ART BEAT: Navy Pier Hosts Grand Opening of Prismatica in Polk Bros Park This Friday 2/16/18 at 5:30pm

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List: Family Friendly Fun

Grand Opening of Prismatica

a free, temporary public art installation in Polk Bros Park

Navy Pier will host a free public ceremony for the grand opening of Prismatica. Guests are invited to count down to the lighting of the installation. Hot chocolate will be available to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Following the opening ceremony, the installation will be on display and open to public interaction every day during standard Navy Pier operating hours through April 15.

Prismatica, is a dynamic art experience comprised of 25 six-foot pivoting prisms – resembling giant kaleidoscopes – that transform the space into a field of bold colors and bright lights. The prisms reflect every color in the visible spectrum and transmit blissful sounds upon interaction, allowing for infinite interplay with this unique art installation.

Grand Opening  
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Polk Bros Park at Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago

BACKGROUND:
Navy Pier, Chicago’s mission-driven cultural district, is bringing a splash of color and beam of light in the form of art to the Pier’s Polk Bros Park this winter.  From Friday, February 16 through Sunday, April 15, guests will have the opportunity to interact with Prismatica, a free, temporary public art installation presented in partnership with Quartier des Spectacles and RAW Design and supported by Hilton.

Prismatica is brought to Navy Pier in part by Montreal-based Quartier des Spectacles, the same group that presented last year’s hit art installation, Impulse. They have now teamed up with Toronto-based RAW Design to present the imaginative and whimsical creation that is Prismatica. The intricate design showcases the installation’s stunning prisms, made of panels laminated with a dichronic film, that reflect a variety of colors in juxtaposition to the light source from the standpoint of the observer. The prisms are mounted on bases containing projectors. As the prisms rotate, guests will hear the soothing sounds of soft bells, combining the elements of color, light and music.

Prismatica is part of Navy Pier’s ongoing commitment to offer guests free, one-of-a kind arts and culture programming, designed to inspire, educate and connect communities and guests across the city and globe. Navy Pier’s free cultural and community programming is supported by the Polk Bros. Foundation. For more information on this and other special offerings at the Pier, visit www.navypier.org.

Play Locally: Lawrence Arms at Metro, Ice Cream Vendors at Beat Kitchen, Art Openings, Bike Films, Brownies, Wolves and More

Friday

Our friend, neighbor, and talented artist, Kathleen Roman has a gallery opening with reception from 6-9pm Friday.

Friday

If you like your art, a bit edgier, with music and writing......here's our link again to the Chicago Zine Fest Bene W/ WFFLF

 

A Benefit for CHICAGO ZINE FEST
January 6th
7-10pm

• Into It. Over It- (Wrote a song about a previous zine fest organizer) Here is his music - intoitoverit.com Here is a comic about him - http://www.ifyoumakeit.com/comic/ramsey-beyer/an-evening-with-evan-weiss/

• Creaturely Features- (Something you may want to see)

• Gunshy-  www.myspace.com/thegunshy

• XLions of TsavoX- Features some Zinesters? Hardcore (sorta)

• When Flying Feels Like Falling - http://www.facebook.com/whenflyingfeelslikefalling

The Spaceship
1804 S. Racine
7pm
$5

Saturday 

It's Cookie Kick Off Time again!   Why eat a brownie when you can buy cookies instead.   

There's an app for that:   The tech savvy tots and teens in brown and green have an iphone app for Girl Scout Cookies.   Check it out here.  Or, even better, go lo-tech and hit up your favorite girl sprout for everyone's favorite once a year treat.   When they're gone, you have to wait till next January to order more!


Check out our photo filled coverage from last year's big kick off right here 1 and here 2 and stay tunes for 2012's version after Saturday.


The big kick off happens at All State Arena again, culminating in a Chicago Wolves Game--one of our other all time favorite winter things to do.   We love hockey and watch The Chicago Wolves and our beloved Chicago Blackhawks as often as possible.


