Prost! on Paulina
Begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Frasca Pizzeria & Wine Bar; free
This Octoberfest-themed pub crawl brings together a crowd in West Lakeview for food, drink specials and prizes. The night begins at Frasca with $3 Sam Adams Octoberfest and free slices (one per person) of Octoberfest beer-crusted pizza (the restaurant will also have a one-night-only special pie, featuring German Brats with wood-roasted onions, available for $10), then moves on to Finley Dunne's Tavern, The Shire, Fizz Bar & Grill and The Pony.
Hyde Park Jazz Festival Saturday in Hyde Park; free This 14-hour, multi-venue event is like a marathon for music fans, and, like any long race, the true rewards are near the finish line, with exciting performers like 8 Bold Souls, Garaj Mahal and Dee Alexander. Remember to pace yourself and stay hydrated as you travel to unlikely music spots like the
International House of Chicago, Hyde Park Bank and
Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center.
Chinatown Moon Festival
noon-10 p.m. Saturday at 2100 S. Wentworth
The Chicago version of this traditional Chinese harvest celebration offers up Chinese dances, Kung Fu demonstrations, a family talent show, food (try the mooncakes, flaky pastries stuffed with a variety of fillings like egg yolk and red bean paste), an Elvis impersonator and more.
Rib-a-Que Smoke-Out
noon-6 p.m. Saturday at Moonshine; $25 in advance, $35 at the door
If you're not quite up for the orgy of culinary masters that will be the second Chicago Gourmet at Millennium Park, this more chill event is a good substitute (and one of those high-class chefs, Stephanie Izard, will be a celebrity judge along with Chris Koetke of Kendall College). But you'd better like ribs, as there will be tons of options to choose from - plus $5 Jack Daniels Lynchburg Lemonade and Downhome Punch, $4 pints/$12 pitchers of Moonshine beers and live music from Matt Tyner, Chris Gelbuda and the Steve Sebby Trio.
Banned Books Read-Out
noon Saturday at Bughouse Square (901 N. Clark); free
Lolita. Tropic of Cancer. 1984. These are just a few of the many fine books that have been banned or at least threatened with censorship over the years. Banned Books Week, which begins on Saturday and runs through October 3, is one way to fight back. Things kick off with these annual event featuring several targeted authors reading their work, including Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (And Tango Makes Three), Cecily von Ziegesar (the Gossip Girl series and Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower). City Lit Theatre will also perform work from other frequently challenged authors.
Just missed the cut: Chicago Gourmet, Oktoberfest Chicago, Os Mutantes, The Ting Tings
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