Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks outside Simeon Career Academy in Chatham this morning. | Mark Capapas/Sun-Times

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will see scattered showers and thunderstorms with a high near 72 and a 50% chance of precipitation. Similar conditions are expected to continue tonight with a low around 63 and an 80% chance of rain. Showers and thunderstorms are also expected tomorrow with a high near 73 and a 50% chance of precipitation.

Top story

Rev. Jesse Jackson meets with Simeon students still mourning shooting deaths of two classmates

Rev. Jesse Jackson today met with students at Simeon Career Academy in Chatham where students are still mourning the deaths of two classmates killed in separate shootings last month.

“Somebody in school knows the boys who killed the other two boys, they know them,” Jackson told reporters outside the school, noting that he urged students to speak up.

“They must tell somebody. For example, if they know there’s a gun in somebody’s car or locker, the gun’s not there to shoot rabbits,” he said.

Simeon freshman Kentrell McNeal, 15, was killed when he and a friend were ambushed in a McDonald’s parking lot in Hyde Park. The 14-year-old with him was seriously wounded. Hours earlier, another Simeon student, Jamari Williams, also 15, was shot and killed minutes after school let out. He loved playing football and, like Kentrell, had used sports as a refuge from the violence around him.

Jackson also said he’d like to meet with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to bring the two together after disagreements were aired publicly this week.

Mitch Dudek has more from Jackson’s remarks today here.

More news you need

President Joe Biden is visiting an Elk Grove Village data center under construction today to drum up support for his order to require larger companies to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing requirements for workers. Ahead of the visit, a White House official told the Sun-Times: “The President’s message will be clear: Vaccination requirements work.”

A Chicago Heights man admitted today that he threatened President Biden’s inauguration in expletive-filled voicemails left for members of Congress late in 2020. In one voicemail, Louis Capriotti could be heard saying, “We will surround the motherf—ing White House and we will kill any motherf—ing Democrat that steps on the motherf—ing lawn.”

Debra Shore, who has served as an elected commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District since 2006, will head the six-state Midwest headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago. Shore will lead EPA Region 5, one of the biggest offices for the country’s top environmental enforcer.

Pfizer today asked the U.S. government to allow the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11, the Associated Press reports. If regulators agree, shots could begin within weeks.

An alligator gar caught in the DuPage River? Sun-Times outdoors columnists Dale Bowman got a tip that one was caught there, so he did some digging to learn more about this rare find.

A bright one

Michigan Avenue mural shows city’s ‘interconnectedness and beautiful grit’

The facade of 679 N. Michigan Ave. is no longer reminiscent of a vacant former Apple store that once occupied the building.

Now, much of it is covered in a three-story, 6,000-square-foot mural full of detailed flora and bright pops of color.

Titled “Rapt on The Mile,” the mural creates a three-dimensional garden to “share energy” with the city, said local artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust, who created the mural.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
The front of the new mural “Rapt on The Mile” on 679 N. Michigan Ave.

Cave and Faust said they want Chicagoans to recognize the “interconnectedness and beautiful grit” neighbors share in the city.

Posting the work on Michigan Avenue is one intended to uplift a job hub that has suffered from the pandemic and also from looting over the past year and a half.

The mural, installed by the marketing company Creative Graphics Management, will be on display through January.

Clare Proctor has more on the mural here.

From the press box

Tensions might flare up during the American League Division Series. And if they do? Managers Tony La Russa of the White Sox and Dusty Baker of the Astros will undoubtedly love it.

Sox left veteran left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel off the ALDS roster.

More fans will be able to watch Game 2 of the ALDS thanks to MLB Network.
Our experts make their predictions for Sunday’s Bears-Raiders game.
Mike Clark previews this week’s top high school football games.

The Chicago Sky beat the Connecticut Sun 79-69 last night. Now they’re headed for the WNBA finals, which start Oct. 10.

Your daily question ?

We want to know: Have you ever been scammed? Tell us what happened.

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday we asked you: What did you do during the more than five hours Facebook and its apps (Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) were down on Monday? Here’s what some of you said…

“Caught up on my DVR shows and played Solitaire, since my cable and internet were working, even if Facebook was not. It was a little isolating and a little eye-opening. At first, I felt lost and disconnected.” — Christine Bock

“I turned on the radio and worked around the house. It’s awesome. I decided to do that on a regular basis from now on. rock ‘n’ roll beats Facebook hands down!” — Sandy Harms

“Complained and cursed, as I work in digital marketing and needed data to put together for a presentation.” — Kristine Hulce Romano

“Read the WaPo and CST, some fiction too, made lunch — a normal day!” — Carmie Daugird Callobre

“I was on Twitter laughing at tweets about Facebook being down.” — Sharon Bartley

“I composed a song.” — James Hawkins

Thanks for reading the Chicago Sun-Times Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day.

