Instead of allowing the seven-member commission to choose Chicago’s police superintendent, Lightfoot would retain that coveted power for herself and future mayors.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot finally delivered her own plan for civilian police oversight on Monday, but it does not include the sweeping policymaking, budgeting and hiring and firing powers she promised during the mayoral campaign.

Instead of allowing the seven-member commission to choose Chicago’s police superintendent, Lightfoot would retain that coveted power for herself and future mayors.

The civilian panel would have the power to “assess performance of and set goals for” the police superintendent, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and the Police Board president, under the mayor’s proposal.

If the police superintendent’s job becomes vacant, the civilian oversight panel would essentially do what the Police Board does now: Conduct a nationwide search and recommend candidates from which the mayor would choose.

That same process would be followed in filling vacancies in the jobs of as chief administrator of COPA and police board members.

The panel would also be empowered to “introduce and adopt a resolution of no-confidence on the fitness of the superintendent, chief administrator and police board president.

Also, the panel would not have the final word on disputes over police policy.

Rather, the civilian representatives would “review and approve by majority vote any proposed new or amended policy” and “review and provide input” on the “police accountability system, police services and department policies and practices of significance to the public.”

Prior to a City Council vote on the city budget, the panel would “prepare and submit to the budget director a detailed and factually-supported budget submission, then review and, if warranted, recommend changes” to the Chicago Police Department’s budget.

The panel would also have the right to “direct” COPA’s chief administrator” to “investigate complaints of police misconduct consistent with COPA’s defined jurisdiction.”

It remains to be seen whether the mayor’s long-awaited plan satisfies the Council’s Black, Hispanic and Progressive caucuses.

A plan endorsed by those caucuses would ask Chicago voters in the 2022 primary to approve a binding referendum empowering an 11-member civilian police oversight commission to hire and fire the police superintendent, negotiate police contracts and set CPD’s budget.

Lightfoot would lose the power to hire and fire the police superintendent. Her Law Department and hand-picked negotiators would no longer negotiate police contracts.

And Lightfoot and aldermen would lose their power to establish the CPD budget, ceding that power as well to the civilian commission, which would have nine elected members and two appointed by the mayor.

Even if voters reject the referendum, the commission would have the final say in disputes over police policy unless two-thirds of the Council decides otherwise. The commission also would be empowered to take a vote of no-confidence in the superintendent and hire and fire the chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Lightfoot said again Monday she “wears the jacket” for Chicago violence and she’s not about to “outsource” control of CPD to a civilian police oversight commission.

“Public safety is one of the most critical responsibilities of any mayor — me and anybody who will come” after her, Lightfoot said.

“The relationship between the mayor and the police superintendent is critically important. So we have a process by which the candidates will be vetted through the commission. The commission will make recommendations. But yes, because the buck stops with me, I will ultimately, as mayor … be making that decision.”

Lightfoot said her ordinance includes a “process for creating a temporary commission, then getting to an elected commission.” And it “allows for and does not disenfranchise” undocumented Chicagoans to serve.

“Public safety is something that every resident of the city has a stake in. And we want to make sure that the undocumented community also has the ability to participate,” she said.

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One hundred years later, no one has been held responsible for the Tulsa massacre that left hundreds of Black people dead and their prosperous community in ruins.

Memorial Day marks one year since the murder of George Floyd by the hands of the Minneapolis police. This week also marks the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, a brutal government-aided leveling of a prosperous African American community for which there still has been no accounting and no justice. Few even know about the massacre. It hasn’t even been taught in the Tulsa public schools until this year. Although 100 years old, the massacre poses questions of justice and of decency that America cannot avoid.

After World War I, a neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, named Greenwood grew to be among the wealthiest Black communities in the country. Booker T. Washington called it the “Black Wall Street.” Here were successful entrepreneurs, doctors, and lawyers who through hard work and good minds were building a prosperous Black community. The district was lined with Black-owned shops. restaurants, a 54-room grand hotel and the Dreamland Theater. It supported two newspapers and a hospital.

