the undercommons : New Work by Brandon Carlton
2025-07-18 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-19 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-24 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-25 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-26 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | UChicago Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Arts + Public Life presents the undercommons, the first solo exhibition by painter Brandon Carlton. The exhibition explores the complexities of contemporary Black life through Carlton’s distinct approach to stylized figuration. Drawing influence from Alex Katz, David Hockney, and Jordan Casteel, his work engages with portraiture and spatial composition to evoke intimacy, distance, presence, and longing.
Carlton’s paintings consider the undercommons as a site of fugitive sociality—an ungovernable space where collective life unfolds beyond dominant structures. His figures occupy liminal environments, neither fully contained nor entirely free, reflecting a continuous negotiation of belonging, agency, and historical memory. Inspired by Casteel’s attention to everyday Black life and the layered surfaces of Katz and Hockney, Carlton’s work reimagines the aesthetics of presence, using gesture, color, and space to suggest ways of seeing and being that resist fixed narratives.

Hyde Park Summer Sidewalk Sale
2025-07-19 09:30 - 18:30 | Hyde Park Shopping Center, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Hyde Park Summer Sidewalk Sale

The Hyde Park Summer Sidewalk Sale is back for 2025!

Visit your favorite businesses at the Hyde Park Shopping Center Thursday-Saturday, July 17-19 from 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. each day, and enjoy great savings on must-have items. See you there!

*Play Toys – 1502 E. 55th StreetUp to 70% off select items, lots of dings and dents but ready for play. No gift wrapping available and no returns.

Wesley’s Shoes – 1506 E. 55th StreetUp to 70% savings on select women’s clothing tops and bottoms, men’s and women’s sandals, running shoes, dress shoes, and much more.

Sponsored by the University of Chicago in partnership with the Downtown Hyde Park and the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce.
https://hpsidewalk.com/

The Hyde Park Kenwood Food Pantry
2025-07-19 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-07-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637
The Hyde Park Kenwood Food Pantry
The food pantry, located at Hyde Park Union Church, provides nonperishable groceries and limited refrigerated and frozen foods to 500 to 800 people every month on Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm.
We serve the area of 39th – 63rd St., Cottage Grove east to Lake Michigan, and patrons can come twice a month. All will be served on their first visit, regardless of residency. If you are looking for food outside of our service area or hours, you can visit the website of the Greater Chicago Food depository to find additional services.
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Volunteers order food, unload deliveries, pre-pack bags and distribute food. ​If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Church Office or Margy Mitchell, the Food Pantry coordinator.
Time and Location
Every Saturday (including Christmas, New Year’s Day, and July 4th) from 10 am to 1 pm;
Hyde Park Union Church
5600 S. Woodlawn — enter by the side door at 1169 E. 56th St.
Chicago, IL 60637

Ja' Grill Sunday Brunch
2025-07-19 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-26 11:00 - 16:00 | Ja’ Grill, 1510 E. Harper Court, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Ja’ Grill Sunday Brunch
Hyde Park’s Ja’ Grill, located at 1510 E. Harper Court, began a new Sunday brunch service on Sunday, January 26.
The weekly Sunday brunch hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with all-you-can-eat options served family-style for $30 per person. Cocktail options include carafes of everyone’s favorite Ja’ Rum Punch, a Ja’ Mimosa, and Ja’ Bloody Mary.
Brunch menu items will rotate periodically, but diners can look forward to Jerk Chicken & Waffles, Ackee & Saltfish, Scrambled Eggs & Jerk Chicken Sausage, and more.
Ja’ Grill owner Tony Coates celebrated the restaurant’s 10th anniversary in August 2024, reflecting to the Hyde Park Herald, “We were well received well beyond what I would imagine. We opened the doors and, I say this without any hesitation, the Hyde Park community really embraced us and that’s why we’re open today.”
Coates commented, “Our regular customers have asked about adding a brunch menu many times, and we’re very excited to try out this new offering. Ja’ Grill is the perfect place to enjoy your Sunday morning and afternoon with our authentic Jamaican cuisine and extensive drink menu.”
Ja’ Grill is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. There’s a Tropical Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 4-6 p.m. During NFL season fans can enjoy an Extended Happy Hour from 4 p.m. until closing time on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. Don’t miss Wine Down Wednesday with 1/2 price bottles of white, red, and sparkling wines.
Visit the Ja’ Grill website and follow on Instagram for more information about specials and events.

