What's Happening in West Town Chicago

The Week of April 29, 2024

On view as part of The JEFF Show at Black Artists Network, one of our new West Town Pop Up Project tenants located at 1901 W. Chicago Avenue, opening this Friday, 5/3, in alignment with West Town First Fridays.

Hello, West Towners!


Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and are looking forward to a busy and fulfilling week ahead. We are so excited for this month's West Town First Fridays programming, which promises to be one of the most robust and busy lineups yet! With a total of 13 participating locations this month (and counting!), we hope you'll take a look at our map and plan a route in advance that will ensure you're able to see as much art as possible throughout our vibrant gallery district. We are particularly excited to have such robust participation amongst galleries on and around Grand Ave and throughout the Kinzie Industrial Corridor this month.


Lastly, we are so thrilled to welcome Black Artists Network to the neighborhood as part of our West Town Pop Up Project. BAN will open on Friday with a solo show of works by Jeff Rivers.



Happy exploring!


Best,


Kaylen Ralph

Director of Communications & Marketing, West Town Chamber of Commerce

Monday, 4/29/24

6-10pm: Cozy up and get ready to sing - Dorothy's monthly queer karaoke night THE LIVING ROOM aims to create an environment that makes you feel as comfortable as you do in your own home! Hosted by Dorothy's own E. Leverton, join us the final Monday of every month for FREE karaoke!Doors are at 6pm and singing kicks off at 6:30pm! Arrive early to sign up and secure the best and coziest seating in the house. RSVP here.

6-8pm: Pro/Am Open Mic Night Every Monday. 6 - 8 PM. Signups @ 5 PM. Join On Tour this (and every Monday) from 6 - 8 PM. Come on in for a night of free live music brought to you by Chicago’s most talented musicians, both known and undiscovered. Sign up starts at 5 PM. Beer time starts at 4. See you there!

Tuesday, 4/30/24

2pm: The West Town Chamber of Commerce will be at The Hospitality & Tourism Summit Chicago,

presenting partner, Illinois Office of Tourism, on April 30 at Navy Pier! Join us and more than 110 other exhibitors to connect, learn, and build business before the busy summer season! Learn more and get tickets here.

Wednesday, 5/1/24

6-7:30pm: Join Dorothy on May 1st as our Chef and Owner Zoe Schor pops up with us to shuck oysters on the spot until they run out! Paired with martini specials and a cozy Wednesday night in your favorite lesbian bar - it's a night not to be missed. Zoe will be shucking oysters from the east coast for $3.50/ea with serve yourself cocktail sauce and lemon wedges - sold in person until we run out. $10 martini specials all night! RSVP here.

Thursday, 5/2/24

May 2-June 9: Two men survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible looming just outside. Turret is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation. A claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem. Learn more and purchase tickets here via Chopin Theatre.

6-8pm: We’re helping you get a jump on the perfect Mother’s Day gift! Join watercolor artist and educator, Alexandra Hibshman, for a Mother’s Day Workshop at On Tour. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn the basics of watercolor and then dive right into painting beautiful and unique Mother’s Day cards. Consider this as a Mother’s Day gift by registering you and your mom for this fun event. What is better than quality time, creativity and a drink! (Your first beer is included with your ticket!) Purchase here.

6:30pm: Beer & Bingo every Thursday at 6:30 in the Goose Island Fulton Street Taproom!

6:45-9:45pm: Ready to meet some like-minded people and get the weekend started a little early? Tonight's the night! West Town Social Club will have icebreakers and fun activities at Desert Hawk (2049 W Division St) from 6:45-9:45pm, and all participants will get discounts on margaritas, wines and Busch Light drafts. RSVP here.

Friday, 5/3/24

6-10pm: The businesses of the Hubbard Street Lofts are coming together once again to showcase art exhibitions, open studios, and a variety of unique activities and experiences! Participants include Art/Work Coworking, Fulton Street Collective, Salon Hex, Spudnik Press and more!

6-8pm: Get ready for the busiest West Town First Fridays event yet and explore 13 participating locations throughout West Town's vibrant gallery scene in one night! This month's lineup includes an open house at Hubbard Streets Lofts, opening receptions at Filter Photo, Chicago Artists Coalition, Vertical Gallery, Chicago Fine Art Salon, LivingRoom Realty and ARC Gallery; open hours at A Very Serious Gallery, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, West Town Unwind, and Creative Coworking; a special opening with Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art in our Member Exhibition Space; and the grand opening of Black Artists Network, one of our new West Town Pop Up Project tenants.


Check out all of the programming details here and and the May map here.

7pm: Get your Cinco de Mayo weekend started right with West Town Social Club! This is your chance to meet some cool new people, have some drinks, eat some tacos, and enjoy a night at one of West Town's best venues. Fun activities/icebreakers will be in place to keep you on your toes (in a good way). Additionally, all attendees will get $25 Corona/Corona Seltzer buckets and $10 margaritas. Even better, every attendee will get the chance to win a bucket courtesy of WTSC! RSVP here.

