• 31Aug

  Welcome Back!

  Event, Music, Outdoor No Comments

  We hope you enjoyed your summer!

  To kick off the school year, we want to welcome you to UIC’s first music festival, “Spark in the Park.” The festival will take place this Thursday, September 2 from 2:00 to 8:00pm at Harrison Field on the corner of Harrison and Halsted. The festival will feature Kid Cudi, Footlight Frenzy, Girl Talk and Barefoot Truth.

  Entry is free with your I-Card and bring the green raffle ticket you received with your UPass for a chance to win and Ipod or Gorillaz concert tickets.

  Hope to see you there!!!

• 04May

  Blue Man Chicago

  Event No Comments

  Finals will be ending this week, but your U-Pass doesn’t expire until May 12th! Take advantage of your remaining days of no classes and free transportation with a night at the theatre!

  The Blue Man Group is a must see if you haven’t been yet, and the Chicago performances take place at the Briar Street Theatre only 5 miles from east campus! The Blue Man Group combines art, music and comedy to produce an unforgettable night of entertainment.

  Multiple shows run all days of the week, except Monday. The tickets can be pricey for college students, but the theatre does offer a generous discount upon presentation of a valid student ID. Check out the Blue Man website for more information.

  USE YOUR UPASS: This one is easy: Take the 8 bus north from Harrison and Halsted to Clark and Halsted then walk north for about a minute to the Briar Street Theatre. Check out Google Maps for more details.

• 15Apr

  Celebrate Earth Day at the Zoo!!

  Event, Food, Outdoor No Comments

  Interested in learning how to make your life more green? Would you like to learn more about recycling, energy efficiency and organic foods? You should go join ChicaGO Green at the Lincoln Park Zoo to celebrate Earth Day. Learn about solar energy, and participate in the park’s activities. Check out the Project Runway-style fashion of recyclables and dine with the organic foods and beverages from the concessions. For more information, call 312-245-1259.

  THIS FREE EVENT IS ONLY FOR TWO DAYS: APRIL 17th & APRIL 18th

  TIME: 10 :00 AM

  USE YOUR UPASS: From UIC’s Student Center East, arrive at the UIC Halsted blue line stop, take the blue line towards O’Hare departing at Clark & Lake, switch over to the brown line towards Kimball and depart on Sedgwick, walk north on N Sedgwick St toward W North Ave, turn left at N Lincoln Ave, sharp right at W Armitage Ave, and turn left at N Clark St. Directions found on  Google Maps.

• 18Feb

  Free Shopping!

  Event, Shop, Unique Spot 1 Comment

  Need to go shopping? Out of cash? Don’t worry, I have just the thing for you!

  From now until March 6, The Free Store will be open at Gallery 400. That’s right, everything in the store is free! You can find anything from clothes to music and even furniture. The store takes item donations from their customers, so you can bring anything you’re done using and they will be happy to find it a new home.

  Check out The Free Store’s website for store hours and pictures.

  http://freestorechicago.org/

  USE YOUR U-PASS: The store is only a mile away, but, if you aren’t up for walking in the winter weather, you can take the 8 bus north to Van Buren St then walk west down Van Buren to Peoria St. Here are directions from Google Maps.

  When you get back, let me know what cool things you found when you were shopping!

• 26Aug

  Get more Greek than 2 AM Gyros

  Culture, Event, Food, Music, Outdoor 2 Comments

  Even brand new freshman have probably taken their first trip into Greektown for a gyros at some bizarre hour of the night.  If you didn’t know, there’s more to Greek food and culture than just pitas and sliced lamb.  While this activity’s a little close to campus to use your U-PASS, U-PASSPORT doesn’t want to discriminate just because something’s a couple blocks from campus.

  This weekend is the annual Taste of Greece festival in Greektown.  It features live music, belly dancers, acrobats, and food from all the restaurants in the area.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: You really should just walk, but if you’re coming from somewhere other than the East Side of campus, you could use Google Maps to get there.

