What do you call a greedy lobster? Shell-fish. And you can be as shell-fish as your lobster-loving heart desires at The Great American Lobster Fest this Labor Day weekend. Also grab a bite at Taste of Polonia, or hit Cider & Sliders Fest if you’re thirsty. Experience African culture and flavors at African Festival of the Arts, celebrate Puerto Rican pride at Fiesta Boricua and catch performance art at the Chicago Fringe Festival. Plus, get your music fix at the Chicago Jazz Festival and North Coast Music Festival.
Chicago Fringe Festival
When: Various times through Sept. 11
Where: Various locations in Jefferson Park
How much: $5 admission button required for attendance; shows are free or $10, and multi-show packages are available. Tickets and full schedule of performances: chicagofringe.org
The skinny: The seventh annual performing arts fest brings nearly 200 performances of 50 shows (half from Chicago, half from across the country and globe) to eight Jefferson Park venues for 11 days. Catch about 70 comedy, drama, dance, musicals and other performance art shows this weekend. On Friday, join The Galaxie for a swing dance party and take free lessons an hour before (9:30 p.m. lessons, 10:30 p.m. party, Fringe Central @ Costa Cafe, 4801 N. Milwaukee Ave.). On Saturday and Sunday, catch “The Wedding Warrior,” a one-woman comedy based on playwright and performer Casey Dressler’s stint as a wedding coordinator in the Florida Keys (10 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday, Windy City Music Theatre Blackbox Studio, 5340 W. Lawrence Ave.). And see sideshow burlesque with fire and grinder performers at “The Misfit Carnivale: Not Your Average Burlesque Show” on Sunday (9:15 p.m., Fringe Central @ Costa Cafe).
Chicago Jazz Festival
When: 6:30–9 p.m. Thursday, noon–9:30 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Millennium Park
How much: Free
The skinny: Top jazz musicians and local groups alike gather for the 38th annual festival. Catch headliners and performances by high school, college and independent bands on four stages. Highlights include Orbert Davis’ Soul Migration on Thursday (8 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion), Oliver Lake with Tarbaby (6 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion) and Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra (8:30 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion) on Friday, Anat Cohen Quartet (7:10 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion) and The Bad Plus performing Ornette Coleman’s “Science Fiction” (8:30 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion) on Saturday and a closing celebration of Candido Camero’s 95th birthday featuring the Cuban percussionist himself and other Latin jazz all-stars on Sunday (8:30 p.m., Jay Pritzker Pavilion).
Taste of Polonia
When: 5–10:30 p.m. Friday, noon–10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and noon–10 p.m. Monday
Where: Copernicus Center (5216 W. Lawrence Ave.)
How much: $5 before 5 p.m., $10 after at the gate or in advance. Tickets: topchicago.org
The skinny: Celebrate 38 years for one of the largest Polish festivals in the country in Jefferson Park with traditional food, dancing and music. Along with polka, jazz, rock, pop and hair metal on four stages, catch cooking classes (1 p.m. Saturday and Monday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Annex Stage) and vodka tastings (1:45 p.m. Saturday and Monday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Annex Stage), arcade games, a vendor market and a casino. Food on offer includes pierogies, polish sausage, potato pancakes, kebabs, desserts and more.
North Coast Music Festival
When: 3 p.m.–10 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m.–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Union Park (501 W. Randolph St.
How much: General admission $60–$80. Tickets: northcoastfestival.com
The skinny: Get down and dancey with electronic, house, jam-band, indie and hip-hop music. Catch headliners Odesza (8:30 p.m. Skyline Stage) and Grouplove (9 p.m., Coast Stage) on Friday, Bassnectar (8:45 p.m., Skyline Stage) and Logic (9 p.m., Coast Stage) on Saturday and Zedd (8:30 p.m., Skyline Stage) and Umphrey’s McGee (8 p.m., Coast Stage) on Sunday. Other notable acts include Action Bronson (7:30 p.m. Sunday, North Stage), Sleigh Bells (7:30 p.m. Friday, Coast Stage) and Ty Dolla $ign (5:45 p.m. Saturday, North Stage).
African Festival of the Arts
When: 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday through Monday
Where: Washington Park (5100 S. Cottage Grove Ave.)
How much: $15. Tickets: aihusa.org
The skinny: Honor African heritage at this culture fest with food, music, dancing and a mix of interactive activities. Along with traditional quilting, drumming and author pavilions, check out meditation and discussions offered at the African Spiritual Pavilion & Ancestral Grove and fitness and dance classes at the Dr. Nurudeen Olowopopo Health & Wellness Pavilion. Music acts and other groups keep the Main Stage hopping all weekend, including Cuban singer Angel d’Cuba (8:30 p.m. Sunday), soul-funk band Rose Royce (8:30 p.m. Monday) and African DJ music each day (5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday), plus a fashion show (5:15 p.m. Saturday). Along with browsing African arts, crafts, fabrics and collectibles, taste flavors of Africa and the Caribbean with jerk chicken, fish and goat meat, Wolof rice and other cajun and soul offerings.
The Great American Lobster Fest
When: Noon–10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Navy Pier
How much: Festival area is free and open to the public, but access to live music in the Grand Ballroom is $10. Food is individually priced, and meals are available for $42. Tickets: americanlobsterfest.com/tickets
The skinny: Snack on all things lobster, including rolls, tacos, mac ‘n’ cheese, boils and more, at the third annual event. For $42, get the meal including corn on the cob, potatoes, lemons, butter dipping sauce, a dinner roll and your choice of a 1.25-pound steamed lobster or a lobster roll. Vegetarian options are also available. Catch performances from The Dirty Dozen Brass Band on Friday and Beatles tribute Liverpool Legends on Saturday, both shows at 8:30 p.m. in the Aon Grand Ballroom. The Saturday evening fireworks show at Navy Pier (10:15 p.m.) is an added bonus.
Cider & Sliders Fest
When: Noon–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Elston and Lawrence avenues
How much: $5 suggested donation for fest entry, $20 for cider and wine tasting. Tickets: eventbrite.com
The skinny: This new fest in North Mayfair brings cider from Virtue Cider, Bantam Cider, Angry Orchard and others, plus wine. Snack on sliders and more from Gino’s Steaks Truck and Pilsen’s La Cebollita, and slide over to the music stage between sips for tunes from Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute Funky Monks (4:15 p.m. Saturday), pop locals Hello Weekend (8:15 p.m. Saturday), ’90s pop cover band Run Forrest Run (2:15 p.m. Sunday) and rock cover band 97 Nine (6:15 p.m. Sunday). The cider and wine tasting runs from 3–7 p.m. both days and includes 15 tastings.
Fiesta Boricau
When: Noon–9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Division Street between Western and California avenues
How much: Free
The skinny: Celebrate Puerto Rican pride at this Humboldt Park fest in its 23rd year with food, art and live entertainment. Throughout the weekend, meet boxers, see a mural by Richard Santiago that honors the Puerto Rican victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting and catch music on three stages. Headliners include salsa legends Hector “Pichi” Perez on Saturday and Herman Olivera on Sunday, both at 8 p.m. on the main stage.
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