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Chicago Street Festival Season Opens This Weekend Across Lincoln Square, West Town and Portage Park
May 30, 2026
The Memorial Day weekend marks the point each year when Chicago’s outdoor calendar reawakens, and the weekend of May 29–31 makes the season’s defining pattern visible right away. Rather than one marquee gathering, the city opens with several neighborhood festivals running at once, scattered from the North Side to the
The Guitar Is Back: How Rock and Indie Music Are Winning Over a New Generation
May 29, 2026
By: Conor Murray For the better part of a decade, the guitar was eulogized. Streaming algorithms favored trap hi-hats over power chords, and the conventional wisdom held that rock music had aged out of cultural relevance. That consensus is now being dismantled, one distorted riff at a time. Walk into
Midnight Trains, Broken Elevators, and the Discipline of Not Quitting
May 29, 2026
By: Connor Clarke There is a moment most people never see. It is not the diagnosis. Not the accident. Not even the first time someone sits in a wheelchair and realizes life just shifted permanently. The real moment comes later. Quiet. Uncelebrated. Usually at night. For Eugen Ehrenberg, that moment
John David Castilla and the Dynamics of Regional Film Markets in the American Midwest and Southeast
May 27, 2026
In the last twenty years, there has been a growth in the production of films that are produced outside Los Angeles and New York; states such as Georgia and Illinois are creating a positive environment for an overall industry ecosystem. These states’ tax incentives, existing production facilities, and skilled crew
Bruno Mars Brings The Romantic Tour to Soldier Field for Two Nights, Kicking Off Chicago’s Summer Concert Season
May 16, 2026
Soldier Field opens its 2026 concert season this weekend with one of the most anticipated tour stops in the city’s spring calendar. Bruno Mars brings The Romantic Tour to the lakefront stadium for two nights, Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17, with both shows scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and
Barry Maher’s The Great Dick Crashes Literary Satire Into Occult Horror With Glorious Bad Intentions
May 15, 2026
By: MR Dowling Some novels politely ask for your attention. The Great Dick: And the Dysfunctional Demon kicks open the door smelling like whiskey, grave dirt, bad decisions, and 3 a.m. regret. Barry Maher’s fiction debut is chaotic, vulgar, weirdly intelligent, occasionally unhinged, and far more emotionally aware than it
Uptown Poetry Slam Founder Marc Kelly Smith Donates Archive to Chicago’s Newberry Library
May 13, 2026
Chicago’s claim as the birthplace of the modern poetry slam now has a permanent home in one of the city’s most important research institutions. Marc Kelly Smith, the founder of the Uptown Poetry Slam, has formally donated his personal archive of the influential performance poetry event to the Newberry Library,
Starting From the Breaking Point with Marsha Gauthier
May 2, 2026
By: Robert Klein Marsha doesn’t ease into the conversation about faith. She starts at the fracture. Losing her mother didn’t just leave grief behind; it left questions that wouldn’t quiet down. The kind that replays in your head late at night, twisting into something heavier each time. For her, it
When Faith Feels Out of Reach
May 2, 2026
By: Sofia Navarro There’s a version of faith that looks steady from the outside. Disciplined. Certain. Consistent. Then there’s the version most people actually live. Uneven, quiet, sometimes absent for long stretches, then suddenly urgent when life tightens its grip. Ginger doesn’t write from the polished version. She writes from
Billy Donovan Steps Away From Bulls After Six Seasons — and the Rebuild Begins for Real
April 30, 2026
CHICAGO, April 29, 2026 — The Billy Donovan era in Chicago is over. After six seasons, one playoff appearance, and a final year that saw the Bulls gut their roster at the trade deadline, trade away foundational veterans, and finish 31-51, the Hall of Fame head coach informed ownership he
Chicago Owns May Day — And This Year, the Whole Country Is Watching
April 29, 2026
There is no city in America with a stronger claim to May Day than Chicago. The holiday did not originate in a foreign capital or in the pages of a political manifesto. It was born here, on the streets of this city, in May 1886, when tens of thousands of
Award-Winning Bass Player A M M Newaj Sharif Gains U.S. Recognition
April 29, 2026
Bassist, stage performer, and music educator A M M Newaj Sharif, professionally known as Bassman Newaj, is gaining recognition in the United States following a distinguished career in Bangladesh and abroad. Born on January 7, 1994, Sharif has built a reputation as a versatile and accomplished bass guitarist. Known for
Chicago Latino Film Festival Closes 42nd Edition on April 27 After 12-Day Run at Landmark Century Centre
April 28, 2026
The 42nd Chicago Latino Film Festival concludes its 2026 edition on Monday, April 27, capping a 12-day program that brought 51 feature films and 31 shorts from across Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal, and the United States to Chicago audiences. Presented by the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago
Seth Panitch Explores Reinvention and Self-Worth in Antique
April 23, 2026
By: Sarah Wallace Seth Panitch has spent decades telling stories in many forms, from Shakespearean performance and directing to filmmaking and playwriting. After receiving his MFA from the University of Washington’s Professional Actors Training Program, he built a wide-ranging career at Shakespeare festivals across the country, including Colorado, Utah, Texas,
Chicago Is the World’s Stage: UNESCO International Jazz Day 2026 Brings the Planet to the City This April
