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Photograph: Grace DuVal

51 exciting openings in Chicago in April

Zach Long
Written by
Zach Long
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The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds, restaurants are sweeping off their patios and outdoor activities are slowly starting to creep back into our social calendars. Now that April has arrived, spring weather has nearly made a return to Chicago and we're ready to live it up. April is packed with worthwhile events, including Easter celebrations (on April Fool's Day), a slate of great concerts, some giant comic book fan conventions and a slew of new restaurant openings. If you're ready to dig into the next 30 days of worthwhile happenings, let us guide you to the good stuff with our list of the most exciting Chicago openings in April.

THINGS TO DO

Apr 1: Scour Logan Square searching for treats (and prizes) at Longman & Eagle's Adult Easter Egg Hunt.

Apr 6, 7: Pig out on pork-based dishes at BaconFest, where everything can, and will, be wrapped in strips of sizzling swine fat.

Apr 6–8: Dress up as your favorite superhero, browse stacks of merchandise and meet famous figures like Goosebumps author R.L. Stein at the annual C2E2 convention.

Apr 7, 8: Walker Stalker Con brings stars of The Walking Dead and hordes of zombie fanatics to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Apr 7, 8: If you're attending Walker Stalker Con, your ticket includes access to Heroes and Villains Fan Fest, where you'll meet actors from Arrow, The Gifted and Gotham.

Apr 7: Photographs by Raeburn Flerlage make up the new exhibition "Amplified: Chicago Blues," which documents the city's blues musicians in the ’50s and ’60s.

Apr 7: Celebrate the star of Cast Away at Chop Shop's International Tom Hanks Day, where you can watch Hanks' films and win swag signed by the actor.

Apr 13–15: Experience the Halal lifestyle at I Heart Halal, a new expo at Navy Pier featuring food, Muslim celebrities and more.

Apr 14: Dig through crates of LPs in the Journeymen Plumbers Union Hall at the annual CHIRP Record Fair.

Apr 14: The free (with RSVP) Rally HealthFest brings fitness activities, healthy snacks and comedian Kevin Hart to Maggie Daley Park.

Apr 21: Local record shops sell exclusive albums, host performances and draw lines of people on Record Store Day.

Apr 22: The Chicago Pizza Summit brings together 12 local pizzerias for two sessions of unlimited ‘za, live music and more delicious festivities.

Apr 27: Sample whiskies, enjoy local food and watch alt-rockers the Mowgli's perform at the Whisky X.

Apr 27–29: Artist Ai Weiwei, Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn and Roots bandleader Questlove are among the guests at the spring edition of the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Apr 28–Jun 9: Register and run a free 5K or one-mile race in Humboldt, Warren or Washington Park during the first of the ‘Go Run series of timed summer races.

MUSIC

Apr 2: Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach performs with an all-star backing band, made up musicians who played with the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

Apr 5: Show off your moves under the disco ball as Aussie dance-rockers Cut Copy bring rug-cutting tunes to the Riviera.

Apr 6: Virginia singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus unpacks heartbreak and despair with a set of earnest indie-rock anthems at the Empty Bottle.

Apr 6, 7: Experimental musician Jaime Fennelly unleashes the latest synth odes from his Mind Over Mirrors project during a trio of shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Apr 6, 7: Parody master "Weird Al" Yankovic performs without costumes and video montages, focusing on rarities and original songs from his catalog.

Apr 7: Celebrate women who rock at the Burlington's annual Frontwoman Fest, which features sets from local acts like SuperKnova, Jordanna, Little Church and more.

Apr 8: West Coast psych-rocker Ty Segall comes to town behind his latest batch of pop songs drenched in garage-rock fuzz.

Apr 10: Progressive folk-rockers The Decemberists turn up the synthesizers in support of the group's effervescent new album, I'll Be Your Girl.

Apr 12: ’90s alt-rock stalwarts the Afghan Whigs and Built to Spill team up for a co-headlining tour filled with twisting, unexpected riffs.

Apr 14: Independent hip-hop legend Kool Keith teams up with local hip-hop duo the Palmer Squares for a set at First Ward.

Apr 19, 20: Inspired by ’70s Thai funk, Khruangbin shows off taut grooves and psychedelic riffs at Lincoln Hall.