Here's the scoop:

More than four thousand Girl Scouts will gather prior to the Wolves game to participate in fun, hands-on activities designed to help girls build their leadership skills, a key component of the overall Girl Scout Program.

When:  Saturday, January 7, 2012
 
2 – 4:45 p.m.  Cookie Kickoff; Family Fun Festival
Following the educational portion of the kickoff, the Girl Scouts will enjoy a Family Fun Fest featuring face painting, games and pictures with Skates the Wolf, as well as a pep rally just prior to the game.
 
5 – 5:45 p.m.        Pep rally and entertainment
                               
7 p.m.                    Chicago Wolves vs. the Lake Erie Monsters
 
 
Where:                  Allstate Arena, Rosemont
                                                                                                

Background:
 Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls with 3.4 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana impacts the lives of nearly 86,000 girls and 23,000 adult members in 245 communities in six Illinois counties (Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, Lake, and Will) and four Indiana counties (Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter). 

For more information, visit www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
 
If you don't know any Brownies or Girl Scouts, visit  www.girlscoutcookies.org to find cookies available in your area. 
 

Saturday--Bikes on Film...or is it films on bikes?

If you can't pass yourself off as a Girl Scout, check out a fun, little one day, FREE Bike Winter Film Fest at Facets Multimedia-1517 W. Fullerton at Ashland.  
The annual Bike Winter Film Festival, founded by Bob Matter, will take over the small theater at Facets this Sunday.  A series of documentaries and shorts related to the bicycle will begin at one and go on to eleven.  No charge.
 

 
And once again-here's the prior scoop on WFFLF's Occupy Chicago Bene at Empty Bottle (*all ages welcome w/ accompanying adult) 11am-4:30pm.
 
Saturday Night- Lawrence Arms at Metro




Here's ChiIL Mama's prior coverage of local Chicago boys, The Lawrence Arms with the Fat Wreck Chords label, when they opened for The Dead Milkmen.   They got the fans well warmed up and good to go.   I've gotta admit, the bodies were dropping into the photo pit at The Congress Theater at good pace and I've never seen so many punk rock girls crowd surfing.   Fun times!

The Lawrence Arms
Metro- Chicago, IL
3730 N. Clark
January 7, 2012 7:00 PM 
All Ages.
Doors open at 6:00 PM.
Also appearing: The Holy Mess and Lords.
$20.00 advanced
 

Sunday

Fun for the waaay underagers at Beat Kitchen.   We've been talking this one up for weeks, giving away tixs and putting up save the date notices for upcoming shows.   Remember we give away a family 4 pack of tickets every week to every show, and announce our winners on Free Ticket Tuesdays.  Winners will be contacted by e-mail (so check your spam filters) and the winners' names will also appear in the original Rafflecopter entry form, so check back early and often.

Ice Cream Vendors, Jan. 8 (click here for videos and our prior coverage)

Beat Kitchen Concerts for Kids says:  If you've never seen ICV, think Devo for kids and grown ups.  Pack up the family van and come to Beat Kitchen. Our weekly Concerts for Kids series kicks off 2012 with the Ice Cream Vendors. Hailing from Westmont, IL, ICV is a little bit weird, a little bit new wave, a little bit rock, a little bit rap, a little bit funk and a whole lot of fun. 

As always, shows start at noon. Doors open at 11am and the kitchen is open. Beat Kitchen's signature brunch with everything from pancakes to pizza is sure to please even the pickiest palate.



Up next:  Little Miss Ann Band, Jan 15

CD Release Party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Little Miss Ann's 3rd album, Walk with Me, is hot off the press arriving just in time for our Sunday, January 15th show. We were able to catch up with busy kindie rocker, Little Miss Ann, and ask a few questions about the new album.



What are you excited about on the album?  
     Most of the songs are originals, and I've got a couple really talented guest back-up vocalists, Brooklyn-based, Suzi Shelton and Seattle-based, Charlie Hope. I've also got some great guest instrumentalists that play fiddle, flute, and more.