Hyde Park Farmers Market
2025-07-20 09:00 - 14:00, 2025-07-27 09:00 - 14:00 | Hyde Park Bank Parking Lot, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Hyde Park Farmers Market
The South East Chicago Commission and Special Service Area #61 proudly present the Hyde Park Farmers Market, thanks to the partnership of Hyde Park Bank. The new market reveals an entirely fresh look with all new logistics, giving residents and visitors a chance to shop on the weekends and experience an infusion of healthy food, lifestyles, arts and culture.
Shoppers will find fresh produce from local Illinois farms, freshly baked breads and desserts, beautiful plants, packaged foods, personal beauty supplies, and traditional farmers market fare. Several market vendors accept Mastercard and Visa, LinkUp and SNAP payments in addition to cash.

The Hyde Park Farmers Market:

Each Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
1516 E 54th St – 54th Street and Old Lake Park Ave West
(Hyde Park Bank parking lot)
Facebook Page
Instagram Page

The Market begins with the grand opening on Sunday, June 1 and the season continues through Sunday, September 28, 2025. You are invited to experience the new energy, entertainment, community engagement and a fantastically-curated collection of vendors.

Hyde Park Handmade Artisan Bazaar
2025-07-20 11:00 - 15:00 | The Promontory
Hyde Park Handmade Artisan Bazaar
* * Crafts! Fashion! Food! Cocktails! DJ! * *
Hyde Park Handmade focuses on makers from the city’s south side. Every month we host a unique shopping experience with returning and new craft and food vendors, workshops, lounge areas, cocktails, and soulful tunes by DJ Sean Alvarez of We Love Soul.
The Promontory is an elevator-accessible venue.
More questions? Email us at HydeParkHandmade@gmail.com

All Ages
Free w/ RSVP
Doors at 11 AM
Ends at 3 pm

Crafter-noons: Knit, Crochet, Embroidery
2025-07-20 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-27 13:00 - 17:00 | Fiber Friends Studios, Inc., 1744 E 55th Street, Chicago, 60615
Crafter-noons: Knit, Crochet, Embroidery
Is the heat making your stitches resemble a melted popsicle? Don’t sweat it! Come chill with us in the A/C, where you can escape the heat. Bring your project along, and let’s enjoy some time crafting together.

Summer Sunday Concert Series - JAVON WATSON EXPERIENCE
2025-07-20 16:00 - 18:00 | IL
Summer Sunday Concert Series – JAVON WATSON EXPERIENCE

Don’t miss the 2025 season of the George Franklin Memorial Summer Sunday Concert Series, starting Sunday, July 13, and continuing every Sunday afternoon through August 17 from 4-6 p.m. at Nichols Park in Hyde Park – 1355 E. 53rd Street.

The concerts are free, so organize your family and friends, grab a blanket and chairs, pack a picnic or visit a local Hyde Park restaurant for takeout, and enjoy one of Hyde Park’s favorite summertime traditions.

