WEEKEND BEST BETS
Rap party
It’s prime rhyme time for pint-sized powerhouse Lady Sovereign (“Love Me or Hate Me”), who plans to steal the scene at The Underground on Friday with a live performance after she rocks the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre with Gwen Stefani and Akon. 9 p.m. Friday. $20. 56 W. Illinois St. 312-644-7600.
Speaking of Akon, see the Grammy-nominated R&B singer as he makes his own post-Stefani pit-stop at Enclave for a special three-song set. 11:30 p.m. Friday. $5-$20. 220 W. Chicago Ave. 312-654-0234.
Shake it up
The venerable Old Town Art Fair and Wells Street Art Festival may be the most well-known art fairs this weekend (details at metromix.com), but they’re not the only ones painting the town. Mix it up at LumbArt, a mashup of visual art, film screenings (9 p.m.) and literary readings, plus live music by The Saturday Nights (8 p.m.) and others. 3 p.m. Saturday. Free. The Splat Flats, 1815-1825 W. Division St. 773-489-1120.
Before the siesta
Pickles on a stick? No thanks — we like our fest food with a bit more flair. Turn up the heat with Mexican eats at Fiesta Back of the Yards 2007. The 17th annual celebration features food and art vendors, live music, folk dancing and more to put a sizzle in your summertime schedule. 10 a.m. Saturday; Noon Sunday. Free. West 47th Street, between Ashland and Damen Avenues. 773-247-5100.
Case of the bends
Holding yoga poses on a hardwood floor can turn your “om” to “ouch!” Seek greener pastures at Millennium Park Workouts, where Lakeshore Athletic Club pros teach yoga (8 a.m.) and Pilates (9 a.m.) on the park’s Great Lawn. Not feeling flexible? Work up a sweat as local dance companies lead aerobic dance sessions (10 a.m.). 8 a.m. Saturday. Through Sept. 29. Free. Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 100 N. Michigan Ave. 312-742-1168.
Is it in you?
Now that the “The Amazing Race: All Stars,” is finally over, it’s time to get up off the couch and head to Urban Dare Chicago. The Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt challenges teams of two to follow clues leading to checkpoints downtown and in North Side neighborhoods. Snap digital pics and perform dares, such as scarfing a dozen chicken wings, ascending a climbing wall and more, for a chance to win prizes. Noon. Saturday. $90 per team. Buckingham Fountain, 500 S. Lake Shore Drive. 703-931-1769. Rules: urbandare.com.
Got the blues?
For a change, having the blues feels great. Head to the 24th Annual Chicago Blues Festival for performances by local and national artists on six stages, including Billy Branch’s Sons of the Blues 30th Anniversary Reunion (7:15 p.m. Friday), Magic Slim and the Tear Drops (8:30 p.m. Saturday) and Bobby Rush, who closes out the fest (8:25 p.m. Sunday). 11 a.m. Free. Grant Park, 300 S. Columbus Drive. 312-744-3370.
Beach bumps
Get on the ball and dig your toes in the sand for charity at Bump, Set, Spike for St. Jude. The co-ed beach volleyball fundraiser serves up T-shirts, beverages and snacks for players, plus prizes for winners, runners-up and the team with the best moniker. 9 a.m. Saturday. $100 for a team of four people. Proceeds benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. North Avenue Beach, 1600 N. Lake Shore Drive. 773-784-6704.
Literati alert
If you browse used-book stores just to soak up the scent of unfamiliar titles, take your nose outdoors for the 23rd Annual Printers Row Book Fair. The event, presented by the Chicago Tribune in association with the Chicago Public Library, features new, used, antiquarian and specialty books, and signings and discussions with authors Anchee Min, Joyce Carol Oates and others. 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free. Dearborn Street, between Congress Parkway and Polk Street, 700 S. Dearborn St. 312-222-3986. Schedule: printersrowbookfair.org.
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metromix@tribune.com