Which are your current favorite songs on Walk with Me? 
     Waltzing Matilda and Walk with Me. (The interviewer here loves the last track, Honey Bear Ham.)

  

How long was the album in the making? 
     I started it in February of 2011.

  

Carefully crafted and fun to hop, jump and jiggle to, come hear new tunes from Walk with Me as well as some old favorites. 

Beat Kitchen. January 15th. Noon.

Check out our hot and happening Concerts for Kids! lineup

Save the Dates...
Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont

shows at noon on every Sunday, 
Just $6



Jan 8: Ice Cream Vendors

Jan 15: Little Miss Ann Band, CD Release Party!!!

Jan 22: The Boogers

Jan 29: Winter Fest, 11am-3pm, $8: 
Featuring Mary Macaroni, Sarah Parker, The Storybook Mom and Istvan & His Imaginary Band with activities included: facepainting, crafts, ChiIL Mama's rock star photo booth and instrument petting zoo. 


Feb 5: Okee Dokee Brothers

Feb. 12: Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies
 
To keep up to date with Concerts for Kids, become our Facebook friend at
www.facebook.com/kidsshowschicago.

 Special thanks to our sponsors:

 

Play Locally: Winter Circus, Photo Exhibit, Music, and More

Wednesday

 Winter Magic Trunk Show

Thursday

Join us for the Opening Reception of
Snapshot: Inventing the Everyday
Tomorrow night- Dec. 15th

Within the history of photography, snapshots have existed as an amateur sub-genre of fine art photography. But today the age of sophisticated camera phones and social media, when families and friends gather around a computer rather than a photo album, some are reconsidering the snapshots artistic value.                                                                                                                       
We invite you to join us for the opening reception of IALS's first photography exhibition, curated by two of our wonderful contributors, Brooke Herbert Hayes and W. Tanner Young! Stop by and check-out our new storefront, and enjoy some seasonal Revolution Brewing beer and delicious snacks by Ciao & Paper Moon.
 
What: Snapshot: Inventing the Everyday Opening Reception
When: Thursday, December 15, 6-8:30 pm
Where: I Am Logan Square Gallery, 2644 N. Milwaukee Ave

*Be part of the show with Magnolia Booth! Photos taken during the opening reception will be on display for the duration of the exhibition.
**Drinks and treats by Revolution Brewing, Paper Moon Pastry and Ciao Pizzeria

I Am Logan Square is a local, non-profit organization that promotes and increases awareness of the arts while enhancing cultural development in Chicago's vibrant Logan Square neighborhood.

Follow on Facebook and Twitter to find out what arts events are happening in Logan Square!
 

Friday

The Damn Choir/Briar Rabbit/The Crane Wives (21+) at The Burlington

Saturday & Sunday
 Kid Friendly:

Join CircEsteem for a show with villains, damsels in distress, tourists in Hawaiian shirts and...

Super Heroes.

Over 70  kids (including ChiIL Mama's own Sagezilla & Du-Jay) from the Chicago Youth Circus, CircusTeam, HomeWork & CircusWork and our outreach programs will take the stage and dazzle audiences with amazing circus acts including: trapeze, tight wire, gym wheel, unicycle and for the first time in CircEsteem history: Chinese Pole!
 
Tickets are $13 for adults and $8 for kids under 13.

Reserved seats are $35 and reserved parking is $20.  Buy your spots now!!!

Performance tickets and reserved parking can all be purchased through CircEsteem's website.

Can't make it to the show but still want to support CircEsteem? Make a tax-deductible gift online. 

 

**CircEsteem also sells funky, fun circus skills toys--perfect for unique holiday gifts.   They sell diablos, spinning plates, juggling balls & handmade rolla bollas!   They also have stylin' t-shirts & can hook you up with vendors for larger items like silks, trapeezes & even lyra hoops.   Proceeds go to their awesome circus arts programs which unite kids from diverse backgrounds, and are offered on a sliding scale.

 

**Clutter Buster Gift Idea:   Classes are available for adults and kids at CircEsteem.   Give the gift with class--clown, gym wheel, aerials, Chinese Pole, unicycle, stilts, tight wire, acro class...that is.