April 17, 2026
The city of Chicago is currently serving as the official Global Host City for the 15th anniversary of International Jazz Day. This April, the city has transformed into a focal point for the global music community, marking a dual milestone as the world celebrates both the anniversary of this UNESCO
When Love Faces Its Quietest Enemy
April 17, 2026
By Adrian Cole In Twinkle of Doubt: A Celestial Bodies Romance, Patricia Leavy takes readers somewhere romance stories do not always linger long enough. Into the fragile territory of doubt. Not dramatic betrayal. Not heartbreak. Something quieter and more familiar. The small, persistent voice that wonders whether we are truly
23 Years, 12 Novels and Countless Mysteries in Wendy Roberts’ Evolving Imagination
April 11, 2026
Where Every Story Begins: Mornings in Silence, Unwritten Pages Wendy Roberts is already at her desk before the whole world has woken up. The sunlight in Vancouver is diffuse at first, welcoming rather than dictatorial. It has coffee to be had, a blank page on the screen, and the inaudible
A Dangerous Friendship by Robin Merle Explores Power and Desire
April 9, 2026
By Julian Mercer Friendships often begin with excitement. New energy. New possibilities. A feeling that life has suddenly become bigger. But sometimes the same relationship that sparks reinvention slowly turns into something darker. That tension drives A Dangerous Friendship, a psychological novel that blends dark humor, nightlife chaos, and emotional
EXPO Chicago Returns to Navy Pier April 9–12 — and South Side Night Kicks Off the Week Tonight
April 8, 2026
Chicago’s annual contemporary art fair opens at Navy Pier this Thursday, but the programming has already moved into the neighborhoods — and tonight, the South Side takes center stage. EXPO CHICAGO, the city’s largest annual gathering of contemporary and modern art, returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall for its 13th
D’yan Forest, Guinness World Records’ Oldest Working Female Comedian, Makes Chicago Debut with Chicago Jewish Alliance
April 8, 2026
By: Sarah Gartner Guinness World Records’ oldest working female comedian, D’yan Forest, is bringing her one-woman show, “D’yan Forest: A Gefilte Fish Out of Water,” to Chicago in partnership with the Chicago Jewish Alliance. The show will take place at the Skokie Theatre on June 18th, with doors opening at
How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Staycation in Chicago This Summer
April 3, 2026
Chicago does not need a departure gate to deliver a memorable summer. The city’s neighborhoods, waterfront, food scene, and cultural institutions offer enough to fill weeks of discovery without a checked bag or a boarding pass. For residents who want to slow down, spend intentionally, and actually experience the city
The Sound of Resilience Behind Marcus Jordan’s Gospel Journey
March 27, 2026
By: Ethan Lee The gospel music industry is witnessing a powerful shift as independent artists break through traditional barriers to reach global audiences. For many listeners, the challenge lies in finding music that feels both professionally polished and spiritually authentic. In an era of manufactured sounds, there is a growing
Tejas Desai’s Bad Americans Part II Explores Power, Identity, and Truth in a Divided America
March 26, 2026
By Devin Wallace In Bad Americans: Part II, author Tejas Desai returns to the world he introduced in the first installment with a deeper, more layered exploration of human behavior under pressure. Rather than offering resolution, the novel opens in the immediate aftermath of a charged accusation, setting the tone
At 86, One Author’s Questions Still Outnumber His Answers
March 21, 2026
Most books about faith begin with certainty. Know, Trust, Abandon begins with questions. Written by Gerald Mackrell, an 86-year-old retired industry professional, the book does not attempt to persuade through doctrine or instruction. Instead, it reflects a lifetime spent returning repeatedly to the same fundamental uncertainties that define human existence:
Festival Recognition and the Rise of Structured Visual Storytelling in the Work of Dominic Goodie
March 13, 2026
In the current world of independent film, the ever-changing production models and audience preferences continue to alter the role of screenwriting. With many screenwriters now acting as directors or producers in addition to their role as screenwriters, these and other changes reflect the fact that they are architects of a
Breaking the Cycle: A Father-and-Son Conversation on Faith, Legacy, and Healing
March 7, 2026
By: Lennard James On February 5 at 8:00 PM EST, The Talk Live will host a rare and compelling intergenerational conversation as Bishop Keith McQueen sits down with his father, Pastor Keith Lewers, to explore one of the most resonant topics in modern faith discourse: breaking generational curses. Presented by
High Stakes in Paradise: David Myles Robinson Introduces a Compelling Legal Thriller Series with Tropical Lies
March 3, 2026
By Clint Wallace Legal thrillers thrive on tension, moral uncertainty, and the high drama of the courtroom. In Tropical Lies, author David Myles Robinson brings all of those elements together against the striking backdrop of Hawaii, launching the Pancho McMartin Legal Thrillers series with a case that tests the limits
Community Leadership, Public Service, and the Civic Engagement Record of Eric J. Bartosz
February 27, 2026
Community leadership can often be cultivated in many regions of the country through years of volunteer efforts, public committee service, and collaboration with local government. Nationally, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, over 60 million Americans participated in organized volunteerism in 2023. This level of commitment has