Sophisticated To-Dos for Sophisticated Appetites |
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A Warm Welcome and Thank You! |
Greetings, Sophisticate!
 This week, I'd like to take a few lines to give a big ol' warm Welcome to our new Sophisticates!! Soleil's To-Dos is on a mission to increase our subscription numbers and website traffic and you're welcome to the party! And to those who have been with Soleil's To-Dos for a while - I know that you've been spreading the word and I cannot thank you enough for your support! Your feedback, information, referrals and advertising dollars have been equally appreciated. So, welcome and thank you!!!
Okay - on with wat'cha came here fo! I know it seems like we're running out of summer and you may be lamenting all the things you didn't do. But, there's still time! There are plenty of festivals and other opportunities to enjoy months more good weather! I've got a few (right - a few) listings below, but I'm working on a few more things. Like, Monday Music at the Harbor. At this To-Do, you can bring a blanket or chairs and enjoy live music for free! Or, sit in view of the band for a mere $5. This is a privately-owned venue, so you can bring your own food and drink, or enjoy food and beverages available for purchase.
 I'm also looking for further information on Lounging on the Lawn by the Lake, which takes place on Wednesday evenings at South Shore Cultural Center. There's not too much better than closing out a summer evening on the Lake. Bring your food and incense, hide your libations! I believe that Herb Kent DJs this To-Do.
I don't think I really need to say too much more, 'cuz there's soooooooooo much more To-Do below and even more at www.so-LAZE.com! Here's another newsletter perfect for sharing with your friends, colleagues and family. Get on out there and make it a fabulous summer!
Stephanie!
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| SOLEIL'S PICK: South of Adams, West of Figueroa |
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 Congo Square's Summer Reading Series - A Great Change of Pace!
This is one of those ϋber-cool Chicago To-Dos! I went for Bulrusher a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Here's what to expect: The atmosphere is very casual. Get there a little early for some light snacks, wine and to mingle with your fellow patrons. (Food and wine are also available at intermission.) Take your plates and cups on into the theater, sit down and relax. For Bulrusher, the actors received and read the play for the first time mere hours before the reading. We, however, didn't find that out until the end of the reading. Kudos to the actors for finding their characters' voices so quickly and convincingly. (They deserved some way-groovy, ϋber-cool finger snaps for that one!) Following the reading, there is ample opportunity for Q&A, suggestions on interpreting scenes for the stage, interpreting characters - whatever thoughts you might want to share. After this bonding experience, you'll definitely want to take advantage of Congo Square's special offer for Soleil's Sophisticates: mention Soleil's To-Dos and get a 15% discount on an already low-priced Congo Square Season Subscription! You can't beat that with a stick! (This offer is good through September 1st.) Series 1: Preview Nights $80 Series 2: Friday Evenings $100 Series 3: Saturday Matinee $125 Series 4: Saturday Evenings $160 Series 5: Sunday Matinee $125 Each Series includes four productions. Contact TaRon Patton at (773) 296-1108 or TPatton@CongoSquareTheatre.org.
Another idea: think of this as a great first date! It's a little unconventional, free, stimulates conversation and ends just in time to allow you to extend the date to include dinner - if the connection warrants doing so! |
| SUMMER FESTIVALS! |
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| There's Still Tim to Get Your Fest On!
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Chicago SummerDance: Occidental Brothers Dance Band International (African Soukous, Highlife)
Thursday, 8/14, 6 - 9:30pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Kimosha P. Murphy (African Diaspora Dance)
7:30pm-9:30pm: Occidental Brothers Dance Band International (African Soukous, Highlife)
This group plays classic African popular and dance music of the '60's, specializing in . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Hot Summer Nights: The Silver Beams
Thursday, 8/14, 6 - 9pm
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Returning twice this summer after last year's whopping success is the Silver Beam Band, country western at its classic best, plus two of the city's finest line dancers teaching right there on the grassy esplanade. Bring your picnic dinner and enjoy t . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The gardens are absolutely lovely, so try your best to take it all in! There are regular activities for children and adults, including cooking demonstrations and wine tastings. | |
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Chicago Air & Water Show
Friday-Sunday, 8/15-17
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2008 marks the 50th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show, strong in tradition and assured the lofty position as one of the world's premier aviation events.
