Friday 7/30 – Thursday 8/5
On Saturday the annual Bughouse Square Debates run from 1 to 5 PM with more soapbox rants, music, and poetry. Admission is free; call 312-255-3510.
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If you’d rather read your rants than hear them, hop across the street for the Newberry’s 20th annual book fair, where more than 100,000 books, plus records, CDs, and videocassettes, are priced to move. It’s today from noon to 8 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM. Admission is free.
Last month the Reader profiled local stencil artist, printmaker, and activist Josh MacPhee, who’s been making his mark on public property for the better part of 12 years. Since 1997 he’s taken photos of stenciled street art around the world; now he’s compiled over 1,000 of his shots and others taken by friends and contacts in a book, Stencil Pirates, published by Soft Skull Press. He’ll discuss and sign copies of it tonight at 7 at Quimby’s, 1854 W. North (773-342-0910). It’s free. Afterward, around 8 PM, there’ll be a party at the offices of In These Times, 2040 N. Milwaukee, to celebrate the book and mark the closing of “Paper Politics,” a show of silkscreened and stenciled posters MacPhee curated. All the posters are for sale and priced at $25 or less. A $3 donation is requested; call 773-772-0100 for more.
2 MONDAY With wine bars popping up all over town, it’s easier than ever to indulge in vinous exploration. Now there’s an event especially for thrifty winos: half-price Mondays at the Tasting Room, at which every pour from the bar’s list of more than 100 wines by the glass is reduced. The Tasting Room and Randolph Wine Cellars are at 1415 W. Randolph; the bar’s open from 4 PM to 2 AM Monday through Saturday. Call 312-942-1212.
