For nine months out of the year, arts institutions desperately try to draw us inside with their chic cafés and fashionable gift shops. But, when the summer months roll around, we can't deal with one more minute of being cooped up inside. We're done with hibernating in our offices and homes, and they know it. Luckily, our local museums and arts organizations have provided us with some good excuses to hang out on patios and sip cold drinks this summer.
If a case of the Mondays has got you down, Martini Monday might be the cure. Enjoy cocktails, light bites, and music, followed by special after-hours gallery viewing, in the Art Institute’s Pritzker Garden from 6-8pm on July 23. The upcoming event will showcase the Modern Wing’s photography galleries, currently featuring Parcours and Dawoud Bey: Harlem, U.S.A., as well as the design exhibition Fashioning the Object: Bless, Boudicca, Sandra Backlund. Martini Monday will return in August, featuring a different venue or gallery to explore. Tickets are $45 for members and $50 for non-members.
Pritzer Garden in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago
Make your reservation now!
Martini Mondays at the Art Institute of Chicago
Call 312-553-9675, or reserve online
If you’re a live music junkie, check out The Museum of Cotemporary Art’s Tuesdays on the Terrace, every Tuesday from 5:30–8pm. Celebrated Chicago jazz musicians, including the Fred Anderson Legacy Band, acclaimed cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and saxophone/clarinetist Mwata Bowden, create a swanky atmosphere as you dine on a buffet crafted by Puck’s Café. With new dishes every week, this outdoor dining experience can feature anything from Korean to Latin American cuisine, always fresh and locally grown. If you’re wishing for a more casual night out, grab a sausage from the outdoor grill, lay down a blanket, and stretch out on the garden lawn. Isaiah Spencer will be performing on July 17th, and Yvonne Gage on the 24th. Dinner buffet is $24 per person. Calling for reservations is advised, as tables are limited.
Tuesdays on the Terrace at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Make your reservation now!
Tuesdays on the Terrace at the Museum of Chicago Art Chicago
Call 312-397-4034, or email
Don’t forget about the old trusty standby: the farmers’ market. A seasonal favorite, these bountiful markets can be found on nearly every corner of the city. Chicago’s Tourism Site lists forty-four different market locations in neighborhoods and downtown. With locations in high traffic areas as the Willis Tower and Federal Plaza to local corners like Hyde Park and Lincoln Square, you should never be short on fresh fruit, veggies, flowers, or homemade goodies this summer. To find a farmers market near you, go to the City of Chicago’s Official Tourism Site to view markets by seasonality, day of the week, or location.
Farmers Market at Federal Plaza
And as always, Chicago Gallery News offers Saturday Morning Tours in River North, the creative epicenter of Chicago. We can turn a ordinary morning stroll into a cultural adventure. Today, over forty galleries are within walking distance of the intersection of Superior and Franklin. Each tour highlights four of the galleries exhibiting contemporary painting, works on paper, photography, glass, sculpture, and ceramics. Our tours are free and meet every Saturday, except for major holiday weekends, throughout the year. Meet your tour leader at 11am at the Starbucks located at 750 N. Franklin (on the same block as our office) to begin your tour. This weekend, on July 14th, our tour will feature Jennifer Norback Fine Art, Maya Polsky Gallery, Carl Hammer Gallery, and Addington Gallery. Visit the CGN website for information on our West Loop Afternoon Gallery Tours, or to view the entire summer schedule.
Addington Gallery in River North
No matter where you go this summer, make sure you get out and breathe some of that fresh air. It’s good for you!
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