From simple beginnings as part of a "Family Day Celebration" in 1959, the show has grown to the . . . | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Papo Santiago & Orchestra Infraverde (Afro-Carribean, Latin Jazz, Salsa)
Friday, 8/15, 6 - 9:30pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Miguel Mendez & Michael Angelo Mendez (Salsa, Merengue, Bachata)
7:30pm-9:30pm: Papo Santiago & Orchestra Infraverde (Afro-Carribean, Latin Jazz, Salsa)
Papo Santiago started his musical journey in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Keith Sweat
Friday, 8/15, 7 - 11pm
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Our beautiful new Country Club Hills Theater is an intimate, 2000-seat venue that combines stylish, modern architecture and state-of-the-art audio and video technology with the same kind of rustic, community charm that our City is famous for. With tw . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
I haven't been out to CCHT yet (it is, afterall, in a suburb), but a few questions come immediately to mind: (1) $45-65 is a lot of loot to sit on the lawn - is that grass padded or sumthin'? (2) No outside concessions?!?! That kinda takes the fun out of picnic-ing, doesn't it? Will I get out there and find $6 hotdogs and a $17 glass of white zinfandel and a $3 can of RC Cola? (3) How come Ravinia is sooooo much cheaper and let's you bring your own stuff? (4) You can't bring your own chair - you must rent one there? Come on, now - we must be up to $75 already - just to be on the lawn!
Tickets are generally $50-95, reserved seating; $45-65, lawn; $12-35, city hall lawn and pavillion seating. Visit the website for specific pricing and to purchase and print tickets. | |
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Carifet
Saturday, 8/16, 9am - 9pm
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Midway Plaisance - (6000 South) between Cottage Grove & Stony Island |
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The authentic Caribbean is made up of all world's peoples - African, Asian, European, Mid Eastern, and The native Amerindian. They form an ethnic montage that has composed a distinctive cultural personality. Their rhythms are unique as seen in their . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The parade starts at 1pm, and let me tell ya, these die-hard Caribbeans have unlimited energy when it comes to representing their countries! Food, partying, young and old are all abundant at this lively annual festival. | |
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Pullman Porter Museum Family Festival
Saturday-Sunday, 8/16-17
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The historic A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum is pleased to announce its annual Book-Art Fair & Family Fun Festival. This event has proven to be fun filled and exciting for the entire family. There will be great Exhibitors, a Kids Korner, M . . . | |
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Chicago SummerDance: The Steve Butler Movement (Chicago Steppin')
Saturday, 8/16, 6 - 9:30pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Majestic Gents (Chicago Steppin')
7:30pm-9:30pm: The Steve Butler Movement (Chicago Steppin')
Multi-talented producer, songwriter and musician Steve Butler is always on the move. In addition to performing live and honing . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Stylistics, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes, Enchantment
Saturday, 8/16, 7 - 11pm
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Our beautiful new Country Club Hills Theater is an intimate, 2000-seat venue that combines stylish, modern architecture and state-of-the-art audio and video technology with the same kind of rustic, community charm that our City is famous for. With tw . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
I haven't been out to CCHT yet (it is, afterall, in a suburb), but a few questions come immediately to mind: (1) $45-65 is a lot of loot to sit on the lawn - is that grass padded or sumthin'? (2) No outside concessions?!?! That kinda takes the fun out of picnic-ing, doesn't it? Will I get out there and find $6 hotdogs and a $17 glass of white zinfandel and a $3 can of RC Cola? (3) How come Ravinia is sooooo much cheaper and let's you bring your own stuff? (4) You can't bring your own chair - you must rent one there? Come on, now - we must be up to $75 already - just to be on the lawn!
