Traditionally Labor Day marks the last gasps of summer, but the three-day weekend is just a few weeks away and Chicago's warm weather shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. The coming weeks are also packed with a multitude of free events—so many, in fact, that we were able to find something free (and, more importantly, worthwhile) on each day. If you want to get off of the couch and enjoy the remainder of August without breaking the bank, check out some of these free things to do.
August 17: Head to the Burlington in Logan Square for the monthly Burly dance party, an LGBT-friendly party for bearded guys.
August 18: Get down to some slow jams at the Whistler during the inclusive Slo 'Mo party.
August 19: Peacebook, a collection of short plays, dances and spoken word pieces that promote peace, comes to La Follette Park.
August 20: Watch airplanes and boats zoom by from a beach (or skyscraper) at the annual Chicago Air and Water Show.
August 21: Take the stage @North Bar and show off your comedy chops (or cheer on the brave folks who do) at the weekly Alone Star Open Mic.
August 22: Every Monday night, some of Chicago's most creative people showcase their talents—from dancing to poetry—at Salonathon.
August 23: Relax outside the MCA and take in a performance from local jazz outfit Mike Reed's People, Places, and Things at Tuesdays on the Terrace.
August 24: The Modern Men dance troupe performs at the MCA during Chicago Dancing Festival—free tickets are sold out, but standby tickets are available.
August 25: Sip on coffee and browse traditional crafts in Daley Plaza at the Chicago Turkish Festival.
August 26: Show off your moves at Chicago SummerDance, where Nabori with Yoko will teach you how to salsa dance.
August 27: The Yeah Buddy Awesome Time Comedy Show is aptly named and takes place twice a month at Impossible Industries in Wicker Park.
August 28: Shakespeare’s trippiest comedy, As You Like It, comes to life during a free performance in Lincoln Park.
August 29: Get that tight five ready for primetime at the iO Open Mic, where you'll find burgeoning comedians and receptive audiences.
August 30: The Millennium Park Summer Film Series comes to a close in Millennium Park with a screening of a Chicago-centric film, determined by an audience vote.
August 31: Wendy & DB and the Band play country and R&B tunes for kids at the final Dancin Sprouts concert at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
September 1: Kick off the four-day Chicago Jazz Festival with a performance by Orbert Davis’s Soul Migration in Millennium Park.
September 2: Check out the work of artist Paul Catanese at the Chicago Cultural Center exhibition "Visible from Space."
September 3: Stand-ups and solo sketch performers unite for an evening of laughs at the weekly Annoyance Open Mic.
September 4: Sip a cocktail and take advantage of your useless knowledge at Barrelhouse Flat's weekly Trivia Night.
September 5: Grab a beer, eat a slice and wait for your numbers to be called at the Boiler Room's popular PBR Bingo night.