3:30-6pm: Join Nettare for a new series as we explore our midwestern beer, wine and spirits selection with select tastings in our retail space for happy hour on Fridays. This week we will be tasting through the excellent portfolio of whiskey from Far North Distilling.

Saturday, 5/4/24

5/4 & 5/5, 12-7pm: Chicago, On Tour's past LUCKYMARTS blew us away, so we’re doing it all again on May 4 + 5 with over 60 vendors selling incredible vintage finds, artisan goods, original artwork, and MORE! Grab a Reprise West Coast IPA and peruse local and handmade goods. It’s the perfect way to start your holiday weekend.

12:30pm: TTB Dance & Fitness and Chicago Golf Gals are teaming up for Yoga for Galfers! TTB will be leading a restorative class that will improve flexibility and mobility for golfers. We'll focus on those muscles that get overworked doing golf, give your body a little extra TLC and help you perform better on the gold course. Purchase tickets here.

4-8pm: The debut solo show from Chicago Graffiti artist, ZEYE ONE at Chicago Truborn. "A journey through overcoming loss and addiction, unlearning bad habits, letting go of certain people. I paint and sculpt the things that remind me to keep going and to keep being that strong, bad ass, wolf that I am."

9pm: Mac’s Wood Grilled hosts a no-cover UFC 301 Viewing Party Saturday, May 4. The headliner features UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in his second title defense against contender Steve Erceg. The co-main pits Jonathan Martinez against José Aldo in a bantamweight battle. Additional main card bouts: Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino (light heavyweight); Michel Pereira vs. Ihor Potieria (middleweight); and Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho (middleweight).Watch UFC 301 on 17 Ultra HDTVs with sound; all tables have direct views of multiple TVs (no obstructed views). Drink deals include $4 Paddy Irish Whiskey shots, $5 Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey shots, $5 vodka Mules, $4 Pink Whitney Vodka shots, $5 Bloody Marys, and $5 house vodka cocktails (excludes Red Bull). NO RESERVATIONS. Seating is first come, first served. No cover charge: food and drink prices vary. The viewing party is a 21+ event. Mac’s Wood Grilled is open from 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Saturday, May 4; the main card pay-per-view starts at 9 p.m. CST/CDT.

Seasonal Menus, Programming & Opportunities

Mac’s Wood Grilled celebrates Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby by adding all-day Cinco de Derby specials Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5. All-day drink deals include: $4 Corona bottles, $4 Modelo bottles, $6 Teremana Tequila Blanco shots, and $10 Maker’s Mark Mint Juleps, which are made with housemade mint simple syrup and fresh mint. Additional specials include a $16 Steak Fajita dinner, with skirt steak and red and green peppers, plus sides of Mexican rice and refried beans with queso fresco.

 

On Saturday, May 4, watch the Kentucky Derby Undercard starting at 1:30 p.m. and Kentucky Derby 150 live on 17 Ultra HDTVs (5:57 p.m. approximate post time). Toast the Run for the Roses with a Maker’s Mark Mint Julep or choose from the daily drink deal lineup: $4 Paddy’s Irish Whiskey shots, $4 Pink Whitney shots, $5 Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey shots, $5 house vodka Mules, $5 Bloody Marys, and $5 house vodka cocktails (excludes Red Bull).

Goody Vault New Showroom Location! First, we want to express our gratitude for a successful run in the WTCC Popup Project. Thank you for your support! We have moved and are open for business in the Flat Iron in Wicker Park. We invite you to schedule a visit or visit during our open house!

Paulo Gelato & Chocolate is back! Open everyday and with a new product…our S’mores Hot Chocolate! Choose your favorite hot chocolate, paired with marshmallow fluff & your favorite gelato scoop!

Deals for Subscribers

The Thompson at Fulton Market: Luxury apartment building located at the corner of Lake and Ashland housing 210 units. View more photos.

Get your first class with Through The Body for $10! Use code FIRST10 at checkout. Sign up for classes at throughthebody.com

Enjoy over 10,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor play areas! PupStars Pet Care offers many pet services including: Daycare, Boarding, Grooming, In-home pet care (dog walking, cat sitting, overnights), Transportation, Retail & so much more!

Interested in showcasing your business's events and offerings in our weekly newsletter? Inclusion in the WHWT newsletter is just one marketing and PR benefit of membership with the West Town Chamber of Commerce. Learn more and apply to be a Member here.

Did you know that the West Town Chamber provides a variety of technical assistance, programs, and services for the small businesses in West Town and beyond? As a Neighborhood Business Development Center, we provide free support to help local entrepreneurs on a hyper-local level. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help!

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