Tickets are generally $50-95, reserved seating; $45-65, lawn; $12-35, city hall lawn and pavillion seating. Visit the website for specific pricing and to purchase and print tickets. | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Nancy Hays And The Romance Of Dance Orchestra (Ballroom)
Sunday, 8/17, 4 - 7pm
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4pm-5pm: Dance lessons provided by MayIHaveThisDance.com (Cha-Cha, Waltz)
5pm-7pm: Nancy Hays And The Romance Of Dance Orchestra (Ballroom)
Conducted by legendary New Orleans bandleader Jimmy Maxwell, along with vocalist, Nancy Hays, and many of the . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Chicago Outdoor Film Festival: An Affair to Remember
Tuesday, 8/19, 8:15 - 10:15pm
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Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr
Images and plot points from this romantic story, including the plan to rendezvous at the top of the Empire State Building are everywhere in pop culture. Grant and Kerr display tremendous chemistry as two people who meet and f . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
This festival is crowded! Truly blanket-to-blanket. It's best to get there pretty early to stake out some turf. Lawn chairs are the best way to go because if you sit on a blanket, someone will inevitably park a lawn chair smack dab in front of you! A nice alternative to this To-Do is the Chicago Park District's "Movies In the Parks," which shows contemporary film and takes place in various neighborhood parks.
Visit the Film Fest website for movie trivia and cute tips on enjoying the festival. | |
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Chicago SummerDance: The Nu Blu Band (R&B,Steppin)
Wednesday, 8/20, 6 - 9pm
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63rd Street Beach, 6300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60637, (773) 256-0903 |
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons provided by Majestic Gents (Chicago Steppin')
7pm-9pm: The Nu Blu Band (R&B,Steppin)
The Nu Blu Band features Dan Henley, drums; Marc Maddox, guitar; and Carlise Guy, vocals. Based in Chicago, the band performs across Illinois, . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
SummerDance has spread out a bit to accommodate the immense popularity of this To-Do. Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Shiko Mawatu (Congolese Rumba & Soukous)
Thursday, 8/21, 6 - 9:30pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Isaac Katalayi (Soukous)
7:30pm-9:30pm: Shiko Mawatu (Congolese Rumba & Soukous)
Shiko Mawatu grew up in a family where music came naturally. His father was an accomplished accordion player and his two brothers Bunda . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Hot Summer Nights: Big City Swing with Lesley Byers and The Jazz Cats
Thursday, 8/21, 6 - 9pm
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Lesley Byers & the Jazz Cats recreate music made famous by Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Singing professionally for nearly 20 years, Lesley Picchietti Byers has performed all over the country inc . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The gardens are absolutely lovely, so try your best to take it all in! There are regular activities for children and adults, including cooking demonstrations and wine tastings. | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Outcast Jazz Band (Big Band Swing)
Friday, 8/22, 6 - 9:30pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Margot McGraw-Toppen & Riley Wimes, Jr. (East Coast Swing)
7:30pm-9:30pm: Outcast Jazz Band (Big Band Swing)
The Outcast Jazz Band was founded on Chicago's south side, in the summer of 1981, by the late Gilbert "Smokey" . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Cameo
Friday, 8/22, 7 - 11pm
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Our beautiful new Country Club Hills Theater is an intimate, 2000-seat venue that combines stylish, modern architecture and state-of-the-art audio and video technology with the same kind of rustic, community charm that our City is famous for. With tw . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
I haven't been out to CCHT yet (it is, afterall, in a suburb), but a few questions come immediately to mind: (1) $45-65 is a lot of loot to sit on the lawn - is that grass padded or sumthin'? (2) No outside concessions?!?! That kinda takes the fun out of picnic-ing, doesn't it? Will I get out there and find $6 hotdogs and a $17 glass of white zinfandel and a $3 can of RC Cola? (3) How come Ravinia is sooooo much cheaper and let's you bring your own stuff? (4) You can't bring your own chair - you must rent one there? Come on, now - we must be up to $75 already - just to be on the lawn!