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Now Blackhawks teammates, Seth Jones and Patrick Kane will also play together on the US Olympic team. | AP Photos

Jones, Kane and Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews were announced Thursday as the first three players officially on Team USA’s roster for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Two of the three main faces of the U.S. men’s hockey team in the 2022 Winter Olympics will be Blackhawks.

Patrick Kane and Seth Jones, along with Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, composed the team’s first player announcement Thursday.

The news doesn’t come as a surprise: all three were considered essentially locks to be on the team come February, and Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is also the U.S. Olympic GM.

“We’re excited about the prospects of our team for the 2022 Games,” Bowman said in a statement. “Patrick, Auston and Seth reflect the high level of talent that will make up our final roster as we strive to bring gold back home to the U.S.”

It’s especially not surprising for Kane: he already starred for the U.S. teams at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, scoring nine points in 12 games across those two tournaments.

But for Jones, despite long ago establishing his reputation as one of the best active American defensemen, the official announcement meant quite a lot.

He was an NHL rookie in 2014 and not quite ready yet for that stage, but the league’s absence from Pyeongchang in 2018 cost him a chance to make his Olympic debut right as he entered his prime. He has waited a long time for this moment.

“It was a surprise this morning,” he said. “I didn’t know that this was happening. Obviously there are so many good USA defensemen right now that…it’s an honor. I’ve had a chance to play for Team USA a few times growing up, [on] great teams in junior [championships] and world championships and things like that. But this definitely hits a little differently.”

It’s not 100% guaranteed yet that the NHL will participate. The NHL can back out of the Olympics without financial consequence up until Jan. 1.

But everything has continued trending in the right direction in the month since the league, its players’ association and two international bodies signed an agreement Sept. 3 to formalize NHL participation. It seems very likely at this point Kane and Jones will indeed be wearing red, white and blue when the U.S. faces China on Feb. 10.

“I know a lot of the players have the same views,” Jones said. “They want a chance to compete against the best players in the world, on the biggest stage, and have a chance to win a gold medal. Everyone is happy that the NHL and the [union]…got this done.”

Alex DeBrincat will likely join Kane and Jones on the U.S. team once the final roster is announced in January. Jones, for one, has “no doubt” about that.

“It’s awesome that we’ve…gained some chemistry this year,” he added. “Because if we’re on the ice at the same time at the Olympics, it’s going to be a whole lot easier to read off each other.”

But between now and then, the Hawks have 53 regular-season games to play, and those are Jones’ immediate priorities.

He has struggled somewhat during training camp, a fact he openly admitted Thursday. He got beat up the ice or lost goal-side positioning on Blues or Red Wings forwards several times in his first two Hawks preseason games.

“Offensively I’ve been decent, but defensively [I’ve made] some mistakes, some things like that, that I need to clean up,” he said. “A lot of it is individual mistakes on my part and things that I can fix. Some timing things, as well.”

Coach Jeremy Colliton dismissed any concerns, attributing Jones’ miscues to the adjustment process to his new team. Come Wednesday’s opener against the Avalanche, however, the Hawks and Jones himself will both expect he’ll perform like a future Olympian.

“I don’t know if he’s putting pressure on himself to be a certain guy, but for us, we just want him to help us when he’s on the ice,” Colliton said. “He’s going to play a lot.”

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A model of a steam pumper is part of the City on Fire exhibition, opening Friday at the Chicago History Museum in Lincoln Park. | Mark Capapas/Sun-Times

The exhibit opens Friday at the Chicago History Museum.

A bird’s-eye view of a city ablaze, ropy flames crackling against the night sky from every window and doorway.

That’s the image many have of the Great Chicago Fire — that, and a clumsy cow knocking over a lantern in Mrs. O’Leary’s shed.

The Chicago History Museum’s “City on Fire: Chicago 1871,” opening Friday, offers the wide-angle images of a blaze that destroyed some 200,000 buildings, but it also encourages a closer, more personal look on the 150th anniversary.

