If it's May in Chicago, then you know it's time for the mama and the papa of eco living events: Green Festival Chicago.
For one weekend only at Navy Pier, this Saturday and Sunday, the Green Festival will host DIY workshops, discussions and speakers, a Green Marketplace with the latest sustainable businesses and vendors, an Organic Beer and Wine pavillion, test drives of electric and hybrid vehicles, vegetarian and vegan food, and a Green Kids Zone with free activities for all ages of kids.
Definitely bring the kids and teens to Green Festival because 18 and under are free.
I'm very excited to check out the Green Festival this year, as I learn something new each year as I get discover all the great new local eco offerings around the Midwest and the country.
I'm also thrilled to tell you that Green Parent Chicago readers can get a special FREE weekend pass to the Green Festival. Just visit the festival website here and enter GREENPARENTCHICAGO for a free weekend pass good for both days. (A $20 value!) But, don't wait, it's a limited offer.
Organizers for the new Bellwether cultural fest just announced the performer line-up and schedule for the June date of the 2-weekend fest, and dropped a few hints about which vendors, workshops, and demos to expect.
Workshops and demos will include terrarium-making classes from Logan Square's Fleur, a make-your-own sculpture table workshop by Rebuilding Exchange, and
yarn-spinning classes hosted by Michigan based Videnovich Farms.
On Saturday,
in The Hideout’s back room, film footage from the
Chicago Film Archives will be screened, as well as "rarely-seen amateur sound shorts" from the
vault. Saturday night's after-hours programming from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. includes
sketch comedy show "NED Talks" and a special unannounced film screening. Sunday features the kid-friendly "Adventure Sandwich" and the adult-friendly
"Drunken Spelling Bee."
Sunday morning, Bellwether will host an additional beer
and brunch feast at Ada St. Restaurant with Revolution Brewery
pairings. A limited number of feast tickets will go on sale May 21.
ADMISSION: For day
hours June 8 and 9: suggested is donation $10, kids under 12 are free. For June
8 after-hours: $10 suggested donation.
Sunday feast: limited number of
$50 tickets for sale online on May 21.
LOCATION: Outside The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, along Wabansia (Elston to Throop) and N. Ada St.
WHEN: June 8 from noon to dark with after hours 8 to 10 p.m., and June 9 noon to dark.
Combine food, farm, vintage, collectors, crafters, and artists and what do you get: Bellwether, a new cultural fest and the brainchild of the folks behind local indie favorites The Vintage Bazaar and The Renegade Craft Fair.
Organizers of the fest, to be held on 2 separate weekends at 2 locations describe Bellwether as "a roving Market + Happening + Feast all in one that brings together the finest purveyors, pickers, makers, and doers, as well as curated films, live performances, killer DJs, and food gatherings."
Date, locations and hours for the all-day event are:
The Hideout June 8 and 9 noon to dark after hours: 8-10 p.m.
Garfield Park Conservatory September 21 and 22 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. after hours: Saturday 6 to 9 p.m.
Several years ago at the Green Festival in Chicago, I became acquainted with Creative Pitch and their mission of reusing, reclaiming and redistributing unwanted art and design items to help art students and teachers, therapy programs and non-profits unable to purchase these materials.
So I was very happy to hear that Creative Pitch will be partnering with Whole Foods Market this winter as a One Dime At A Time recipient. Periodically Whole Foods partners with a local non-profit organization for the opportunity to be a One Dime at a Time recipient, a program that allows Whole Foods customers the choice to take $.10 off their purchase when they shop with a recyclable bag and donate the refund to a local cause.
I don't know about you, but oddly in our house, among the recycled cereal boxes, paper tubes and bottlecaps, we often find ourselves with duplicates of basic art supplies. Maybe something gets lost and we replace it too soon, but what better idea than to share the bounty with students and teachers who could really use these items.
So don't toss those incomplete sets of markers, crayons, glue sticks, and paint brushes your kids no longer need; and why not throw in a few of those endless collage items that might just wind up in your vacuum?
For a complete list of needed items and what not to drop off see this list.
Never a fan of huge, crowded events or places, I knew that going to Lollapalooza in a Chicago August would be feat of patience, tolerance...a good sense of humor, and lots of hydration.
So this year, now that my kids are 12 and 7, they're way more adaptable. My youngest is less apt to take to "r-u-n-n-o-f-t", and my eldest is, like most 12-year-olds, really getting into popular music. He requested we check out French boy wonder of EDM, Madeon, on Friday night and Avicii Saturday.
My husband and I had a few requests too, that didn't pan out, but next year, we decided we'll probably reserve one day for adults only.
Illness struck and we never did make it to see Avicii Saturday night. We also didn't get stuck in the big storm evacuation either. Which friends of ours smartly waited out at the nearby movie theatre, watching "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" until the show was back on. What a great idea!
