Taste-makers
So what if your summer flings don’t last more than five minutes? At least you’ll always have your love affair with food. Revel in the romance at Taste of Chicago. The 27th annual gorge fest kicks off with fare from more than 70 restaurants, including Lou Malnati’s (958 W. Wrightwood Ave.), Deleece (4004 N. Southport Ave.) and others. You also can fill up on live music. This weekend’s lineup: Maze with Frankie Beverly (5:30 p.m. Friday); Kenny Rogers (3 p.m. Saturday); and Sara Evans and Craig Morgan (3:30 p.m. Sunday). 11 a.m. daily through July 8. Free. Grant Park, Columbus and Balbo Drives. 312-744-3315.
Fast food
Want to work up an appetite before you graze? Just Race to Taste. Health guru Dr. Sanjay Gupta kicks off the annual downtown 5K run and 2-mile walk. For your sweaty efforts, you take home a T-shirt, a one-month membership to Bally’s Total Fitness, Taste of Chicago food tickets and more. Race-day registration at 6 a.m.; race starts 8:30 a.m. Sunday. $30. Columbus and Balbo Drives. 312-744-3315.
Friendly fest
Is all this talk about food and fests making you drool? Meet Jeff. Jeff Fest, that is. The annual Northwest Side neighborhood party steps up with more food and drink vendors, plus music from headliners Elevation (9 p.m. Friday), 10,000 Maniacs (9 p.m. Saturday), The Mauds (6 p.m. Sunday) and others. On Sunday, a fireworks display (9 p.m.) blasts you into a July 4 mind-set and (hopefully) a truncated workweek. 5 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $5 donation benefits Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce. Higgins and Milwaukee Avenues. 773-868-3010.
Wing it
Most of us couldn’t get a blimp off the ground if we had all the hot air in the world. Fortunately, Project CONDOR has an easier time getting its act to fly. See for yourself at this multimedia music event, where electronic tunes are broadcast over a new “aerial audio” system. Sound tricky? It’s not: Speakers are hung from seven robotically controlled blimps that move overhead while music plays. A light show and video projections make it a full-on multimedia adventure. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. $10. Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway. 773-816-2336.
Direct hit
If your kung fu experience ends at humming along to one-hit-wonder “Kung Fu Fighting” (Carl Douglas, 1974, for the record) here’s a chance to expand your horizons: “Tiger Prawn: The Mountain Mover.” Chicago Dance Crash’s full-length movement play blends the intense, humorous aspects of kung fu with contemporary dance. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Through July 15. $15-$20. Storefront Theater, Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 E. Randolph St. 312-742-8497.
Pie in the sky
Pigging out on deep dish is one way to get a piece of the action, but we prefer living large at Pizza Fest. The inaugural outdoor event kicks off Saturday with pizza vendors, live music, crafts, wine tastings and a “best pizza” contest featuring 25-plus local restaurants (4-6 p.m.). World dough-tossing champs the U.S. Pizza Team perform Saturday and Sunday. Noon. Saturday-Sunday. $5 donation. Racine Avenue between Fullerton Parkway and Belden Avenue. 773-868-3010.
Punk rock guys
Wannabe punk rockers are a dime a dozen these days. If you’re jonesin’ for the real deal, we’ve got your hookup: Score big on Saturday as DJs Marky Ramone and Mat Devine bring the beats at Debonair Social Club. The Ramones drummer and Kill Hannah frontman spin their own hits (plus some other faves) to keep you rockin’ into the wee hours. 10 p.m. Saturday. $5-$10, free with RSVP. 1575 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-227-7990. RSVP: going.com/ramones.
Gettin’ snippy
You have no problem cutting a rug on the dance floor, but when it comes to scissors, your skills aren’t so sharp. See how a master does it at the Ed Hardy Fashion Event, where celeb T-shirt designer Adam Saaks snips custom-shaped tops — while five models are wearing them. Afterward, Saaks customizes free T’s for the crowd and DJ Kostas K spins. 11 a.m. Saturday. $15. Sound-Bar, 226 W. Ontario St. 312-787-4480.
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metromix@tribune.com
