EAT
Chicago Chef Week
Various locations
Try the best of the best with a prix-fixe, three-course lunch ($22) or four-course dinner ($44) at 52 restaurants around town including Slurping Turtle, Ing, Hot Chocolate, Mexique and The Dawson. Sunday through March 21. Participating restaurants: chicagochefweek.com
Good Food Festival
UIC Forum 725 W. Roosevelt Road 312-413-9875
Meet at the intersection of healthy and delicious for chef demos by Rick Bayless, Paul Virant and Erling Wu-Bower, vendor exhibitions, a “good food” court, optional DIY culinary workshops for an additional fee and more. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. $10-$15. Tickets: eventbrite.com
Pre-Soak Breakfast
Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap 41 E. Superior St. 312-266-0400
Start your St. Pat’s celebration on the sidewalk patio with a breakfast buffet featuring Guinness pancakes with Irish whiskey syrup, corned beef brisket hash, pesto-portobello omelets with Irish cheddar and Pot o’ Gold fruit salad. Add a 16-ounce green Schlitz for $5 more. 8-11 a.m. Saturday. $5.
DRINK
St. Patrick’s Day Weekend
Timothy O’Toole’s Pub 622 N. Fairbanks Court 312-642-0700
Get your Irish on for four straight days with bagpipers, leprechauns, green beer-chugging contests and more, plus dozens of specials including $21 green beer pitchers, $7 Jameson Irish coffees, $6 potato pancakes and $13 Guinness beef stew. 11 a.m.-4 a.m. Friday; 8 a.m.-4 a.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-3 a.m. Sunday-Monday. $5 after 3 p.m. Friday; no cover Saturday-Monday. Schedule: timothyotooles.com
Tap O’ The Morn’
Public House 400 N. State St. 312-265-1240
Bull & Bear 431 N. Wells St. 312-527-5973
Choose either bar as your pre-parade venue and get in gear with an open bar, Irish breakfast bites and a $10 gift certificate toward a future brunch. Post-parade, return for express entry and specials at both bars including $3 green aluminum Bud Light bottles, $5 22-ounce green beer mug pours, $5 Jameson shots, $8 car bombs and half-price appetizers. 8 a.m.-noon. Saturday. $55. Tickets: publichousechicago.com/stpats; bullbearbar.com/stpats
DO
(Free!) Chicago Zine Fest
Columbia College 1104 S. Wabash Ave. (1-3 p.m. Friday [panel]; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday [exhibition])
Hairpin Arts Center 2800 N. Milwaukee Ave. (6-11:30 p.m. Friday)
It’s the fifth anniversary of this DIY extravaganza featuring more than 200 exhibitors with self-published books, mini-comics and zines for sale or trade plus free panels and workshops. Friday kick-off events include youth and exhibitor readings and a dance party. Schedule: chicagozinefest.org
Beauty By Moonlight: How To Be A Woman
Center on Halsted 3656 N. Halsted St. 773-472-6469
Pan-Latina theater company Teatro Luna kicks off this salon series with humorous and dramatic tales from ensemble member Liza Ann Acosta (“Putas”), transgender artist Rebecca Kling and spoken word performer and Fat2Flaca.com blogger Janeida Rodriguez, plus interactive games, storytelling activities and cash bar cocktails. 7 p.m. Friday. $10-$15. Tickets: teatroluna.org
Fex-Foreign Exchange
Harbee Liquors & Tavern 1345 W. 18th St. 773-733-0333
The monthly global roots and transnational bass party goes green in honor of Chicago’s Irish culture with a Feliz Dia de San Patricio celebration featuring host David Lozano and beats by resident DJs New Life and Itzi Nallah. 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Saturday. No cover.
REDEYE TIP OF THE DAY
Get tickets for the 26th annual Taste of the Nation Chicago, Aug. 13 at Navy Pier: tasteofthenation.org/chicago
Julia Borcherts is a RedEye special contributor.