  Taste of Greece

• 26Aug

  Remnants of Summer: Movies in Parks

  Event, Outdoor No Comments

  Summer is almost over (and it may already feel over with the weather and you being in a classroom all day) but that doesn’t mean some of Chicago’s best summer festivals/activities are over.  There’s a little time left for one of the cheapest, but best programs the Chicago Park District has to offer: Movies in the Parks.

  Your best bet is seeing E.T. at Skinner Park.  E.T. is an absolute classic and a movie everyone should see.  E.T. is playing at Skinner Park tomorrow night, August 27th at 8:30 PM.

  Another good bet would be Casablanca at Jonquil Park in Lincoln Park.  It’s basically straight up Halsted.  That is being shown this Saturday at 8:30.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: You could probably just walk there, but you might as well use your U-PASS to get you closer.  See what Google Maps has to say.  Here‘s how to get to Jonquil Park for Casablanca.

• 23Jun

  Rick Bayless @ Green City Market

  Event, Food No Comments

  If you love Rick Bayless’ PBS show or his restaurants in Chicago, you may be interested in a live cooking demonstration tomorrow at the Green City Market.

  The Green City Market is Chicago’s premier farmer’s market for sustainably grown/organic produce and more.  It occurs most Wednesdays and Saturdays in Lincoln Park.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: This trip is either a bus ride or a few block walk from the Brown Line Sedgewick stop.  The Clark bus will get you close, as well as a few others.  You may just want to use the Google directions on this one.

  Green City Market

• 04Jun

  The Midwest's Largest Book Fair

  Culture, Event, Outdoor, Shop No Comments

  The Printer’s Row Lit Fest (formerly called the Printer’s Row Book Fair) is celebrating 25 years of the book fair this year.  Located in Chicago’s old publishing headquarters, Printer’s Row, the fair has nearly 125,000 visitors each year.  The fair features everything from large bookstores to independent publishers.  You’ll find cookbooks from the 1950s and New York Times bestsellers from just last week.

  

  Tents line the streets for blocks in Printer's Row.

  There will be two UIC LAS professors taking part in official events this weekend.  Luis Alberto Urrea and Eric Arnesen will give talks during the weekend.

  Luis Alberto Urrea, UIC professor of English and author of “Into the Beautiful North,” will talk Saturday June 6, at 11:30 a.m. in University Center, Loop Room, 525 S. State St.

  Eric Arnesen, UIC professor of history and African American studies, will host a discussion with Beryl Satter, author of “Family Properties,” Sunday, June 7 at 10 a.m. in University Center, Lake Room, 525 S. State St.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: The Blue Line to LaSalle should get you very close.  Google Maps.

  Printer’s Row Lit Fest

• 28May

  Indie Arts Market

  Culture, Event No Comments

  Looking for a low-key ‘market’ with everything from jewelry to illustrations to housewares?  This Saturday is the second annual India Arts Market at Schubas on the north side.  From 11-4, you can check out all the creations for free.  For those familiar with Schubas, it’s in the concert room.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: Schubas is within walking distance from the Southport Brown Line stop.  It’s also a short bus ride or walk from the Red Line Belmont Stop.  See what Google says.

  Indie Arts Market

• 26May

  Start of Summer Festival Season

  Culture, Event, Food, Music, Outdoor No Comments

  While there’s no official start to Chicago’s summer festival season, the Lincoln Square Maifest generally seems like the right time and place to declare it started.  Lincoln Square is one of Chicago’s most historically German neighborhoods, and Maifest doesn’t disappoint in providing some German music, dance and food.

  Because it’s May and a German fest, the dancing isn’t just your average dancing, but there will be some Maypole dancing.  On Sunday between 1-4, there will be some German-American ethnic programming throughout the festival grounds.  If ethnic food is more up your alley, make sure to try some schnitzel, various wurst, or even just good ole’ reuben.

  Best of all, it’s free to get in and walk around.

  USE YOUR U-PASS: The Brown Line’s Western Stop is your ultimate destination.  Consider taking the Blue Line to Clark/Lake and transferring to Brown there, or heading into the loop on a bus that’ll hit one of the many loop Brown Line stations.  You could also follow Google’s directions.

  Lincoln Square Maifest

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