Posted on October 12, 2016

Here’s your Lincoln Park weekend event guide to catch some of Chicago’s best culture, food and happenings in the neighborhood.

Lincoln Park Events

Open House Chicago
The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago is a free public festival that offers behind-the-scenes access to more than 200 buildings across Chicago. Explore the hidden gems and architectural treasures of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods—all for free. Lincoln Park sites include Elks National Memorial, Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago, Brewster Building and National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16
Hours Vary
Click here for complete list of sites and schedule

Chicago Museum Week

Chicago Museum Week starts today! Check out their website for promotions and special offers through October 23. Lincoln Park museums include Chicago History Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

October 13 – October 23
Offers vary

GayCo Anniversary Celebration @ UP Comedy Club
When they began, they couldn’t get married, serve openly in the military, adopt, or have federally recognized unions thanks to the brand new Defense of Marriage Act. Matthew Shepard was still alive. AIDs was still a serious threat. Ellen was in the closet and Will & Grace was two years away. On Friday, GayCo Productions returns to North & Wells for its 20th Anniversary extravaganza GAYCO XX: GAY FOR PLAY.

Saturday, October 15
7:30 p.m.
UP Comedy Club
230 W. North (3rd Floor of Piper’s Alley)

A Tribute to the Smiths and Morrisey
Formed in 2008, The Handsome Devilz got their start playing in their aunt’s restaurant in Pilsen before going on to become a Midwest regional favorite. Their goal: to bring to life the sounds of The Smiths and Morrissey. As time passes, The Devilz strive to resurrect as many songs as possible from their catalogs for all to enjoy.

Saturday, October 15
8:00 p.m.
Steppenwolf Theatre
1650 N. Halsted

Lincoln Park Family

African Penguins @ Lincoln Park Zoo
African penguins inhabit this new 3,350-square-foot outdoor exhibit space that features a 20,500-gallon pool and naturalistic South African landscape and strategically designed rockwork that enables the penguins to engage in species-specific behavior, such as burrowing and nesting.

Open Daily
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N. Clark

Citizen Science Fair @ Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Chicago’s first Citizen Science Fair brings together crowd-powered science projects and everyday people excited about contribution to real scientific discoveries. From listening for the calls of imperiled frogs, to snapping squirrel photos or observing the night sky, there is a citizen science project for everyone.

Saturday, October 15
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon

Pets in the Plaza @ NEWCITY Lincoln Park
NEWCITY Lincoln Park will host its first annual Pet Parade to celebrate Halloween with your favorite four-legged boys and ghouls. This is an event for all ages and features a pet parade, costume contest, cookie decorating and face painting.

Saturday, October 15
3:00 -5:00 p.m.
NEWCITY Lincoln Park
1457 N. Halsted

Lincoln Park Cuisine

Pumpkin Fest @ Chez Moi
Celebrate the season with Chef Dominique at Chez Moi from October 15 – 30. Special menu items include Dominique’s Famous Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Ravioli served over harvest vegetables with a brown butte and Pumpkin Creme Brulee. For brunch, enjoy Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter, French Toast with Pumpkin Pie Mascarpone and “The Great Pumpkin” – a Grand Marnier spiced Pumpkin Semifreddo.

October 15 – 30
Chez Moi
2100 N Halsted

Paella Cooking Demo @ Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
Eat, drink and learn the secrets behind Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!’s signature dishes – all in one morning! Executive Chef Matt Holmes will lead this interactive cooking class, demonstrating a how-to recipe for the classic rice dish, paella. Enjoy a six-course wine pairing lunch, starting with three pintxos (Octopus with potatoes and shishito peppers, Hanger Steak with black garlic butter and Mushroom Soup) followed by Tortilla Española, Market Greens Salad, Roasted Pork Loin with Basque chorizo stew, Paella with snails, rabbit and pork belly and finishing with our Spanish Affogato for dessert.

Saturday, October 15
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
2024 N. Halsted

Author Demo & Signing: Superfood Soups with Julie Morris @ Read It & Eat
Read It & Eat welcomes Julie to the star on Friday, October 14, when she will demo two select soups — Curried Apple & Butternut Squash and Split Pea & Hemp Seed Chowder (with coconut bacon bits!) — and sign copies of her newest book.

Sunday, October 16
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Read It & Eat
2142 N. Halsted