CHICAGO — In typical Chicago fashion, summer has decided to go out with a brutal vengeance. The humidity! The ragweed! If you're less of a Negative Nancy, you're looking forward to sundown, when this balmy weather will be a little more tolerable.
Here are a few things to do outside later (and a couple in the AC, for the rest of us).
1. Jazz Festival Starts Tonight: The Chicago Jazz Festival kicks off Thursday with Marquis Hill Blacktet and Butler, Berstein & the Hot 9 performing at Millennium Park starting at 6:30 p.m. The fest runs through Sunday. You can sample some of the artists at the playlist on the Jazz Fest web site here. Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St. Free.
2. Drink An Adult Rootbeer Float On A Patio: It's hot. So hot. So let's let the ice cream do the melting. Booze-filled root beer floats on a patio: You want ‘em and Revival Social Club in Edgewater’s got ‘em. The “Revival Root Beer Float” is exactly what you deserve at the end of a long day — some vanilla bean ice cream smothered in hard root beer. Plus, Revival’s private, light-strung patio is one of the few places you can grab a root beer float while your kids can’t. Revival Social Club, 1133 W. Granville Ave., Open until 11 p.m., float $9.
3. Take a free outdoor salsa lesson in Chinatown: Have you always wanted to learn how to salsa, mambo or bachata? Tonight's your chance with free dance lessons at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown. Bonus point: You can arrive to your parkside dance lesson by water taxi. Ping Tom Memorial Park, 300 W. 19th St., 6 p.m. dance lesson, live music 7-9:30 p.m.
4. Crystal Balls are Real: It’s not too hot for a message of divination. Dana Major will show the tradition of her Kentucky family of using crystals to receive a “message from the self to the self.” Major will demonstrate the practice scrying for guests age 14 and older at the (air conditioned) art center. 4-8 p.m. Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. free.
5. See "The Big Lebowski"... Inside: The Logan Theater is showing this 1998 classic as part of its "One Night Only" Thursday lineup. Each week, the theather shows a throwback flick that everyone loves. The 10:30 screening is already sold out, but snag tickets to the 11 p.m. showing here. 2646 N. Milwaukee Ave. $5.
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