Then on the day after Memorial Day, a white mob gathered to lynch a young Black 19-year-old who had startled a 17-year-old white girl, an elevator operator, in an elevator. Rumors inflated the incident into an alleged rape. Black veterans of World War I rushed to the jail to try to protect the young man from the mob. A shot was fired, and the enraged white mob chased blacks back into Greenwood.

Then the massacre began. The police and National Guard joined the mob rather than enforce the peace. Planes circled overhead to drop turpentine bombs on homes and businesses. As Rev. Robert Turner, pastor of the historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church that was torched in the massacre, notes, “The first time in American history that airplanes were used to terrorize America was not in 9/11, was not at Pearl Harbor, it was right here in the Greenwood District.”

The 2001 report of the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Race Riot of 1921, created by the state legislature, found that the city of Tulsa conspired to destroy Greenwood. According to the commission’s report, the massacre destroyed some 40 square blocks. Nearly 10,000 people were left homeless as 1,256 homes were looted and burned down. So too was the thriving commercial district, including the Black hospital.

White hospitals turned away Greenwood’s wounded. Many bled to death, including Greenwood’s most prominent surgeon. The number of dead is estimated to be as many as 300, but went uncounted. Many were simply dumped in unmarked graves. Ten thousand African Americans were left homeless; some 6,000 were herded into internment camps for weeks. Government officials committed no public money to help Greenwood rebuild. Instead, they opposed any revival, even rejecting offers of assistance from outside of Tulsa.

No one was held responsible for the deaths and injuries, or the millions in property losses. Not one insurance company honored a claim by an African American. City and state officials covered up the crime for decades.

As Dreisen Heath, author of a Human Rights Watch report on the massacre summarized, “The Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa was destroyed, but survivors of the massacre and their descendants are still suffering the consequences. Decades of Black prosperity and millions of dollars in hard-earned wealth were wiped out in hours, but nobody was ever held accountable, and no compensation was ever paid.”

Legacy of discrimination

That history lives today. Tulsa is still one of the most segregated cities in the country. The current mayor acknowledges “the history of racial disparity that exists in our city. A kid that’s growing up in the predominantly African American part of our city is expected to live 11 years less than a kid that’s growing up in a whiter part of the city.” Tulsa still suffers from discrimination, institutionalized in the police, zoning laws, housing policies and more.

One hundred years later, the African American community still seeks justice. Rev. Turner marches each week to the city council to demand repair, reparations for the damage done. The state-created commission called for reparations such as direct payments to “riot survivors and descendants,” a scholarship fund and a memorial. The Human Rights Watch report on the massacre calls on the Tulsa and Oklahoma governments to provide reparations, including “direct payments to the few massacre victims still living and the descendants,” efforts to recover remains from mass graves, and a “comprehensive reparations plan,” including targeted investments in health, education and economic opportunities.” A House subcommittee has opened an inquiry into what can be done.

The issue of reparations always meets with resistance. Why should this generation pay for the crimes of those who lived 100 years ago? Yet once the massacre is admitted, the violation done to people can’t be simply ignored. And the damage incurred — erasing a prosperous Black community and enforcing racially discriminatory policies through the decades — is real.

The mark of history scars Tulsa today. There, and elsewhere in America, there needs to be a process that can officially recognize the injustice, act to repair the damages done, and bring us together, so that our society can continue to make its difficult way to an inclusive, and better America.

Send letters to [email protected]

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“He was very lyrical. He was good with words. He’d say profound things.”

Even in grade school, Dajon Gater had clear musical talent.

The normally quiet 15-year-old would transform himself while performing in the after-school program Guitars over Guns.

“He was a really chill, laid-back guy. And he would get on stage and turn into the coolest, smoothest dude,” said his mentor Andre Daniels.

“His voice was always really laid back, but then he’d turn on the swag,” said Daniels, who performs as Add-2 and helped run the organization’s rap program in Bronzeville in 2017 and 2018.

Dajon was shot and killed last Friday on the porch of his Lawndale home. Police said two gunmen approached and opened fire shortly before midnight in the 3900 block of West Lexington Street.

