Summer concerts | Chicago
Lincoln Park Zoo offers Jammin' at the Zoo concerts all summer long. Fastball and Blind Melon perform July 25. Soul Asylum will play Aug. 22. Zoo grounds close at 5 p.m. for setup. Zoo members with tickets and Lincoln Park Zoo Member ID can enter 15 minutes early at 5:45 p.m. Gates open to the general public at 6 p.m. Concerts end at 10:30 p.m. Opening acts start at 7 p.m. Headliners start at 9 p.m.
FYI: Tickets are on sale at the zoo's Web site, www.lpzoo.org.
Venetian Night | Chicago
The 51st annual Venetian Night will take place July 26 along Lake Michigan. A re-enactment of an air/sea rescue is at 7:45, the Lima Lima Flight Team will do a flyover at 8:25 p.m. followed by the boat parade at 8:30 p.m. Fireworks are set to start at 9:30 p.m. Approximately 35 boats will be decorated with lights and props as they sail along Lake Michigan, between the Shedd Aquarium at Roosevelt Road and the Chicago Yacht Club at Monroe Street. Venetian Night is the longest running event that the City of Chicago produces.
FYI: www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents.
Taste | Chicago
The 28th Taste of Chicago is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily now through July 6 in Grant Park, Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive. It closes at 9:30 p.m. July 3 and 4. More than three million snackers will enjoy this 10-day pig-out. There are also free cooking demos (Times columnist/cookbook author Phil Potempa is a regular draw), a wine garden and a new sports pavilion.
Show up early for the Petrillo headliners: Chaka Khan and Angie Stone (June 27); Stevie Wonder (June 28); Plain White T's and Josh Kelley (June 29); Broadway in Chicago, with the casts of "Jersey Boys," "Wicked," "Legally Blonde" and more (June 30); Joss Stone and Ryan Shaw (July 1); Fantasia and Estelle (July 2); Independence Eve concert and fireworks (July 3); Gomez and Alejandro Escovedo (July 4); Bonnie Raitt and Dave Barnes (July 5); Radio Disney stars Aly & AJ, Cursive Memory and Keke Palmer (July 7).
FYI: Call (312) 744-3370 or visit www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents.
Navy Pier | Chicago
Navy Pier's summer hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays and 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Fireworks are at 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 10:15 p.m. Saturdays.
FYI: Call (312) 595-5282.
Shakespeare | Chicago
"Funk It Up About Nothin' " is playing now through Aug. 3 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. The Q Brothers have transformed the Bard's romantic comedy into a hip-hop extravaganza, rapped to the rhythm of six MCs and a DJ. See it on Navy Pier this summer,
before heading to Scotland for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
FYI: Call (312) 595-5282 or visit www.navypier.com.