SCHEDULE

July 20 – JAVON WATSON EXPERIENCE – sponsored by Superman / Kimbark Plaza Merchants Association / Small Cheval

July 27 – ANTOINE ANTHONY & THE CHICAGO PLAYERS – Sponsored by BMO Bank / Hyatt Place Hotel /Sophy Hotel

August 3 – LOS GALLOS BAND – sponsored by La Rabida Children’s Hospital / Airbnb

August 10 – BARRY & THE FOUNTAINS – sponsored by Xfinity

August 17 – SHERYL YOUNGBLOOD BAND – sponsored by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference / University of Chicago

FREE ADMISSION / OPEN LAWN SEATING / BRING CHAIRS & PICNIC BLANKETS / NO GRILLING, SMOKING, OR ALCOHOL USE
https://4thon53rdparade.com/concerts

Six Dollar Tuesdays at ACX Harper Theater
2025-07-22, 2025-07-29 | Harper Theater, 5238 S. Harper Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Six Dollar Tuesdays at ACX Harper Theater
Don’t miss $6 Tuesdays at the ACX Harper Theater in Hyde Park!
Movie tickets are just $6/person and a small soft drink, small popcorn, or hotdog are just $3 each.
Visit the ACX Harper Theater at 5238 S. Harper Avenue. Check showtimes HERE.

Tipsy Trivia at Daisy's Po-Boy and Tavern
2025-07-22 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern, 5215 S. Harper Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Tipsy Trivia at Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern
Join us at Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern every Tuesday starting July 8th for an exciting evening of interactive trivia hosted by Ben! Experience six engaging rounds where all questions and answers are presented on TVs via PowerPoint, making it easy for everyone to follow along and participate. Each round features picture clues to help your team crack the answers, adding a fun visual twist to the challenge.
Enjoy food and drink specials throughout the evening!

Committed Knitters
2025-07-23 11:00 - 15:00 | UChicago Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Committed Knitters
Arts Incubator: flex space (second floor)
Wednesdays 12:00-3:00 pm
Committed Knitters welcomes you to our bi-weekly gatherings at the Arts Incubator Flex Space! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just picking up needles for the first time, there’s a spot for you. Share ideas, make progress on your projects, and enjoy a cozy, creative time with us!
We’ve got supplies ready for you.
Just drop in—no registration needed!

Movies on the Midway - Inside Out 2
2025-07-23 19:00 - 21:30 | Midway Plaisance
Movies on the Midway – Inside Out 2
The UChicago Office of Civic Engagement is teaming up with the Chicago Park District again this summer for the annual Movies on the Midway summer movie series. On Wednesdays beginning July 9, attendees will enjoy a slate of family-friendly films and themed activities at 1130 Midway Plaisance, between Ellis and University Avenues. Activities take place beginning at 7 p.m., and movies start at sunset.
This year’s series has five blockbuster hits you won’t want to miss. Grab a friend, grab some chairs, and come enjoy this summer classic. The series is set to run through August 9, with August 16 held as a rain date.
July 23: Inside Out 2
How are you feeling today? Express your emotions by using colorful beads that reflect your mood to create a custom-made bracelet with the Hyde Park Art Center. Wear it proudly during the movie—your feelings deserve the spotlight!
July 30: Minecraft
Craft your character—IRL—with the Hyde Park Art Center! Create your own pixel-perfect cardboard face using mini squares of colored paper. Whether it’s you or your favorite Minecraft avatar, your masterpiece becomes a mask to wear as you wait for the adventure to begin!
August 6: Wicked
Get swept up in the magic before the movie even starts! Enjoy a dazzling dance performance by the Hyde Park School of Dance and then jump into a mini-musical theater workshop. It’s your chance to sing, move, and feel a little “Popular” before the lights go down.

DuSummer Thursdays Outdoor Music Series
2025-07-24 18:00 - 20:00 | The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
DuSummer Thursdays Outdoor Music Series
Join us for a summer of unforgettable sounds at the DuSummer Thursdays Outdoor Music Series at the DuSable Museum! From jazz to soul and everything in between, enjoy an exciting lineup of Chicago’s finest talent—live and outdoors on the Roundhouse Plaza.
Doors open at 5:00 PM
Show starts at 6:00 PM
Free Admission Register Here
Performance Lineup:

June 26 – Josiah Maddox, Ox Jam, and Vince Adams
July 10 – Thaddeus Tukes
July 24 – Hector Silveira
August 7 – Joyce Hurley with Park and Ride
August 21 – Simone Green
September 7 – Marqueal Jordan
September 18 – The J Grant Experience

Let the music move you this summer at DuSable!

