HIDDEN AGENDA *
Broadway in Chicago Historic Theatre Tours at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., 312-977-1700 (the phone number as published has been corrected in this text); broadwayinchicago.com
Check it out if you … want to know more about Chicago’s theaters than what’s playing now, are interested in the city’s entertainment history or want to take an inside look at some historic buildings.
The details: At 11 a.m. on Saturdays you can take a group tour of the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre and either Bank of America Theatre or Cadillac Palace Theatre depending on their rehearsal and performance schedules. In a little more than an hour you’ll learn the history of the structures themselves and how the use of them has changed over the years. Groups can range from 20 to 75 and bring in theater groups and tourists alike. Don’t worry about getting lost in the crowd, though. The tour adds extra guides for big groups. The guides focus on what people are interested in, whether it’s the architecture of the theaters and their recent renovations or how Judy Gumm decided to go by Judy Garland for the first time when she took the stage at the Oriental on the vaudeville circuit.
The payoff: A new appreciation for Chicago’s arts scene and some stories to impress your next theater date.
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SATURDAY
Festival Day *
HYDE PARK
Features panel discussions, art exhibitions and live performances, presented as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival. Venues include the Hyde Park Art Center (5020 S. Cornell Ave.). 9 a.m. 312-661-1028. Full schedule: chfestival.org. Free-$20.
‘The Fear’ Haunted House
NAVY PIER
A tented, outdoor haunted house geared toward teens and adults features a fireworks display on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 1 (9 p.m.). 600 E. Grand Ave. 773-843-3327. $20
Handmade Market
WEST TOWN
Browse jewelry, purses, clothing, paper crafts and more from 30 local vendors. Noon. Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave. 773-276-3600. Free.
Horror Society Film Festival
PORTAGE PARK
Features 12 hours of underground indie flicks, trailers, raffle prizes and — yikes — a barf bag. Noon. Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-706-9836. Tickets: horrorsociety.com/chicago. $15.
Oktoberfest in Bucktown
BUCKTOWN
A tented seasonal bash includes food, a beer garden and live music by The Gary Filip and Friends Band. 11 a.m. St. Mary of the Angels, 1810 N. Hermitage Ave. 773-617-8880. $5 donation.
Pastapalooza
LOOP
Share a carb-loaded three-course dinner for two with a companion in honor of the Chicago Marathon. 5 p.m. A Mano, 335 N. Dearborn St. 312-629-3500. $54.40 per couple.
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SUNDAY
Chicago Marathon
CITYWIDE
Watch 45,000 runners tackle the 26.2-mile course that winds through 29 city neighbor-hoods. 8 a.m. Grant Park, 500 S. Columbus Drive. 312-904-9800. Free to watch.
Andersonville Dessert Crawl *
ANDERSONVILLE
Nearly 25 restaurants and shops serve up sweet samples during two walking crawls featuring 12 eateries each ($25 for one or $40 for both). 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Swedish American Museum Center, 5211 N. Clark St. 773-728-7552. $25-$60.
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WEEKEND
Chicago Art Open *
RIVER NORTH
Drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, textiles and more by nearly 300 emerging and established artists. 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Through Oct. 19. Merchandise Mart. 312-781-0040. $5 suggested donation.
Chicago Country Music Festival
SOUTH LOOP
Local and national artists include Taylor Swift, The Lost Trailers and Telluride. 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive. 312-744-3315. Free.
Pretty in Pink
CITYWIDE
Local spas honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month with $31 beauty treatments, including massages and manicures. Through Oct. 31. List of locations: prettycity.com. 312-435-9391.