Apr 22, 24: Local instrumental metal act Russian Circles comes out of hibernation for a pair of intimate shows at the Empty Bottle.

Apr 26: Throw on a leather vest and belt out "Livin' on a Prayer" as Bon Jovi stops by the United Center. 

Apr 27, 28: Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy goes solo for a pair of show benefitting education in Chicago.

THEATER

Apr 1–May 27: A fictionalized version of the relationship between Tennessee Williams and William Inge in the 1940s is the centerpiece of The Gentleman Caller.

Apr 5–May 27: Rainn Wilson, best known for playing Dwight Schrute on The Office, stars in The Doppelgänger (An International Farce)a new Steppenwolf comedy about international dealings in natural resources.

Apr 6–May 27: Hypocrites artistic director Sean Graney adapts Aristophanes’ 11 surviving comedies, including Lysistrata, The Frogs and The Birds, into the four-hour mashup The Aristophanesathon.

Apr 27–May 20: Olivier Award-winning director Timothy Sheader re-creates his 2016 production of  Jesus Christ SuperstarAndrew Lloyd Webber’s rock-opera take on the final days of Jesus.

ART

Apr 7–28: Australian visual artist Ben Frost and Chicago-based Flyboy creator Hebru Brantley are among the artists featured in Vertical Gallery's 5-year Anniversary Show.

Apr 12–July 8: The Afro-futurist aesthetic inspires "In Their Own Form," a new collection of forward-looking photos on display at the Museum of Contemporary Photography.

Apr 14–Aug 12: Artist Hank Willis Thomas strips away the text from vintage advertisements in “Unbranded,” leaving images that reveal the sexism and racism present in media.

Apr 20–Sep 30: The Art Institute presents a collection of rare prints by abstract artist Helen Frankenthaler in “The Romance of a New Medium.”

Apr 21–Jun 17: Local artist Richard Rezac showcases recent sculptures inspired by architecture and improvised drawings in “Address.”

Apr 26–Aug 5: The work of women of color is showcased in “Out of Easy Reach,” comprising themed displays at the DePaul Art Museum, Gallery 400 at UIC and the Stony Island Arts Bank.

Apr 28–Dec 30: The Museum of Contemporary Art surveys the work of photographer Kenneth Josephson in “Picture Fiction,” which focuses on conceptual images push the boundaries of the medium.

COMEDY

Apr 1–July 14: The Second City e.t.c.’s 42nd revue, Gaslight District, welcomes newcomers Emily Fightmaster and Katie Kershaw to the cast.

Apr 14, 15: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star Kevin Hart brings his stadium-sized comedy persona to the United Center.

Apr 24, 25, 29: ’90s Saturday Night Live alum Julia Sweeney takes the Second City stage for her first swing at stand-up comedy in Older and Wider.

LGBT

Apr 14: Media A-gays Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen grace the Chicago Theatre stage for an evening of “deep talk and shallow tales."

Apr 26: During Dining Out for Life, 55 restaurants and bars in the city help support the Test Positive Aware Network services for those living with or vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. 

RESTAURANTS

Apr 1: Chow down on classic Lebanese-style Mediterranean cuisine at Cedar House, an intimate addition in Lincoln Park.

Apr 2: Bring on the queso fundido! Big Star's second location in Wrigleyville opens just in time for the Cubs home opener.

Apr 2: Revival Food Hall will get a temporary addition when the owners of Honey Butter Fried Chicken open a pop-up concept called TriBecca Cubano. They'll serve toasty Cubano sandwiches, griddled rum cake donuts and more.

Apr 3: West Town Bakery + Tap is the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group's addition to Hotel Zachary in Wrigleyville and will serve scrumptious baked goods alongside coffee and adult beverages.

Apr 7: The folks behind Billy Sunday take a swing at Wrigleyville with their intriguing forthcoming concept. Head to Mordecai for classic cocktails, wine and local craft brews; Jared Wentworth is behind the American-inspired bar fare.

Mid-April: Brown Bag Seafood narrows in on its fourth location, this time setting down roots in River North.

Note: Restaurant and bar openings are subject to change and can be delayed; we recommend calling ahead.

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