Sunday

Kid Friendly:    Shayna Sings at Beat Kitchen-holiday show for the 8 & under set.    After Sunday, Concerts for Kids is taking a holiday break, but we'll be back again in January.   ChiIL Mama is happy to sponsor this family friendly fun.   The littles get to rock out and their happy parents can get outta the house and drink some of the seriously best bloody marys in town!   We'll continue to give away free family 4 packs of tickets to all the shows and we'll be at Winter Fest with an instrument "petting zoo" and ChiIL Mama's "Rock Star Photo Booth", so stop by and rock out!

Save the dates:

(All Shows $6 unless stated otherwise)

Dec 18: Shana Sings! Special holiday show
Holiday Break
Jan 8: Ice Cream Vendors
Jan 15: Little Miss Ann Band
Jan 22: The Boogers

Jan 29: Winter Fest, 11am-2pm, $8
Featuring Mary Macaroni, Sarah Parker, The Storybook Mom and Istvan & His Imaginary Band

Look for ChiIL Mama this weekend: Art at Unity Park, Cloud 9 Mini Show at Chinatown, City of Ember Free Staged Reading

We have a few additions to our fun filled weekend suggestions.   All are either arty, theatrical, multicultural, or musical.   And all three are free, free, free.

"Art in the Park" ignites Creativity before next week's big event - the 2nd Annual Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival.  Unity Park invites local artists to set up their easels to paint and draw in the park this Saturday, July 17, from 10 AM to 3 PM. In addition to the live painting and drawing, "Art in the Park" will feature performances by local musicians, including Son Del Viento, with tasty local cuisine served alongside. The event is open to professional artists and amateurs alike. Canvases and paints will be provided so that people of all ages can take part in the fun - FREE of charge. Unity Park is located at 2636 N. Kimball Avenue. All works created during "Art in the Park" will be exhibited and auctioned during theMilwaukee Avenue Arts Festival from July 23 - 25.  Be sure to stop by our one-of-a-kind festival, located from 2250-2850 N. Milwaukee Avenue, featuring hundreds of visual and performance artists, diverse live music on three stages, family activities in both Spanish and English, Magic Hat craft brews, a complimentary trolley and more!   Visit the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival website for more information.

Sunday:


Cirque Shanghai is doing a mini-performance at the Chinatown Summer Fair on Sunday at noon.   Admission is free.


If you prefer air conditioned comfort to street fairs, come to Adventure Stage at 1pm for a staged reading of The City of Ember.   Du-Jay and Sagezilla adore the movie and are eagerly anticipating Adventure Stage's adaptation.

The City of Ember City of Ember was published by Random House Books for Young Readers - Jacket Design (c) 2003 by Chris Riely Sunday, July 18th 1:00pm Join us this Sunday for a staged reading of a brand new adaption of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau and adapted by our Director of Education, Merissa Shunk*. Lights shine in the city of Ember-but at the city limits the light ends, and darkness takes over. Out there in the Unknown Regions, the darkness goes on forever in all directions. Ember-so its people believe-is the only light in the dark world. And now the lights are going out. Is there a way to save the people of Ember? No one knows. But Lina Mayfleet has found a puzzling document, and Doon Harrow has made discoveries down in the Pipeworks. With these clues, they start their search. The reading is directed by Ensemble Member Sarah Rose Graber* with a cast that includes Tim Martin, Mildred Langford, Linsey Falls, Susan Adler, Jacquie Beyer, Dani Bryant*, Jon Stutzman, Kroydell Galima, Brandon Wardell* and Victoria Abram-Copenhaver.  Admission is FREE but reservations are recommended Call our Box Office at 773.342.4141 Refreshments will be served

Look For ChiIL Mama This Weekend: Bookamania, Old Town School, Lights Festival, Revolution Tattoo

It's Bookamania time again!   Come join us at one of our favorite free annual events.   We have loved Bookamania for years.   Come down to The Harold Washington Library this Saturday only, from 11-3PM.   