“Dear Chum …,” begins a letter written in fountain pen by 12-year-old Justin Butterfield, describing, apparently to a friend, his family’s frantic escape from the blaze.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
A letter written by Justin Butterfield to Phillip Prescott is part of the City on Fire exhibition at the Chicago History Museum.

Butterfield describes evacuating and loading up what they can — two trunks — into a wheelbarrow.

“We got [along] very well until the Peshtigo Lumber yard caught on fire. Then it was all we could do to breathe,” he wrote. “Mother caught on fire once, but we put it out.”

The exhibit, taking up some 4,000 square feet, includes cases displaying stacks of coins fused together from the intense heat, three blackened cookies and a dozen or so keys that no longer serve a purpose,

“Imagine losing your home or your business; It’s gone but you still have the key. What would you do?” said Julius L. Jones, the exhibit’s curator.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
A new exhibit about the Great Chicago Fire opens Friday at the Chicago History Museum.

The exhibit also seeks to kill off for good some of the myths surrounding the fire, including that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow started it and that the city wasn’t prepared for it.

“Chicago was prepared for the fire. All the preparations failed. That’s a somewhat different thing than being unprepared,” Jones said.

The city had one of the most “elaborate alarm systems, the latest technology in the world,” Jones said. One of the elegant 1871 alarms is part of the display.

“They had a professional fire department, a steam engine pumper … but the fatigue and destruction of equipment that comes from fighting multiple fires every day in Chicago really led to the conditions that caused the fire to have the time to grow and have a life of its own,” Jones said.

The museum is planning for the exhibit to remain open at least through August 2025. The fire exhibit is included in the price of general admission: $19 for adults, $17 for seniors and students and free for chidren who are Illinois residents and under 18.

Stefano Esposito/Sun-Times
A new exhibit about the Great Chicago Fire opens Friday at the Chicago History Museum.

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Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle. | James Foster,

Neither President Toni Preckwinkle nor other officials would say if anyone was hit by the gunfire outside her Hyde Park home.

A security detail opened fire on a carjacker outside the Hyde Park home of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle last week, but neither she nor other officials would release details of the attack Thursday, including whether anyone was shot.

The incident occurred on Sept. 27 but was not made public by Chicago police and county officials until this week after the incident was reported by CWB Chicago.

A Forest Preserves police officer was stationed outside Preckwinkle’s home on the 5100 block of South Kimbark Avenue when he “fired shots during an attempted carjacking” around 8:30 p.m., the Forest Preserves District said in a brief statement Thursday.

“The officer is a member of President Preckwinkle’s executive protection detail,” it added. “For security reasons, we do not disclose any of the operational procedures of the detail.”

A few more details were released around the same time Thursday by Chicago police, but it declined to identify the person involved as a police officer. And it said nothing about shots being fired.

The department only said that a “57 year old male” was sitting in his car “when he was approached by an armed offender on foot who attempted to take the victim’s vehicle.

“The offender then fled the scene,” it added. “No injuries were reported at the time of the incident.”

The incident was not reported at the time on the department’s major incident log that is continually updated with major crimes in the city, including carjackings.

But around the time of the attempted carjacking, the log reported that an 18-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to the left knee nearly three miles south, at the far end of Jackson Park.

CWB reported that police were looking into whether he may have been shot by the county officer. Neither police nor the Forest Preserves District would comment.

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Top 10 reasons to fill up your calendar this month.Read More

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Ardem Patapoutian, who was born in Beirut, is one of two American scientists who won the Nobel Prize in medicine this week. | AP Photos

There is always a tension in democracies between excellence and egalitarianism.

It’s Nobel Prize season. The just-announced 2021 winners in medicine/physiology are two Americans, Dr. David Julius and Dr. Ardem Patapoutian, who’ve done groundbreaking research on the senses of touch, taste, heat and pain. Their joint discoveries may yield new, nonopioid treatments for pain and other breakthroughs.

Patapoutian had his cellphone switched off, and so he missed the call from Stockholm. The committee eventually reached his 94-year-old father on a landline, so Patapoutian learned that he hit the prestige jackpot from his dad.

Do you feel a flush of pride when Americans win Nobel Prizes? I do. It’s a sign that for all of our division, disarray and decay, we continue to achieve excellence. If you peruse the winners of Nobel Prizes by country since 1901, you find that a number of European countries are well-represented. France has earned 70, Germany 111, and Great Britain 135. Russia/Soviet Union claimed 31, and Belgium 11.

