August is almost over, but the coming weekend is still packed with festive events appropriate for craft beer nerds, pop culture geeks and Greek food fanatics. Have an experience to remember with the help of our guide to the weekend's most interesting festivals.
You're a bona fide comic, movie and video game nerd who can't wait to see Burt Reynolds
Wizard World Comic Con returns to Rosemont with plenty of costumes, comics and celebrity sightings. Throw on your favorite character getup and queue up to see Burt Reynolds or other guests, including Jeremy Renner, Norman Reedus, and Sting (the WWE wrestler, not the musician).
You'd like to get out of the city for a little beer and a lot of great music
Tinley Park's 350 Brewing Company celebrates its one-year anniversary with 350 Fest, featuring a batch of limited beers, food vendors and a lineup of local brewers. The event also taps into its founders' punk rock roots, featuring performances by the Smoking Popes and other musical guests.
You're looking for one last great summer beer fest
It might be taking place in a vacant lot, but Deschutes Street Pub Chicago does feature a hell of a lot of beer. The Oregon brewery is touring the country and making one-day stops in cities across the nation—this Saturday it sets up at Milwaukee and California avenues in Logan Square to show off some of the brewery's best beers and some tasty food.
You want a neighborhood fest with plenty of local flavor
Pilsen Fest has all the usual attractions of an awesome neighborhood gathering with a perfect Pilsen twist: beer from Lagunitas Brewery, art curated by nonprofit cultural organization El BeiSMan, and a music lineup featuring Hello Seahorse!, Gaby Moreno and Jenny and the Mexicats. Moreover, the fest will feature panel discussions focused around the fest's social justice theme, "Multilingualism: Celebrating a Cultural Renaissance."
You're looking to spice up your weekend with something original
Albany Park World Fest celebrates all corners of the world with a variety of tastes of international cuisine, eclectic art and performers of diverse backgrounds, attempting to mirror the neighborhood's cultural melting pot.
Burgers and fries are great, but your epicurean desires are veering toward something more unique
Now in its 26th year, Taste of Greektown features delicious Greek cuisine, dance lessons, Hellenic bands and plenty of amusing things to see and do. It's the perfect weekend event if you've never been to Greektown or if you're still saving up for that trip to Santorini.
You're a hip-hop and R&B fan who wants the best lakeside views Chicago has to offer
The beautiful South Shore Cultural Center will host the South Side neighborhood's annual South Shore Summer Festival, featuring a lineup of old-school hip-hop and R&B acts. In addition to great food, local merchants and activities for kids, this one-day event will feature performances by Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh and the Chosen Few DJs.