Tickets are generally $50-95, reserved seating; $45-65, lawn; $12-35, city hall lawn and pavillion seating. Visit the website for specific pricing and to purchase and print tickets. | |
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¡Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival
Saturday and Sunda, 8/23-24, 10:30am - 9:30pm
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The ¡Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival opens Saturday, August 23-24 in Grant Park, presented by Best Buy. This vibrant Latin music festival showcases local, national and international talent in the various Latin music genres that include salsa, regg . . . |
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Chicago Reggae Festival
Saturday, 8/23, 12 - 10pm
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This one-day event will include performances by the very best of local, regional, and international Reggae artists, and of course, djs and lots of Caribbean-style food. The festival will benefit the Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, a group that perfor . . . | |
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Taste of Greece 2008
Saturday, 8/23, 12 - 11pm
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For more information call United Hellenic American Congress at
(847) 509-8050. |
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Soleil's Take: |
Greek food + Greek libations + live party people = Opa! This festive To-Do includes most of the area restaurants and the party keeps going and going and going . . . | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Angel Melendez: Tribute to Cantante Héctor Lavoe (Classic Salsa)
Saturday, 8/23, 6 - 9pm
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6pm-7pm: Dance lessons led by Lisa "La Boriqua" (Merengue, Cha-Cha, Salsa)
7:30pm-9:30pm: Angel Melendez: Tribute to Cantante Héctor Lavoe (Classic Salsa)
Composer, arranger, instructor and trombonist, Angel Melendez is one of the most recognized . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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Super Stars of Jazz Fusion
Saturday, 8/23, 7 - 11pm
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Roy Ayres, Miki Howard, Tom Browne, Wayne Henderson
Our beautiful new Country Club Hills Theater is an intimate, 2000-seat venue that combines stylish, modern architecture and state-of-the-art audio and video technology with the same kind of rustic, . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
I haven't been out to CCHT yet (it is, afterall, in a suburb), but a few questions come immediately to mind: (1) $45-65 is a lot of loot to sit on the lawn - is that grass padded or sumthin'? (2) No outside concessions?!?! That kinda takes the fun out of picnic-ing, doesn't it? Will I get out there and find $6 hotdogs and a $17 glass of white zinfandel and a $3 can of RC Cola? (3) How come Ravinia is sooooo much cheaper and let's you bring your own stuff? (4) You can't bring your own chair - you must rent one there? Come on, now - we must be up to $75 already - just to be on the lawn!
Tickets are generally $50-95, reserved seating; $45-65, lawn; $12-35, city hall lawn and pavillion seating. Visit the website for specific pricing and to purchase and print tickets. | |
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Taste of Greece 2008
Sunday, 8/24, 12 - 11pm
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For more information call United Hellenic American Congress at
(847) 509-8050. |
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Soleil's Take: |
Greek food + Greek libations + live party people = Opa! This festive To-Do includes most of the area restaurants and the party keeps going and going and going . . . | |
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Chicago SummerDance: Trio Garufa (Golden Age and Modern Tango)
Sunday, 8/24, 4 - 7pm
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4pm-5pm: Dance lessons provided by the American Tango Institute (Argentine Tango)
5pm-7pm: Trio Garufa (Golden Age and Modern Tango)
Trio Garufa is among the foremost interpreters of Argentine Tango in a generation. Mixing a deep respect for the . . . |
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Soleil's Take: |
The dance floor has gotten a little tight as this To-Do has grown in popularity, but it's still a fun time! Look out for other SummerDance listings at 63rd Street Beach, Navy Pier, Athletic Field Park and Humboldt Park Boathouse! The view is beautiful at each of the locations, so get out there - and don't be afraid to try a new style of music and dance. | |
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