1. RAISE A STEIN OR TWO!
Chicago’s legendary Berghoff restaurant celebrates Oktoberfest with its 30th annual Bavarian-style extravaganza, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sept. 18 at the Kluczynski Federal Plaza (230 S. Dearborn). Admission is free, but there will be plenty of classic German food and Berghoff’s private-label Oktoberfest beer for purchase, along with live entertainment and special “themed” nights. Last year, festivalgoers went through 35,000 beers, 12,000 brats and 7,000 pretzels! Purchase a commemorative festival beer stein and proceeds benefit Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. Visit theberghoff.com for more details.
2. THE WORLD’S ART SCENE COMES TO CHICAGO
The annual Expo Chicago (International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art), runs through Sunday at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. Artwork from 140 leading galleries, representing 16 countries and 47 cities from around the world will be featured. Tickets, $20 for one day or $30 for three days, are available at expochicago.com. P.S. Become part of the fun! Don’t miss the “Truth Booth” large-scale installation! Read Bill Zwecker’s story about this very unique opportunity, here.
3. 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Farm Aid, with the concert event starting at noon Saturday at FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. The lineup features founder Willie Nelson, along with John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Imagine Dragons, Kacey Musgraves, Mavis Staples and more. Check out what Jack Johnson has to say about the concert (he’s also on the bill) and other farm/environmental issues here.
4. RENEGADE COMMUNITY
Chicago’s Renegade Craft Fair, celebrating contemporary independent artists/crafters, runs from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Sept. 19-20 on Division Street (between Damen and Paulina) in Wicker Park. Plenty of shopping, DIY workshops, installations, food/drink and other activities on tap. More than 300 artisans will be featured. Get all the information at renegadecraft.com.
5. TOGETHER AGAIN
Friends for decades, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have become collaborators in recent years. The singers will perform tunes from their Grammy-winning album “Old Yellow Moon” and this year’s follow-up, “The Traveling Kind,” at the Vic Theatre at 8 p.m. Sept. 19. For tickets, $65, go to jamusa.com.
Johnny Beauchamp in “Stonewall.” | Roadside Atractions6. ‘STONEWALL’ PREMIERE
“Stonewall,” from “Independence Day” director Roland Emmerich, will have its Chicago premiere at 7 p.m. Sunday as part of Reeling, the annual film festival celebrating the diversity of queer experience. Depicting the Greenwich Village bar riots that helped ignite the gay rights movement in 1969, the movie begins at 7 p.m. Sunday at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema. For tickets and other films during the Sept. 17-24 fest, go to reelingfilmfestival.org.7. FORMERLY SMOKE-FILLED ROOMSAfter three weeks of cleanup from a fire, the mainstage at Second City is back in operation. Thursday’s show is exclusively for Chicago firefighters, but the public is welcome at the two performances at 8 and 11 Friday night. The mainstage show is a work in progress as the ensemble readies scenes for a revue to open in the weeks to come. Tickets: www.secondcity.com.