But towering over the list is the USA with 392.

This year’s winners in medicine are not atypical. One is native-born, and the other an immigrant. Patapoutian, who traces his ancestors to Armenia, was born in Beirut. He and his brother fled the civil war there when he was 18. While at UCLA, he fell in love with basic research.

Our universities are plagued by groupthink and wokeness. But those smothering fashions mostly skip the hard sciences, where a combination of investment in basic research, rigorous standards and a long tradition of academic freedom create the conditions for discoveries to bloom. By the way, China has earned eight Nobel Prizes.

Our openness to immigrants is part of the story, too. Since the prizes began at the start of the 20th century, immigrants have accounted for 37% of American winners in the hard sciences.

That talented people of all sorts (including those with little education) yearn to come here remains one of our greatest strengths. As Patapoutian reflected, “In Lebanon, I didn’t even know about scientists as a career.”

But there are movements in America now to limit or even eliminate programs for the gifted and talented. In New York, a task force appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio recommended abolishing all of the city’s gifted programs and selective high schools. Seattle’s system of testing children in early grades to identify “highly capable” learners has come under fire. And in northern Virginia, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, or TJ, has changed its admission criteria to be more inclusive.

There is always a tension in democracies between excellence and egalitarianism. The gap between subgroups in school performance gives rise to calls to change standards so that the representation of each group in elite institutions can more accurately reflect the group’s percentage of the population.

TJ, a magnet school renowned for its superior math and science curriculum, is close to where my children grew up. They were eligible to apply but weren’t STEM-oriented, so they took a pass. But other families, especially immigrants from Asia, regarded admission to TJ as the holy grail — a public high school that could be a ticket to the best colleges — and their kids studied hard to secure one of those valuable slots.

TJ’s admission test led to student enrollments that were not reflective of the ethnic groupings in the region. Fairfax County’s overall student body is 38% white, 27% Hispanic, 20% Asian and 10% Black. In the 2019-2020 school year, enrollment at TJ was 71.5% Asian, 19.48% non-Hispanic white, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.72% Black and 4.7% other.

The new admission criteria adopted for the 2021-2022 school year eliminated the standardized test, raised the required grade-point average, and allocated slots in the freshman class for the top 1.5% of students from each middle school. It also eliminated the $100 application fee.

So far, the new system seems to disadvantage Asian students. Their share of the class dropped to 54.36%. The number of Black students increased to 7.09%. Hispanics were boosted to 11.27%, and whites increased their representation to 22.36%.

Is that just?

Teasing apart why some ethnic groups perform better in school than others is extremely difficult. Culture, family structure, historical discrimination and luck all play roles. But there are two ways to attempt to make society more egalitarian. One is to drag down the top, and the other is to raise up the bottom.

Fairfax County’s decision to eliminate the $100 application fee seems to be an excellent way to remove a barrier for poorer families. Lowering standards at TJ, on the other hand, elevates diversity at the expense of excellence.

The STEM-centric education at TJ isn’t for every student, but it does serve society at large. The kind of students who are capable of advanced math and science work go on to make discoveries that help the rest of us live better lives. It should be there for the future Dr. Patapoutians.

Mona Charen is policy editor of The Bulwark and host of the “Beg to Differ” podcast.

Send letters to [email protected].

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Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks outside Simeon Career Academy in Chatham Thursday morning. | Mark Capapas/Sun-Times

Jackson also offered to broker peace between Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “They’re talking past each other…let’s talk it out in private and not in public,,” Jackson said Thursday.

Rev. Jesse Jackson on Thursday met with students at Simeon Career Academy in Chatham where students are still mourning the deaths of two classmates killed in separate shootings last month.

“Somebody in school knows the boys who killed the other two boys, they know them,” Jackson told reporters outside the school, noting that he urged students to speak up.

“They must tell somebody. For example, if they know there’s a gun in somebody’s car or locker, the gun’s not there to shoot rabbits,” he said.

Simeon freshman Kentrell McNeal, 15, was killed when he and a friend were ambushed in a McDonald’s parking lot in Hyde Park. The 14-year-old with him was seriously wounded. Hours earlier, another Simeon student, Jamari Williams, also 15, was shot and killed minutes after school let out. He loved playing football and, like Kentrell, had used sports as a refuge from the violence around him.

Jackson said Simeon students told him they were concerned about being targeted for sharing information with authorities.

“If they tell it, will they be protected? Should they tell it? These are real questions with them. What should they do?” Jackson said.

