Our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend.
Chicago Auto Show
Slushy roads and potholes don’t exist at the Chicago Auto Show. Go dream a little this weekend in the Chicago Auto Show’s SuperCar Gallery, featuring luxury models that sell for well more than $100,000. Take a test drive — indoors or out — or browse the 30 brands of more everyday cars. Kids can check out the Family Zone, and car enthusiasts have a new area to explore: Chi-Town Alley. The former marketplace has been redesigned to focus on “automotive expression” and will feature community-built vehicles, creative customizations, car clubs, auto-themed merch and more. Feb. 7-16 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive; tickets $20.95-$34.95 (children 3 and younger free) at chicagoautoshow.com
Hannah Berner
Maybe you listen to one of her podcasts — “Giggly Squad” and “Berner Phone” — or saw her on “Summer House.” Or maybe you noticed her TikTok bits. Or maybe you saw her 2024 Netflix special, “We Ride at Dawn.” Now you can see her perform her savvy brand of comedy marked by a practical approach to feminism. 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets from $93.15 at msg.com
Ghostface Killah
Last summer, the Wu-Tang Clan member released a sequel to his 2000 critically acclaimed album, “Supreme Clientele.” While “Supreme Clientele 2” received mixed reviews, Rolling Stone called it “outrageously entertaining.” Philmore Greene, Woes and DJ Trilogy are also on the bill. 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at Ramova Theatre, 3520 S. Halsted St.; tickets (ages 18+) from $48.90 at tixr.com
“ARRIVAL from Sweden: The Music of ABBA”
Wish you could see ABBA play live? ARRIVAL from Sweden is the best option you’ve got. Founded more than 30 years ago by ABBA’s Rutger Gunnarsson (who died in 2015) and Swedish artist Vicky Zetterberg, the group will “reimagine” the set list from ABBA’s last concert in Chicago — performed back in 1979 at the Auditorium Theatre. 8 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets from $54.95 at auditoriumtheatre.org
Rascal Flatts
The country band reunites for a 25th anniversary concert after the pandemic canceled their 20th anniversary farewell tour. Last summer, Rascal Flatts released “Life Is a Highway,” an album featuring one new song — “I Dare You” featuring the Jonas Brothers — and re-recordings of past hits with a range of artists including Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton and Backstreet Boys. Lauren Alaina and Chris Lane open. 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.; tickets from $45.30 at unitedcenter.com
Noche de Kumbia
Eva Maria “La Gabachita Kumbiambera” hosts a cumbia dance party that’s packed Thalia Hall’s Punch House. Spanning genres, the night will feature special guests DJ Chihuahua (“Por Que Te Vas?”) and Flores Negras. 9 p.m. Feb. 6 at Ramova Loft, 3520 S. Halsted St.; tickets (ages 18+) from $19.56 at tixr.com
“Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair”
More than 20 years after their original release, the Music Box Theatre is hosting a screening of both volumes of “Kill Bill.” Watch Uma Thurman get her revenge in full-blown 70 millimeter. Director Quentin Tarantino originally intended the two films to be one, but how many people want to sit through a four-hour movie? You can find out this weekend. Screenings include an intermission. Through Feb. 9 at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; tickets $25 at musicboxtheatre.com
“The Orchid Show: Feelin’ Groovy”
This year’s orchid show is inspired by 1960s and ’70s pop culture: See a 10-foot lava lamp, floor-to-ceiling sunbeams and a Volkswagen Beetle decorated with orchids. Watch for special events tied to the exhibit, including a silent disco on Feb. 21 and March 21; orchid sales on March 14, 15 and 26; and special hours for photographers on Tuesdays. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 7 to March 22 at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; tickets $9-$16 (children 2 and under free) at chicagobotanic.org
Fika Fest
It’s been an unusually harsh winter; make time to feel cozy and connected. Head to Andersonville this weekend for its annual Fika Fest, a celebration of a Swedish custom that encourages people to slow down for a cup of coffee and socialize. Bring a jigsaw puzzle for the Great Andersonville Puzzle Exchange or join the Coffee and Hot Cocoa Crawl. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (check-in 9 a.m.-noon) Feb. 7 from the Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St.; the crawl is $10-$30 (children under 5 free); details at glueup.com
“1933 — The Turning Point: Art, Oppression & Resistance”
Next month, the Chicago Opera Theater will open “Der Silbersee” (“The Silver Lake”), a work banned within weeks of its 1933 debut in Nazi Germany. Before you go see it, head to the Harold Washington Library Center for a discussion exploring how “Der Silbersee” figured into the political and moral crises of the era. Given how history seems to be rhyming again, the event — hosted by the Opera Theater and the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center — is a must-see. 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.; register for the free event at chicagooperatheater.org
George Saunders
No, the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival isn’t quite underway yet, but you can gear up for it at Monday night’s conversation with George Saunders. The Booker Prize-winner is back with a new novel, “Vigil.” 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at Francis W. Parker School, 330 W. Webster Ave.; sold out, more information at www.chicagohumanities.org
Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.
