and every day—visit our Agenda page.