August, Rock She Must

This is the last of the three months that unofficially comprise summer, so the beginning of August is a good time to reflect on whether you’ve been fully appreciating the season. There are some fun-filled events coming up in Chicago, including three longtime favorites here at Broken Hearted Toy. They often fall on the same weekend, which results in hectic scheduling and tough choices. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to go into greater detail for each of these in future posts, but for now, here's a quick rundown.

Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago is an easy pick this year because it sits by itself on the weekend of August 12–14 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont. Founded by Mark and Carol Lapidos back in the late 1970s, the annual celebration has never failed to live up to its name. It’s a great way to relive Beatlemania via concerts, celebrity guests; sing-along sessions; photography; artwork; and a joyful sense of community among fans of all ages and walks of life.

Mary-Archie Theatre closed earlier this year, ending a 30-year run of providing some of the city’s most provocative storefront productions. It said goodbye with a critically acclaimed and extended run of David Mamet’s American Buffalo, but the theatre still has one last trick up its tie-dyed sleeve—Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins XXVIII. Since Mary-Arrchie’s home base no longer exists, it’s being held at The Den Theatre on the weekend of August 19–21. Expect even more freewheeling fun as this final annual celebration of the Woodstock spirit offers virtually non-stop drama, performance art, live music, and comedy.

Wizard World Chicago Comic Con returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont on Thursday, August 18 and runs through Sunday, August 21. Once again, there will be tons of vendors selling comic books, t shirts, action figures, and other fantasy/sci-fi related artifacts. People often dress up in costumes, which can make for some odd couplings—like Captain Jack Sparrow and Harry Potter walking side by side. The biggest draw for most people though is a chance to meet the celebrity guests.

Also coming up this month: Taste Of Lincoln Avenue - 6 and 7; North Halsted Market Days - 13 and 14; the very first Reggae Fest Chicago - 13; Chicago Air and Water Show - 20 and 21; Bucktown Art Fest - 27 and 28; and Chicago Fringe Fest - August 31 through September 11.