Centerstage - Chicago's Original City Guide

Articles Sections >> Arts + Words Bars + Clubs Dating Festivals Fitness Food Lifestyle Music Theater Travel + Tourism Who's Who > View All Ask Centerstage Cheap Thrills Green Thumb Weekend Warrior

Five things to do in Chicago, from the obvious to the absurd.

Thursday Jul 02, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Lifestyle Feed

When you're not out watching fireworks or getting great July 4th deals...

FitzGerald's American Music Festival
Through Saturday at FitzGerald's; $30 per day
The term "American" can mean a lot of things when it comes to music, and this Berwyn club covers them all in its annual fest, from blues to country, R&B to zydeco and straight-ahead rock 'n' roll. Highlights of the four-day, three-stage event include Robbie Fulks, Marcia Ball, The Gourds, Dave Alvin, Shemekia Copeland and more. Bring the kids during the day, but send 'em home before 10 p.m., when things really start to heat up (this may be the latest-running fest during the summer, with some sets not even starting 'til after midnight).

Naperville Ribfest
Thursday-Sunday; $10
Heart, Todd Rundgren and Huey Lewis and the News are among the big names on the main stage at this nostalgic, family-friendly event. Plus, 17 of the country's best rib vendors will be on hand dishing out ribs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken and more. Fireworks go down at 9:30 p.m. on the 4th, and the gates will open at 8 p.m. for free admission.

African Caribbean International Festival of Life
Friday-Sunday at Washington Park; $15
More than 150,000 are expected to fill Washington Park to enjoy international music and food and kids' activities at this 17th annual celebration. Special guests include reggae musician Gregory Isaacs, reincarnated R&B group The Legendary Drifters and more.

Independent Independence Day Extravaganza
noon-3 p.m. Saturday at Taste of Chicago; free
Though it sounds like an extra-credit project for a high-school American history class ("44 songs for 44 U.S. Presidents"), this concert, presented by the Hideout, is worth checking out. Songwriters Christian Kiefer, Jefferson Pitcher and J. Matthew Gerken will perform the songs with a variety of Chicago musicians. We're especially looking forward to "William Howard Taft (There Was No Longer Use to Hide the Fact That It Was Gout)," "Lyndon Baines Johnson (Ladybird Take Me Home)" and, of course, the latest addition, "Barack Obama (Someone to Wake)." Stick around for some great acts on the main stage, including Booker T. and the Drive-By Truckers, Guster and, of course, Buddy Guy.

Improvised Shakespeare Company
Saturday-Sunday at Theater on the Lake; $17.50
If you find the fall theater scene overwhelming, relax. Theater on the Lake is here to help you catch up, filling every summer weekend with a different remount of a hit from the previous year. This week, drop thy jaws in awe at the Improvised Shakespeare Company. This troupe has perfected the difficult art of ad-libbing in iambic, creating a brand-spanking new pseudo-Bardic play for every performance. Note: rated B for Bawdy.