Nicole Germany

Combine a creepy old cemetery and a downright freaky movie about a supernatural presence and you’ve got yourself a pretty witchy Friday night. Chicago’s historic Bohemian National Cemetery(5255 N Pulaski Road) is hosting its first free movie screening with the horror flick Sinister this Friday. The screening is being put on by Gramercy Pictures in anticipation of the hair-raising sequel, Sinister 2. Gates for the event will open at 8pm and the screening will begin at 9pm. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and the public is welcome to bring their coziest blankets for a night among the dead. Adult beverages are not permitted at the screening, so you'll have to deal with a night of demented horror in a sober state. It's worth pre-gaming at a local Albany Park bar to numb your sense of fright. The Bohemian National Cemetery dates back to 1877 and was established by members of Chicago's Czech community. The cemetery has a beautiful limestone gatehouse that slightly resembles an Eastern European castle. Interments at the cemetery include victims of the 1915 SS Eastland shipwreck, assassinated Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak and Elsie Paroubek, a 5-year-old kidnapping and murder victim. Given the long history of the place, one should expect that the film screening will summon some ghosts. 

With summer in full bloom, it’s common to reminisce about those childhood days of heading off to camp with your closest buds. Fast-forward a few years and now carefree summers seem to be a thing of the past. If the only dates that fill the pages of your calendar are work deadlines and reminders to pay the bills, worry no more—the Thompson Chicago hotel wants you to get the most out of summer with its City Summer Camp, which launches June 15. Thompson Chicago has handpicked their best bunch of “camp counselors,” to work one-on-one with guests looking to enjoy the best Chicago has to offer. You need to be staying in the hotel to take advantage of the activities, which vary in price, so take a staycation from June 15 through August 31. Room rates start at $269, and activities include a tour at CH Distillery, discounted activities at the Shedd Aquarium, stand-up paddle boarding on the lake and much more. This is your chance to make up for missing last weekend's Camp No Counselors.