Dec. 17 - Dec. 20

The year has flown by and in two weeks it will all be over and done with. Then we'll have six more months of winter! This will be my last post for the year so I would just like to say "Thank You" for stopping by this year and checking out my weekend picks. If you have a fun event that you know about or would like to share, email me at michael.lehet@gmail.com and maybe I'll include it in a future post. But even though it's cold outside that's no excuse for you to stay at home. Get out there and have a great Weekend, a great Holiday and have a Happy New Year!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17

Barry Manilow hits the Chicagoland area for three concerts at the Rosemont Theater. When I went to Blogworld Expo earlier this year we stayed at the Hilton which has his face plastered on its side and you could buy water with his name on it. Tickets are $10~250 and can be purchased online.

It's a weekend of lasts, head downtown for Adler After Dark at the Planeterium from 6-10PM, their new 21+ event. DJ Warp and DJ Olin will be on hand showcasing electronic music, the band Natural Gas will be performing and of course there will be all sorts of stars for you to enjoy with shows. Tix are $10 in advance/$15 at the door and can be purchased online.

Don't miss the CTA Holiday Train as it rides the rails of the Purple Line from 3-7PM today and the Red Line from 3-7PM on Friday. Check the CTA site for all the details and the schedule for each station.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18

The Joffrey Ballet is performing The Nutcracker at the Auditorium Theater through the 27th. Catch this award winning troupe perform a Christmast classic in a beautiful space. Tix are $25 to $100 and can be purchased online.

The 26th Annual Music Box Christmas Show kicks off with the double-feature screening of It's a Wonderful Life and White Christmas from now until the 24th. Check the site for a full list of times, single shows are $11 while the double feature is $16. Don't miss this tradition!

It's time for FFF, no, that's not the latest fetish, it's the Found Footage Festival at the Lakeshore Theater at 7:30PM and 10:30PM. FFF collected video tapes that they found at garage sales, thrift shops, sitting in the back of your closet and found the funniest, unintentional videos and put them together as FFF. Just check out their site, it'll make sense. Tix are $12 and can be purchased online.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

This is your last chance to catch Beast Women's Winter Series, tonight The Revelletes will guest star! Who knows what you'll see at this unique drag cabaret, belly dancing? Comedy? Go-Go Dancers? Who knows, but this is your last chance. Tix are $15 at the door and it's BYOB at Prop Theater, showtime 10:30PM

If you've been really bad and need to catch up, you can also catch the last performance of Girlie-Q's holiday show "Delight Before Christmas" show at the Theater Building on Belmont. Tix are $15-20 and can be purchased online. Check out their trailer

Do you recognize the name Albert Maysles? You should, he's one of the brothers behind the enigmatic film Grey Gardens. Chicago Filmmakers in Andersonville will present a Retrospective of his work tonight with screenings of: Showman, Dali's Fantastic Dream and Christo's Valley Curtain. Tix are $8 at the door.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

I know I'm late to the boat, but I just got Julie & Julia from Netflix and I've watched it too many times. If you'd like to see it on the big screen, head down to the Gene Siskel Film Center downtown for a 3PM screening. Bon Apetit!

The Best Church of God will present "The Best Christmas Spectaular" at 1PM today, you should be up by then.Check outthis over the top performance that includes "Christmas carols not written by Jews" and a "Tithing Contest." Best of all the show is FREE, but if you tithe $10 they'll secure your place in heaven, oh yeah make sure you don't ask Cindy Sunday to have your children, she's barren.

Now is the time to get your fix for Broadway Shows. Jersey Boys will be closing soon, the world premier of The Addams Family is making people snap all over town and In The Heights just opened this week. Head over to Broadway In Chicago for all the details and tickets.

COMING SOON:

MON/TUES/WED - CTA Holiday Train