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

Thursday Jul 30, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Lifestyle Feed

Gold Coast Art Fair
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday; free
It's art as far as the eye can see at this nine-block festival celebrating its 52nd year. More than 350,000 people are expected to walk the streets of the swanky Gold Coast neighborhood while perusing work from 400 artists.

Northalsted Market Days
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday on Halsted from Belmont to Addison; $5
Where can you find En Vogue, The Village People, Jody Watley and Kathy Sledge (yes, one of the sisters) all in one street festival? Boystown, of course! The people watching alone is worth the price of admission, but the 400 food and artist booths are even better. And if you think the party stops when the fest closes at 10, you obviously haven't been to Boystown before.

The Great Urban Race
Starts noon Saturday at Cubby Bear; $60-$70
Test your knowledge of the city while solving a dozen challenges at this city-wide scavenger hunt. Up to 500 teams of two search for random items, decipher puzzles and complete physical challenges. The first 25 teams to finish will compete in the national championship race for a chance at $10,000.

The World's Largest Indoor Bar Crawl
6-9 p.m. Saturday at Uncle Fatty's Rum Resort and The Coach House; $30
Looking for the drunken enjoyment of a bar crawl without all the walking and fresh air? Head to Uncle Fatty's (and the adjacent Coach House) where they're turning the place into five separate bars, serving their signature cocktails and "fish bowls" all night. Special bonus to the aspiring drunks: Get a drink from all five bars, and you can cash it in for Uncle Fatty's cooler service (12 beers served in a personal cooler), presumably at a later date.

Mos Def & Jay Electronica
7:30 p.m. Sunday at House of Blues; $35-$37
Hey Mos, here's a little free career advice: Give up the acting. You're such a better musician when you set your mind to it. While his stints in "Monster's Ball" and "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" were fine and dandy, Mos Def's latest album, The Ecstatic, is the best he has sounded since his Blackstar days with Talib Kweli.

Just missed the cut: Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, Girls vs. Boys, Lake County Fair, Printers' Ball