Van Ghost from the photo pit at HOB 6/11/11
Check 'em out at Wicker Park Fest at 6:15 this Sunday
We've had several hundred new subscribers join us recently. Woo hoo! So here's a quicky little recap of what we're all about, here at
ChiIL Mama. We're not a giant list serve or comprehensive guide to 300 things going on each weekend.
What we do is pick a hand full of fun stuff that we would actually go to (and often do). We tend toward Chicago urban events and heavily cover theatre and music for families and for just adults as well. We also feature the arts, multicultural events, eco-friendly activities, and quirky fun. Not to say you won't ever see a burb event or location, and we do travel quite a bit, but Chi, IL is our first love. We do run loads of monthly give aways for Chicago events tickets and for CDs/DVDs nationwide. We tend toward kindie (kids' indie, alternative, and punk) and music based & independent DVDs for the big kids, AKA: adults.
We will be providing press coverage at Kidzapalooza/Lollapalooza and North Coast Music Fest again this year, and offer up our street fest favs all summer, so check back in like we vote in Chicago.....early and often.
Saturday:

We went to the first
Art in The Park last year and it was rockin' awesome! It was a beautiful melding of the arts community and the people of Avondale/Logan Square. Free and open to all ages. Check out our photo filled feature
HERE.
ART IN THE PARK at Unity Park
(2700 N Kimball at Schubert)
Saturday July 23 10 am - 2 pm
"Experience live painting in Logan Square's Unity Park. All our neighbors are invited! The Unity Park Advisory Council volunteers will have everything you need for an afternoon of painting fun including FREE paper, boards and canvases, paints and paint brushes, music and snacks and drinks. Please feel free to bring a sack lunch. You can take your works of art home with you or donate them the Unity Park and let them be shown and possibly sold during the
Milwaukee Ave Arts Festival. Please visit
www.unityparkchicago.org for more information, to volunteer or to become a member."
The park's water spray pool is running to keep young kids cool.Check out UNITY PARK website for events, volunteering, and updates!
http://www.unityparkchicago.org/project-updates
Join Marbles: The Brain Store For Its First-Ever Chicago Puzzle Hunt!
WHAT: Marbles: The Brain Store invites Chicago friends & families to challenge their wits – and fellow citizens – during a fun puzzle hunt across downtown Chicago!
WHEN: Saturday, July 23 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Meet at Marbles: The Brain Store, Lincoln Square, 4745 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, 312-494-7769
FEE: $25 per team – HOWEVER, if you are able to solve the puzzle on the brochure (linked here), the $25 entry fee is waived:
WHAT ELSE: You can recruit your own team of up to five members - or meet up at Lincoln Square to join other puzzle-hunters.

Saturday July 23, 6-10pm
Babes With Blades put the fun back in fundraiser with a swing dance themed benefit tonight!
Swing for Swash
WHAT? Dancing galore, food, beer, wine, prizes, swashbuckling entertainment, and much, much, more!
Take a break from dancing at 8:15 with "Swing into Violence," a stage combat-meets-swing mini-class led by John McFarland!
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WHERE?
HOW MUCH?
$25 for 1 or $40 for 2. Buy tix online NOW! (You can also pay at the door - cash or check only please)
Sunday:
Admit it: When you first heard about Girls Rock! Chicago, you thought, "Why didn't that exist when I was a kid?" That's why we created Ladies Rock Camp.
This weekend grown-up aspiring rockers will take a crash course in music making—they'll learn an instrument, form a band, write a song, and perform it onstage. And what our Girls Rock campers do in seven days, Ladies Rockers will cram into just three.
Join us on Sunday to cheer on the graduates of 2011 Ladies Rock Camp as they hit the stage at Schubas with their new bands.
3159 N. Southport
Doors 5pm / Show 6pm
$6 / kids 8 and under FREE
Advance tickets:
All Weekend:
Check out ChiIL Mama's Wicker Park Fest recommendations HERE along with lots of great photo pit shots of Van Ghost with Allie Krawl from Cornmeal, playing House of Blues 6/11/11.
http://www.wickerparkfestchicago.com/
Save the Date:
Check out Milwaukee Arts Festival's Web Site for all the great details. This is one art, music, film, food and fun filled fest. Highly recommended. Here's their eclectic band line up, arranged by the fine folk at Elastic Arts.
If you catch nothing else, we highly recommend Sunday's line up. Black Bear Combo and Sidewalk Chalk are some of our favorites!
Sunday, July 31st
- 8:00pm - The Hood Internet
- 6:30pm - Sidewalk Chalk
- 5:00pm - Papo Santiago
- 3:30pm - Beaba Do Samba
- 2:00pm - Black Bear Combo
The band shares some members with Great Divide who rocked HOB on 6/11/11 with Van Ghost, How Far To Austin and a host of great bands. You can see ChiIL Mama's photo pit coverage, band interviews, and more at ChiIL Live Shows http://chiilliveshows.com/ and on our Vimeo and YouTube ChiIL Mama Channels.
Here's ChiIL Mama's photo filled coverage from Milwaukee Arts Fest last year. Check it out HERE.
Want your kids to grow up with smart, mighty female role models in the arts community? Check out Babes With Blades and BONEdanse. No toddlers in tiaras here.
BreakBONE is now BONEdanse! These guys are some of our absolute favorites in the Chicago dance community. Their productions are intelligent, creative and powerful. Follow BONEdanse on Facebook and check out their web site for upcoming performances and classes.
Babes With Blades has a new show opening August 13th.
ON STAGE:
Tickets on sale now:
CLICK!
For more information
: CLICK!