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Five things to do in Chicago, from the obvious to the absurd.

Thursday Jun 04, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Lifestyle Feed

Chicago Gospel Music Festival
Saturday-Sunday at Millennium Park; free
If you grew up dreading those boring Sunday mornings at church, you owe it to yourself to check out this lively festival, where sermons take a backseat to soul. Featured artists include five-time Grammy winner Donnie McClurkin, The Voices of Acme Missionary Baptist Church Choir (named the best in the U.S.) and American Idol Season 3 winner Fantasia, who will perform with her mother, Diane Barrino, on Sunday.

Metronome Celebration
Saturday-Sunday; $5
This first-year fest is serious about music (five stages will showcase everyone from John Vanderslice and Future Rock to Deals Gone Bad and Justin Townes Earle). It's also serious about the environment, as organizers aim to set the standard for sustainable business practices and will present an award for area residents with green ideas.

Printers' Row Lit Fest
Saturday-Sunday; free
If you're still on the hunt for summer beach reading, this event—featuring more than 200 booksellers—is a must. After you shop, stick around for readings and panel discussions including authors like Dave Eggers, Neil Gaiman and Aleksander Hemon.

Galapagos4 10th Anniversary Festival
6 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Reggie's Rock Club; $15-$18
It's hard to believe, but it really has been 10 years since local hip-hop label Galapagos4 Records dropped its first release, The Blackbook Sessions. To commemorate the occasion, all the G4 contributors will be coming out of the woodwork, including the flagship Typical Cats and some surprise special guests There will be two shows; if you buy tickets to the late one, you'll get into the early, all-ages show for just $12. It's sure to be packed, grimy and full of unexpected turns, so make sure you get your tickets now for what'll be an exhausting day of raw Chicago hip-hop.

U.S. Air Guitar Championships (Chicago Regional)
9 p.m. Saturday at Metro; $15
Even the winners go home empty-handed at this one. The slogan says it all: "25 cities. 1 winner. 0 guitars." It's a little late to sign up to compete, but you can still enjoy all the fake-strummers making fools out of themselves on the Metro stage. Just think, if one of them makes it all the way to Finland for the world championships, you can say you knew him (or her) when.