Dajon was shot in his head and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died three hours later. He was among 54 people shot over the weekend in Chicago, the deadliest of the year with at least 12 dead.

Police said Dajon’s shooting may have been retaliation for an “earlier altercation,” but did not elaborate. Two shell casings were recovered at the home. No one was arrested.

Dajon’s older cousin said he was a “good kid” who sometimes would be goofy and crack jokes. Dajon moved to Lawndale a year or two ago with his mother and two sisters, according to the cousin, who asked not to be named.

Dajon’s music teacher recommended him to the after-school program when he was in the sixth grade because he was reserved and was unlikely to join on his own, according to Andrew DeMuro, regional director of Guitars over Guns.

“He was a quiet, young man, but was uniquely sweet and gentle, and wise beyond his years,” DeMuro said.

Another after-school mentor, rapper Marisol Velez, remembers him as “kind of cocky, but also kind.”

“Dajon was tinier than most of his peers, but was bigger than them in a sense,” said Velez, who raps as Pinqy Ring.

Dajon and his peers began every session with an “emotional check-in,” with each member listing one word to describe their day. Dajon’s was always positive.

“I don’t recall him in that circle saying he felt a negative way. He was literally a ball of energy,” she said.

Velez said she was devastated by Dajon’s death and has been rewatching videos from the after-school program. “The music and the videos sort of immortalize him,” she said.

The after-school program taught Dajon how to compose songs and raps, as well as the basics of sound engineering, Daniels said. Dajon learned to set up microphones and record tracks to a computer. His class wrote a five-track EP in the program at Beethoven Elementary in Bronzeville.

“He always had catchy hooks,” Daniels said of Dajon, who was precocious with a surprising breadth of musical knowledge.

“He was so structured with his raps and always further ahead that there was only so much we could teach him,” Daniels said. “He had his own swag, very chill and laid back, but he was also very lyrical. He was good with words. He’d say profound things.”

Dajon had a unique writing style.

“You can’t really forget certain people,” Daniels said. “Like when it was time to write raps, he would go over to a corner and hide behind a bookshelf and write his raps at a little desk. And I remember saying, you can’t have this little cubby by yourself. You’ve got to share that stuff. He was like, nah nah nah, that’s my spot.”

Daniels, who runs his own safe space, Haven Studios, said the after-school program gave Dajon and others a creative outlet.

“That’s why it was so successful. The kids really enjoyed having a space that they could call their own — that they could have community with each other and talk about certain things… life in general,” Daniels said. “That’s what kept them coming back — that community.”

After Dajon died, DeMuro pulled up his 2017 exit questionnaire, which asked the students for the one thing they’d remember from the program.

“When asked what he’d always remember, he said: ‘When (my mentors) taught us how to believe in ourselves whenever we were in doubt. That was really uplifting and inspiring. It taught me how to be confident in myself at anytime.’”

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In a statement issued along with the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS, the African Union called for the immediate release of President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane.

BAMAKO, Mali — Mutinous soldiers arrested Mali’s transitional president and prime minister Monday hours after a government reshuffle left out two members of the junta that had seized power in a coup nine months earlier, the African Union said.

In a statement issued along with the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS, the African Union called for the immediate release of President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, who were taken to the Kati military headquarters.

“They strongly condemn this extremely serious act, which can in no way be tolerated,” the statement said, calling on the soldiers to return to their barracks.

The developments raised new alarm about whether the transitional government would be able to move ahead freely with plans to organize new democratic elections as promised by next February in Mali, where the U.N. is spending $1.2 billion a year on a peacekeeping mission.

The two leaders were sworn in last September after the ruling military junta agreed to hand over power to a civilian transitional government under growing international pressure.

The junta had grabbed power a month earlier after mutinous soldiers encircled the home of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and fired shots into the air. He later resigned on national television under duress, saying he did not want blood to be shed in order for him to stay in office.

The soldiers then went on state television hours later calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People and promising a swift return to civilian rule. However, Monday’s developments appeared to throw that promise into question.