Jackson also said he’d like to meet with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to bring the two together after disagreements were aired publicly this week.

Lightfoot said the city could be “sent into chaos” if Foxx doesn’t hold shooters accountable, like the ones behind a recent deadly shooting in Austin that resulted in no charges.

Foxx then slammed Lightfoot for raising alarms about the case and said the mayor had her facts wrong.

“I’d like to meet with them so we can try to resolve the differences,” Jackson said. “They’re talking past each other. … Let’s talk it out in private and not in public, [where] it creates more division within the city.”

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Illinois has a lot more to offer other than Chicago! Less than an hour’s drive northwest of Chicago or a quick ride on the Metra, you’ll find Elgin, “The City in the Suburbs.” As the sixth-largest city in Illinois, Elgin is a little escape from the hustle and bustle of Chicago without neglecting your taste buds. Here are eight of the best restaurants to try the next time you visit Elgin.

2502 Randall Rd. Elgin, IL 60123

Gabutto Burger is known for their burgers with Japanese twists. There’s a sandwich for everyone from beef, chicken, and pork to seafood and veggie. These aren’t your typical sandwiches either. Their special patties, sauces, and flavors and even rice buns make your trip to Gabutto Burger a truly unique experience. If you’re really hungry, channel your InnerWorkings competitive eater and try the Samurai Burger Challenge. You have only 30 minutes to eat this behemoth of a burger, packed with a smorgasbord of patties, sauces, meats, and everything in between. You get a samurai sword and the meal free if you’re victorious!

751 N State St. Elgin, IL 60123

When in doubt, pizza’s always a great choice. ZZA Factory prides itself in quality ingredients, from mozzarella from Wisconsin to the best meats from Chicago. A lot of ZZA’s ingredients are made fresh daily, like homemade pizza dough or fresh cut fries. The menu is vast and if you’re craving more than just pizza, ZZA also offers wings, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and more.

219 E Chicago St. Elgin, IL 60120

Burgers and beer are always a great combination and Elgin Public House delivers. With a large selection of specialty burgers and plenty of ingredients to BYO, like duck bacon, you may have a hard time choosing what’s for lunch. The pub also has salads, sandwiches, entrees, and a signature mac and cheese. The drink menu is as diverse as the food menu with a rotating list of craft drafts and limited-time bottles and cans, an assortment of wines, and delicious signature cocktails. Having a late lunch? Indulge in happy hour specials Sunday through Thursday, 2-5 p.m.

1827 N La Fox St. South Elgin, IL 60177

Get your fix of Mexican street tacos fresh off this food truck. This quick and easy stop makes lunch a breeze. Fresh al pastor tacos, elotes, and horchata? Sign us up! Inches Tacos also offers burritos, tamales, torta, nachos, quesadillas, and more.

2175 Point Blvd. Elgin, IL 60123

Enjoy a contemporary dining experience at Cafe Roma from Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chef/Owner Frank Redisi. For lunch, dig into Italian classics like pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. If their homemade pasta sauces leave you wanting more, you can buy jars of their Vodka and Pomodoro sauces for your own culinary adventure.

155 S Randall Rd. Elgin, IL 60123

Classic American fare like burgers, cheese curds, chicken sandwiches, and more pair well with Old Republic’s bar selection. Indulge in daily specials like half-price burgers on Mondays or half-price pizzas on Thursdays with beverage purchases. Old Republic’s menu features specialties from California, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, New England, Memphis, New Orleans, and Chicago.

346 S Randall Rd. South Elgin, IL 60177

Get a little taste of Hawaii in Elgin with a delicious bowl of poké. Essentially sushi in a bowl, poké is a staple in Hawaiian cuisine. Choose from signature bowls or BYO with a wide selection of toppings, ingredients, and sauces. Poke Bros prides itself in fresh and authentic ingredients and has locations spanning the Midwest and East Coast. 

720 N Mclean Blvd. South Elgin, IL 60177

If you’re itching for something sweet, look no further than Sweet Berry Cafe for classic brunch favorites, like crepes, pancakes, french toast, and waffles. Try their seasonal pumpkin pancakes for those #fallvibes. More of the savory type? Opt for a benny or omelet instead or chow down on a sandwich or wrap!

Featured Image Credit: Old Republic [Kitchen + Bar]

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It’s never too early to begin planning for Halloween! Whether you’re looking for all-age fun involving cookies and pumpkins, or adult Halloween parties in Chicago with real screams and thrills, we’ve got you covered with this extensive list of Halloween happenings now through the end of the month.

