Everyone knows that to really experience Chicago, you must visit the neighborhoods, where the true beating heart of the city exists. Part of what makes the Windy City such a fantastic place to live, work, and play are all of the quirky happenings. Prime example? The Sugar Hole, an ice-cream pop-up serving up delicious treats via puppets (more on that in a minute) for the young and the young at heart from a porthole in Irving Park at 4146 N. Elston Avenue.
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Solidly in its second season, this magical window is a crowd favorite. Don’t be surprised if you see children lining up to order a cone or to meet their favorite puppet character. Who’s responsible for this joy-giving fun? Chicago’s Color Club—an events and arts gathering space with married couple Josh Dihle and Abby Monroe at the helm—has made fostering creativity a priority.
In an interview with WBEZ Chicago, Dihle—a father—said: “There’s a fair amount of puppets strewn about the house, for whatever reason, they’re just part of how toddlers like to play, and so one day at dinner we were talking about the Sugar Hole and what if it was a puppet hand that took the change or money when you paid and my wife Abby was like, maybe puppets should just worked there.”
From 3pm to 8pm every Saturday and Sunday beginning on May 17, you’ll meet hand puppets named Puddles, Moolissa, Jeremiah Carburetor, and the Sprinkle Bandit as they entertain the community throughout the summer. Choose from a variety of loved flavors or pick the "SSSSSTRAWBERRRY" soft serve, which is new this season. Visitors can also enjoy Backlot Cold Brew coffee and alcoholic beverages, as well as hand pies from Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits, a local Chicago staple.
For the opening day festivities, don’t miss the puppet-themed Make & Move class, operated by Brain to Belly Kids Yoga, which begins at 10am on the 17th. An alfresco parade with lively music starts at 2:30pm and guests are encouraged to dance and bring their own puppets. At 3pm. a special musical and multilingual puppet show from ChangoSnakeDog will delight visitors, and all day until 8pm, visitors are invited to make their own puppet through a special craft offering.