Bookamania 2008--Here's Mo Willems, kooky creative author and illustrator of kids' favorites like "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus" Next to him is our favorite punk rock librarian.  She's Logan Square's Children's librarian extraordinaire, Lisa.   And her alter ego is punk/metal guitar player from CoCoComa and Headache City, who opened for X at Metro.  By the way--Exene, lead singer for X was a librarian, too.     So go check out your local branch and tell 'em librarians ROCK!

One day a year, Chicago's flagship library is transformed into a magical land, brimming with beloved costumed children's book characters, live entertainment, numerous book related craft projects, and free books.   Children ages 3-10 and their families will have the opportunity to meet famous children’s book authors, illustrators,

enjoy puppetry, theater, dance, magic and music performances.  Activities run throughout the building, including in the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library, Winter Garden, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium and Main Lobby.

This year's highlights include Special performances by Jabberwocky Marionettes, Ken Lonnquist, Chris Fascione,  Mother Goose and her friends, storyteller Karen King, Bill Hooper, Jasmin Cardenas’s bilingual folktales, and the always popular Puppet Bike.  TheatreworksUSA will perform Click, Clack, Moo.

Book Fiesta! co-creators Pat Mora, author, and Rafael Lopez,illustrator, will be there to sign books.  Also present will be Bob Barner, author and illustrator of Dinosaurs Roar, Butterflies Soar! and Jim Aylesworth, author of The Mitten.  Charles R. Smith, Jr., the photographer of the book My People will be on hand to talk about his work as well. 

 Children will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with life-sized, costumed characters George and Martha, Madeline, Norman the Doorman, Wild Thing and Max, Fairy Godmother, the Chicago Public Library Owl, the Storybook King and Queen and the Very Hungry Caterpillar. .

  SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES:

Winter Garden Main Stage:
11 a.m.       Chris Fascione, Master of Ceremonies
11:30 a.m.  Jabberwocky Marionettes
12:30 p.m   Afro-Ethnic Folklorio
1:30 p.m.    Ken Lonnquist - Imagination Unlimited!
2:30 p.m.    Chris Fascione - Juggling Funny Stories

Thomas Hughes Children's Library:
11 a.m.        Mother Goose & her Friends
Noon            Storyteller Karen A. King
1 p.m.          Bill Hooper's Active Music for Children
2 p.m.          Jasmin Cardenas - Bilingual Folktales

Lobby:
All Day - meet your favorite storybook characters, sign the Fairy Tale Guest Book and watch Sean Masterson's Magic Up Close

Auditorium:
11:15 am. and 1:30 p.m.   Click, Clack, Moo by TheatreworksUSA

And don't miss the Puppet Bike at the State Street entrance.

As Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey explained, “One of the best things a parent can do for their child is to instill a love of reading.  Simply reading with a child and showing them the joy to be found in books will set them on a successful path to reading and lifelong learning.  Bookamania offers families a day of fun, free activities celebrating the wonderful worlds that exist in children’s books.”

Bookamania is made possible through a grant from the Chicago Public Library Foundation and the Target Corporation. 

Make a whole day of it.   After Bookamania, walk over to The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.  The parade steps off at 5:30 and fireworks are slated for 6:55.  Check out the full schedule here.

Old Town School of Folk Music Open House

If that's not enough, there's an excellent, free sampler going on from 5-10pm at Old Town School.   Click on the link for a full schedule.

Lucky enough to have a Saturday night sitter, an ex with a custody weekend, or no kids, but you like to read ChiIL Mama anyway..............?

Then head over to Revolution Tattoo on Western and say hey to our long time friends and excellent artists, Cheri and Omar.   They're having an opening at their place that features sushi...........and beer.........and creepy cool art. 

Love, Death and Torture

Paintings by Anne-Katrin Elliott

  

Opening Reception

Saturday November 21, 2009
8pm-11pm
Sushi & Beer
Music by DJ Pantera