All That Jazz Dinner Series - Mesler
2025-07-24 18:00 - 21:00 | Mesler Kitchen | Bar | Lounge, 1411 E. 53rd Street, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
All That Jazz Dinner Series – Mesler
Join Mesler for a monthly jazz series, All That Jazz, on Thursday evenings from 6-9 p.m. The events are scheduled for the 4th Thursday of each month with the exception of Friday, Feb 14th, and the November and December events are both on the 3rd Thursday due to the holidays. Reservations are required. Cover charge $20 per person (dinner not included). Enjoy the full Mesler menu available for purchase.

Need to Know
Parking is not available on-site, and tickets are non-refundable. Please note that seating durations are limited to 90 minutes.
Set times: 6:45 p.m. – 7:30 & 8 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
There is a $100 food and beverage minimum.

About
Join us for our monthly “All That Jazz” series. Ticket includes seating and access to the event.
Mesler dinner and cocktail menu will be available. Click HERE for tickets.

Thursday, January 23 – Joyce Hurley
Friday, February 14 – Honeywater
Thursday, March 27 – Joyce Hurley
Thursday, April 24 – Tim Gant Project
Thursday, May 22 – Tim Gant Project
Thursday, June 26 – Marqueal Jordan & Amr Fahmy
Thursday, July 24 – Marqueal Jordan & Amr Fahmy
Thursday, August 28 – The Chris Miskel Trio
Thursday, September 25 – The Chris Miskel Trio
Thursday, October 23 – Kiki & Trio
Thursday, November 20 – The Alec Trio
Thursday, December 18 – The Alec Trio

Green Line Cinema | Moonlight
2025-07-25 19:00 - 22:00 | The Arts Lawn, 335 E. Garfield Blvd, Chicago, 60637
Green Line Cinema | Moonlight
Arts + Public Life invites you to join us for Green Line Cinema, a monthly series of movie nights and chill sunset activities, all part of Summer on the Arts Lawn.
Each month, we’ll gather at dusk for live performance, pop-up vendors, and food trucks. When the sun goes down, we’ll screen films on the side of the Green Line Performing Arts Center—an open-air cinema experience made for community connection. Bring your blanket, your best people, and your favorite snacks. We’ll have space for you to stretch out, settle in, and soak up the summer evening vibes with your neighbors.
The first movie on July 25 will be Moonlight, a vital portrait of contemporary African-American life and an intensely personal and poetic meditation on identity, family, friendship, and love, Moonlight is a groundbreaking piece of cinema that reverberates with deep compassion and universal truths. Before the movie starts, you can also enjoy the queer trivia contest, ReformedSchool’s LGBTQ merch, local food trucks, and an Arts Block tour.

Outdoor Meditation in the Garden of the Phoenix
2025-07-26 08:00 - 11:00 | Garden of the Phoenix, 6401 South Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Outdoor Meditation in the Garden of the Phoenix
Join us for summer outdoor Introduction to Zen Meditation sessions at the historic Garden of the Phoenix located on Wooden Island in Jackson Park in Hyde Park. These sessions are held every other Saturday and are open to anyone interested in learning the basics of Zen meditation (zazen).
Each session covers basic information about Zen, including posture, breathing, and the mental aspects of meditation. There will also be time for questions and discussion. No experience is required. A limited number of cushions will be provided—participants are encouraged to bring their own if possible.
A signed waiver is required to participate. Click here to complete the waiver.
Additional info: Always be respectful of the space, the practice, and other practitioners. Wear plain, dark-colored, loose clothing so you can sit for the entire period of teaching and practice without discomfort; most jeans are unsuitable. Shorts, short skirts, and revealing clothes are not allowed. Silence cell phones so as not to disturb others. Move around the space mindfully, and do not make unnecessary noise. Participants should expect to sit cross-legged for extended periods. Please arrive at the event start time or slightly before it so as not to disturb others.
We look forward to practicing with you.

