Choose Blues
Millennium Park is the place to be June 8-10 for the 35th annual Chicago Blues Festival. The lineup includes Grammy Award winner and Kennedy Center honoree Mavis Staples, Fantastic Negrito, the Corey Dennison Band, a special all-star tribute to the 65th Anniversary of Delmark Records and label founder Bob Koester, Selwyn Birchwood, Willie Clayton, Kenny Neal, and an all-star tribute to Little Walter featuring Billy Branch, Kim Wilson, Billy Boy Arnold, Corky Siegel, Rick Estrin, Sugar Blue and Magic Dick. For the complete lineup and information, visit chicagobluesfestival.us
Spring Fling
The annual Spring Awakening Music Festival, featuring Tiesto Borgore, Steve Aoki, Alison Wonderland, Afrojack, Big Gigantic, Dash Berlin, Deadmau5 and many, many more runs June 8-10 at Addams-Medill Park, 301 W. 14th. For the complete lineup and info, visit springawakeningfestival.com
A scene from”Bigger Than Africa,” a documentary tracing how the trans-Atlantic slave trade kept the Yoruba culture alive in the New World. The film is featured at the African Diaspora International Film Festival. | Provided Photo
Movies in full color
The 16th annual African Diaspora International Film Festival, featuring the work of emerging and established filmmakers of color, begins June 8 with the Chicago premiere of “Bigger Than Africa,” a documentary tracing how the trans-Atlantic slave trade kept the Yoruba culture alive in the New World. Screenings of docs, fictional films, animation and shorts continues through June 14 at Facets Cinematheque, 1517 W. Fullerton. For schedule and more titles, see http://www.facets.org.
All’s Fair
Attention art lovers: the esteemed Old Town Art Fair returns for its annual incarnation, June 9-10 centered around the Old Town Triangle Association building, 1763 N. North Park. More than 250 juried artists, a garden walk, children’s corner, music stage and food court are also featured. For complete information visit oldtownartfair.org
John Barrymore in the Michael Curtiz film, “The Mad Genius.” | File Photo
Here’s looking at you, Michael Curtiz
The director of more than 150 films, some of them classics, is honored in a nine-week retrospective starting this weekend at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. “Michael Curtiz: A Retrospective” presents weekend matinees of the filmmaker’s favorites including “Casablanca” (1942), “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938) and “Mildred Pierce” (1932). The series begins with John Barrymore in “The Mad Genius” (1931) at 11:30 a.m. June 9. Details: musicboxtheatre.com
Dwayne Johnson (from left), Karen Gillan and Jack Black in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” | Sony Pictures Entertainment
The full ‘Jumanji’ journey
More than two decades after “Jumanji” was a family-friendly hit in 1995, its sequel “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” delighted another generation as the big blockbuster of last year’s holiday season. Both films are paired in a double feature playing at 2 p.m. June 10 and 6:30 p.m. June 11 at several Chicago area theaters. For tickets, go to http://www.fathomevents.com.
Book It!
The 34th annual Printers Row Lit Fest runs June 9-10 on Dearborn (between Harrison and Polk). More than 135 booksellers and 100 literary events/signings are planned for what’s considered to be the largest free literary event in the Midwest. As the website proclaims: “Get up close and personal with famous authors, chefs, musicians and many more creative trailblazers.” For complete information, visit printersrowlitfest.org
Classic rock
Peter Frampton and the Steve Miller Band share the bill at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island at 7:30 p.m. June 14. For tickets, visit livenation.com
Peter Frampton performs in New Lenox in 2014. | Erin Gallagher/For Sun-Times Media
