THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO - WEEKEND FESTIVALS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Downtown Chicago is going to be filled with activities this weekend with two major events.
The first is the ever popular Chicago Blues Festival. This weekend will mark it's 25th annual anniversary. It will be held in Grant Park, June 5-8, 2008 and offer music that is not to be missed. This is the largest free admission Blues festival in the world. It boasts to have the best national, international and local Blues entertainment. Artists will perform on six stages with more than 70 shows, which will be followed by a month of Blues activities throughout Chicago. In commemoration of the 25th Annual event, the festival will feature a quarter of a century of the blues festival highlights and also celebrate the centennials of Louis Jordan, Tommy McLennan, and Blind John Davis. For additional details click here
And if that is not enough, there is also the 24th annual anniversary of Chicago's very own Printers Row Book Fair. Sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, this fair is the largest outdoor literary event in the Midwest and is expected to draw up to 100,000 people. This event is located in Chicago's historic Printers Row neighborhood on June 7 and 8.
Programs will take place at the Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library, 400 S. State St.; University Center, 525 S. State St.; and in tents along Dearborn Street. All events are free, though some programs at the Harold Washington Library Center may require advance registration through the Fair website.
Approximately 200 authors scheduled to appear. Listed may be a few of your favorite:
Karen Abbott: The author of "Sin in the Second City" discusses her debut novel on the Heartland Stage. Abbott once worked as a journalist at Philadelphia magazine and Philadelphia Weekly.
Elizabeth Berg: The Chicago native and best-selling author of "Dream When You're Feeling Blue" and "Open House," which was an Oprah's Book Club Selection, and will be on the Heartland Stage to talk about her newest collection of short stories, "The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted."
Augusten Burroughs: The best-selling author of "Running with Scissors" and "Dry" will attend the fair to promote "A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father," his latest book, at the Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library.
Sen. Tom Daschle: The former U.S. Senate Majority Leader discusses "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis" at the University Center. Daschle who is a Democrat from South Dakota, is also currently a visiting professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute.
Garry Wills: A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and Northwestern University professor will talk about his latest book, "What the Gospels Meant," at the University Center.
Additionally, famed author S.E. Hinton has been named the recipient of the 2008 Chicago Tribune Young Adult Book Prize. Hinton is best known for writing "The Outsiders," which has sold more than 8 million copies since it was first published in 1967. She has also authored "That Was Then, This Is Now," "Rumble Fish" and "Tex." She will be honored and receive her award at the Fair on Saturday, June 7, at the Harold Washington Library. The Chicago Tribune established the Prize for Young Adult Fiction in 2002 to honor a writer whose work especially resonates with adolescents -- those between 12 and 18 -- and speaks to their role and significance in society.
There is also a Kids Corner which will host children's entertainment and activities. Our own Shedd Aquarium is featuring Justin Roberts, David Algrim, Chris Fascione and Magical Nature Tales from Vered Hankin. Grab a bite to eat and stop for wine tasting too. What a treat. Don't miss it!
JENNIFER GARRITY & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