Low-Sensory Mornings
2025-07-26 08:30 - 09:30 | Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 60637, United States
Explore the Museum in a less crowded and more sensory-friendly environment before the Museum opens to the general public.
Low-Sensory Mornings provide exclusive early access to Griffin MSI from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., allowing you to explore with exhibits with modified lighting and sound. Your tickets also include Museum Entry for rest of the day, with most Museum experiences remaining in sensory-friendly mode until noon.

TicketsAdults: $11 | Children (3-11): $6.50 | Griffin MSI members: FREEIncludes Low-Sensory Morning admission and same-day Museum Entry. Special exhibits and parking are not included.

If you are a part of the Museums for All program, please order tickets at (773) 684-1414 to have your discount applied.

Learn to Weave on a Multi-Shaft Loom
2025-07-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Fiber Friends Studios, Inc., 1744 E 55th Street, Chicago, 60615
Learn to Weave on a Multi-Shaft Loom
Learn how to read a pattern and discover how yarns can blend, mix, and create all sorts of unique patterns. Ideal for the weaving curious, no prior knowledge needed, just a willingness to learn! All materials are provided, including the loom, however, feel free to bring a fun yarn to weave into a piece of cloth. Participants can take home their woven sample produced in the workshop, which can be made into a mug rug or other decorative item.
When:
Saturday, July 26. 10 am – 1 pm
Meet your instructor
The workshop is taught by artist and designer Maggie Leininger who currently teaches at the Art School at DePaul University and is the owner of Considered Cloth, a retail outlet for unique luxury yarn, hand painted yarns, weaving kits, equipment, and instruction, as well as one-of-a-kind handwovens. Maggie was formerly a professor at Arizona State University where she instructed graduate and undergraduate students in weaving for art and design. Former design experiences include production weaving for a number of established interior designers prior to dedicating her focus on her own unique handwoven goods.
Website for Considered Cloth: www.considered-cloth.com
Website for Maggie Leininger: www.maggieleiningerart.com
IG accounts: @maggieleiningerartist @consideredcloth

10 Year Anniversary at Sprocket & Stone
2025-07-26 12:00 - 16:00 | Sprocket & Stone, 1013 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Come join us as we celebrate 10 years! Hyde Park Cats will be here from 12-4 with a few of their adoptables!! Enjoy some food, refreshments and deals on a lot of your favorite brands!!

Summer Sunday Concert Series - ANTOINE ANTHONY & THE CHICAGO PLAYERS
2025-07-27 16:00 - 18:00 | IL
Summer Sunday Concert Series – ANTOINE ANTHONY & THE CHICAGO PLAYERS

Don’t miss the 2025 season of the George Franklin Memorial Summer Sunday Concert Series, starting Sunday, July 13, and continuing every Sunday afternoon through August 17 from 4-6 p.m. at Nichols Park in Hyde Park – 1355 E. 53rd Street.

The concerts are free, so organize your family and friends, grab a blanket and chairs, pack a picnic or visit a local Hyde Park restaurant for takeout, and enjoy one of Hyde Park’s favorite summertime traditions.

SCHEDULE

July 27 – ANTOINE ANTHONY & THE CHICAGO PLAYERS – Sponsored by BMO Bank / Hyatt Place Hotel /Sophy Hotel

August 3 – LOS GALLOS BAND – sponsored by La Rabida Children’s Hospital / Airbnb

August 10 – BARRY & THE FOUNTAINS – sponsored by Xfinity

August 17 – SHERYL YOUNGBLOOD BAND – sponsored by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference / University of Chicago

FREE ADMISSION / OPEN LAWN SEATING / BRING CHAIRS & PICNIC BLANKETS / NO GRILLING, SMOKING, OR ALCOHOL USE
https://4thon53rdparade.com/concerts
