Fall is here! This weekend, don’t miss events inspired by the season, including Fulton Market Harvest Fest and Wagner Farm’s Bonfire and Barn Dance, while also hearing from Wanda Sykes and Adam Rippon, celebrating Chicago’s South Side, dining on tasty tacos, making a difference for veterans, and saying one last goodbye to summer with a block party in the ‘burbs.
Chicago House Speaker Series
Sept. 14
Chicago
Chicago House’s eighth Speaker Series will feature comedian Wanda Sykes and Olympian Adam Rippon during a luncheon to raise funds for Chicago House and their work supporting “individuals and families who are disenfranchised by HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ marginalization, poverty, homelessness, and/or gender nonconformity.”
Fulton Market Harvest Fest
Sept. 14-16
Chicago
Love fall? Love food? Then don’t miss this festival curated by Chef Stephanie Izard featuring cooking demonstrations, classes, dinner events, music, kids’ activities, and more. Participants include Cherry Circle Room, City Mouse, urbanbelly, Gideon Sweet, Girl & the Goat, The Publican, and more.
Celebrating South Side Stories
Sept. 15
Chicago
This day of art, music, film, and food celebrating Chicago’s South Side is one of many events held in collaboration with Art Design Chicago, Terra Foundation for American Art’s “yearlong celebration of Chicago’s art and design legacy.” Events will take place at eight different venues, including the DuSable Museum of African American History, Hyde Park Art Center, and the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago. Find a complete schedule for the day on the Art Design Chicago website.
Bonfire and Barn Dance
Sept. 15
Glenview
Head out to Wagner Farm to enjoy wagon rides, dancing, storytelling and s’mores by the fire, and more.
Gorton Community Center’s Annual Block Party
Sept. 15
Lake Forest
Say goodbye to summer during Gorton’s annual block party. This year, enjoy Smokin’ T’s Barbecue and Sauced Pizza, live music from LoMastro Performing Arts Academy and Nouveau, activities from the Wildlife Discovery Center, a showing of “How to Train Your Dragon,” and more.
Lakeview Taco Fest
Sept. 15-16
Chicago
Tacos takes center stage at this festival featuring seasonal beers from Sam Adams, a kids’ activity area, live music, lucha libre (Mexican wrestlers), and more. Visitors will find tacos made with everything from grilled chicken, steak, and smoked pork to tequila shrimp, duck, and black beans.
Earth Rise: Benefit Concert for Veterans
Sept. 16
Riverwoods
Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods will welcome Navy veteran Angela Walker for this outdoor concert of classic American hits to not only celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Earth Rise photo taken from Apollo 8 and honor Captain James A. Lovell but also raise money for Brushwood Center and Operation Rebound programs for veterans.
More:
- Swedish Covenant Hospital will host “Keep the Beat” CPR training on Sept. 15 with free bystander CPR training, free lunch for the first 1,000 participants to finish the 10-minute training, AED demonstrations, a free t-shirt or pin (while supplies last), bounce houses, face-painting, music, ambulance exploration, tours of the renovated Emergency Department, and more.
- Join Selah Freedom on Sept. 16 for Rock the Boat Against Sex Trafficking, an afternoon aboard the Anita Dee II yacht on Lake Michigan to support Selah Freedom’s work to end sex trafficking. The event will include live and silent auctions, entertainment, and more. Make It Better is a proud sponsor of this event.
More from Make It Better:
- 5 Books to Add to Your Fall Reading List
- 30 of the Best Things to Do in Chicago This September
- 17 Can’t-Miss Fall Plays and Musicals in Chicago and the North Shore
Anna Carlson writes the weekly 5 Things to Do column and monthly Recommended Events. A graduate of the University of Missouri, her work has been published in Chicago Parent, Inside Columbia Magazine, and Central California Parent Magazine. She is a proud supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.