Image Credit; Beatrix

272 Oakbrook Ctr., Oak Brook, IL

WHEN: Thursday, October 28: 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM
WHAT: Celebrate Halloween with the Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix in Oakbrook Center on Thursday, October 28! Led by Chef Partner Yasmin Gutierrez, guests will decorate Halloween-themed sugar cookies with festive frosting, candy, sprinkles and more while learning decorating tips and enjoying sips from Beatrix. The Kids Session is from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM and is $24.95, plus tax (gratuity not included), and the Adults Session is from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM and is $39.95 per person, plus tax (gratuity not included).
CONTACT: 630-491-1415 | Reserve your spot at the Kids Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix | Reserve your spot at the Adults Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix

Image Credit: Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

2024 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL

WHEN: Trick or Treating: Saturday, October 30 – Sunday, October 31; Free Dessert Tapa: Sunday, October 31: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
WHAT: Throughout Halloween weekend, stop by the Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! take-out window on Saturday, October 30 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM and Sunday, October 31 from 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM for free trick-or-treating. Don’t forget something savory for the adults! On Sunday, October 31, wear your costume to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! and your table will get your choice of one free dessert tapa to share. This spooky deal is valid for dine-in customers only. One dessert per table.
CONTACT: 773-935-5000 | Make a reservation at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! | Order carryout and delivery from Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Image Credit: Joe’s Live

5441 Park Place, Rosemont, IL

WHEN: Saturday, October 30: Doors at 8:00 PM and music at 9:30 PM
WHAT: Don’t miss the Halloween Party with Sixteen Candles at Joe’s Live on Saturday, October 30. Doors open at 8:00 PM and music starts at 9:30 PM. General admission tickets are $10 (plus taxes and fees). This is a 21+ show.
CONTACT: 847- 261-0392 | Buy tickets for the Halloween Party at Joe’s Live

110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

The fear for darkness is in our nature. But it’s also in our nature to scare ourselves during the Halloween season while simultaneously indulging in emotional support cocktails. The haunted dining in the dark experience at Hubbard Inn will take you through on a trip through the deranged history of its ghostly venue, while pampering you with a gourmet 3-course meal.

Get your tickets here.

820 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

WHEN: Oct. 29 & 30, 8PM – 12AM

How many Japanese horror stories you’ve heard are related to train and subway stations? And what’s a better city for a subway-based horror night than Chicago when we have the famous L trains? Momotaro will transport you to the world of the spine-chilling Japanese kaitan world of Izakaya Station, all the while pampering you with delicious food.

Get your tickets here.

441 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL

WHEN: Sunday, October 31: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
WHAT: Rock your costume at Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! on Sunday, October 31, and you’ll get your choice of one free dessert tapa. This spooky deal is valid for dine-in customers only.
CONTACT: 312-985-6909 | Make a reservation at Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba!

260 Oakbrook Ctr., Oak Brook, IL

WHEN: Sunday, October 31: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
WHAT: Make your way to Mon Ami Gabi in Oak Brook for a fun-filled Halloweekend Costume Party. Dress up and indulge in French favorites like Onion Soup Au Gratin or Baked Goat Cheese. Brunch will also be available. Guests in costume will be able to enter into a special holiday raffle for a chance to win one of three Lettuce Entertain You gift cards: a third place $50 gift card, a second place $100 gift card, and a grand prize $200 gift card.
CONTACT: 630-472-1900 | Make a reservation at Mon Ami Gabi – Oak Brook  

108 N State St suite 420, Chicago, IL 60602

Have you ever bouldered in Halloween costumes? We haven’t! This year, the newly expanded First Ascent is redefining Halloween costume parties with their climb in costume challenge. Stay tuned to their social media and website announcements as more details plus additional Halloween activities are revealed!

1962 N. Halsted St., Chicago IL

WHEN: Friday October 29 – Sunday October 31
WHAT: Join Quality Crab & Oyster Bah Halloween Weekend for Brews & Boos! Enjoy all draft beers for $5, plus tax (gratuity not included). Pair your brew with an order of Fish & Chips, Oysters on the Half Shell, or King Crab Legs. For the kiddos, we will have an overflowing pot of Halloween Candy for all trick or treaters dressed up in costume.
CONTACT: 773-248-3000 | Make a reservation at Quality Crab & Oyster Bah

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