Sunday we stopped by to check out Kidzapalooza, the fest within a fest, which was perfect for my youngest and really the 8 and under crowd in general. All kids 10 and under are free at Lolla with a ticketed adult. Set amidst cool shady trees, it was the perfect spot on a beautiful Sunday after the humidity broke. There were plenty of tots and kids and picnic blankets bathed in rock music. Little tents offered free tattoos, rock star hairdos, instrument petting zoos, and more.
So relaxed was the vibe, we spotted plenty of child-free couples there too.
My oldest suggested we check out the Playstation tent. We followed that with a short walk through Green Street: a nice gesture toward sustainability, but somewhat less effective than the hordes of volunteers picking up recyclables and junk continuously throughout the park.
For an introvert like me, Lolla is a well organized and reasonable event, seriously. If you can get past being surrounded by packs of scantily clad young folks smoking, cigarettes et cetera and acting goofy (Kidzapalooza is smoke-free), there's always some spot on the periphery to chill out and no shortage of good music, both well known and newer artists.
Remember it's Grant Park, so it's enormous. Bring water (you can refill at several stations throughout the fest with free, filtered water), sunblock, something to sit on for the kids, and your most comfortable sandals for plenty of walking.
Hands on family-friendly activities: farm animals, Johnny Appleseed performance, gardening activities
Over 100 local businesses and organizations
Retail market with sustainable business vendors
Food market with local restaurants and chefs
Presentations from local experts throughout the day on gardening and sustainability topics.
The 20th annual Green & Growing Fair is a free urban gardening festival organized by GreenNet: Chicago's Greening Network and takes place from from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 28 at Garfield Park Conservatory. The event will showcase a variety of vendors, workshops, demonstrations, and family activities to "get your rusty green thumb up and running." The fair will also host the unveiling of the winning seed in the One Seed Chicago contest, which hopes to link thousands of the same community gardens, yards and window sills across Chicago in a season long celebration. This year’s seed "candidates" are herbs: basil, cilantro, chamomile.
The mama of all Chicago green festivals, sponsored by Green America and Global Exchange, returns May 5 to 6 at Navy Pier. Hours for the event are noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Featuring multiple stages of demonstrations, speakers, film screenings, a kids zone with family friendly activities and fun, vendors galore and much, more. Tickets are available online in advance and at the door.
Who's free? • Youth 18 and under • Bicyclists using the festival's bike valet • Green Festival Volunteers • Green America and Global Exchange members • Union members with card
Social justice and environmental issues are expected to be the focus of this year's Green Festival with keynote speaker Rev. Jesse Jackson and other speakers to include: Laura Flanders, Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!; Jeffrey Smith; William Ayers; Bernadine Dohrn; Greg Palast and local leaders Naomi Davis of "Blacks in Green"; Bianca Alexander of "Conscious Living TV" and Karyn Calabrese.
The Actors Gymnasium's hit show "Lost & Found" is back for a limited time and playing now until March 11 at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston. This family friendly show is a high flying mix of astounding aerial skill, upbeat live and recorded music, slapstick comedy and thrilling circus acts performed by kids, teens and adults.
"Lost & Found" is a collaborative original work by Co-Artistic Directors of the Actors Gymnasium School for Circus and Performing Arts Larry DiStasi and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi along with a talented team of designers and performers. The creators describe the show as an exploration of "the world of second-hand treasure. Cast-off junk and cast-off characters are saved in this show and given thrilling, new life." Costumes and elements of the set are recycled from previous performances.
My 7-year-old daughter and I had the pleasure of catching the show on its opening night and were thrilled by the performances of the cast. The show features a tender and sweet storyline throughout with many moments of hilarity and humor. Lots of ideas are at work here, from an innovative reference to our tech-obsessed culture to an old fashioned boy gets girl tale.
While some of the humor may be best understood by the 8 and up crowd, this show is suitable for ages 5 and up and filled with plenty of laughs and thrills for all ages.
Directed by Laura Israel, and screening this week in Chicago at Facets Cinematheque, "Windfall" tells the story of residents of Meredeth, NY, a town of approximately 1500, many of whom are organic farmers and excited about the prospect of contributing to the proliferation of clean energy.
The residents agree to have wind turbines installed on their land, but soon learn that industrial wind farms have been associated with "health problems, accidents and damage to local ecosystems and wildlife." Adding to the residents' individual struggles, the existence of the turbines pits neighbor against neighbor threatening to break down the tiny community.
Showtimes: Fri., Feb. 3 at 7 & 9 p.m. Sat. and Sun., Feb. 4-5 at 3, 5, 7 & 9 p.m. Mon. to Thurs., Feb. 6-9 at 7 & 9 p.m.
Tickets: $9.00 general admission, Free for Facets members