The arrests came just an hour or so after a new government Cabinet was announced. Notably it did not include Interior Security Minister Modibo Kone or Defense Minister Sadio Camara, both junta supporters. No reason was given for their exclusion, but the move suggested mounting divisions within the transitional government.

There has been widespread concern the upheaval in Mali over the past year has further set back efforts to contain the militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State groups.

Islamic extremists took control of major towns in northern Mali after the 2012 coup. Only a 2013 military intervention led by the former colonial power France pushed extremists out of those towns. France and a U.N. force have continued to battle the extremist rebels, who operate in rural areas and regularly attack roads and cities.

___

Associated Press writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

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The Chicago Bears have a lot riding on the decision made between the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers. He has been one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League in his time there but he is clearly unhappy. The Bears have been one of the biggest victims of his […]

Chicago Bears: Incredible news on Aaron Rodgers out of OTAs – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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See Chicago Dance’s annual celebration sustains and supports artists and audiences.

Chicago Dance Month returns for a ninth time this June with in-person events featuring Chicago dancers and dance companies outdoors at Navy Pier and McKinley Park. Previously held in April, this year’s celebration launches a whole summer of Saturdays featuring dance at Navy Pier produced by See Chicago Dance.…Read More

Javy Baez and Nico Hoerner haven’t been playing together long, but you can’t tell by watching them. The Cubs’ double-play combo has developed a natural chemistry in their short time together that is showing up on a nightly basis.

Teams build their rosters to be strong defensively up the middle and the Cubs are no different and with Baez manning shortstop and Hoerner at second base, they’re playing like one of the best defensive tandems in the game.

“Having potentially two Gold Gloves up the middle is extremely strong and important and makes you feel confident that when a ball is hit towards those guys, that a play is gonna be made,” manager David Ross said. “That’s a special group out there.”

What stands out about Baez and Hoerner are the baseball instincts and athleticism that allows them to make plays no matter the degree of difficulty.

There’s no doubt that Baez is a human-highlight reel and he’s one of the most electric players in MLB. But he’s also been one of the league’s premier defenders at the position since becoming the team’s full-time shortstop in 2018. He’s fourth among active players as a plus-34 outs above average since 2016. This season, he’s had a slower start with the glove and currently minus-2 OAA.

“Javy’s played through a lot physically this season and he’s done a lot of amazing things at the same time,” Cubs bench and infield coach Andy Green told the Sun-Times. “We know what kind of shortstop he has proven to be year after year.”

Baez’s double-play partner is starting to make a name for himself.

Hoerner has been putting the league on notice that the Cubs’ middle infield is a no fly zone on both sides of the diamond. During last week’s series against the Nationals, the 24-year-old second baseman showed off his range making a number of sliding stops (while deep in the shift) and either making the play or keeping the ball in the infield and preventing runners from advancing.

Hoerner was a finalist for the NL’s Gold Glove award at second base in 2020 and appears to be well on his way to being back in the running for some hardware this season. After not starting the season with the Cubs, Hoerner already ranks third in MLB among second basemen with both a plus-five OAA and defensive runs saved.

“I think he’s already one of the best in the game,” Green said. “He doesn’t need a confidence boost. He had that confidence in him last year and you saw it from the first day he showed up. He’s already really, really good there and he wants to be extraordinary.”

“It’s been really good communication between us,” Baez said. “The way that he wants to get better. He wants to come and work and learn something every day. It’s been great.”

The Cubs were one of the best defensive teams in baseball in 2020 and took away the team Gold Glove Award last season. Various metrics have not graded them as high this year – some of that being due to some of hits against the shift early this season.

When it comes to defensive positioning, Baez prefers to go off feel while Hoerner usually goes off Green’s defensive alignment and make adjustment throughout a game or series.

“There’s so much luck involved in the shifting stuff,” Hoerner said in a recent interview. “You kind of just got to trust yourself and trust the data [we have] at the end of the day.”

While positioning and range play a role in the team’s metrics, what ultimately matters will be the Cubs turning balls in play into outs and with Baez and Hoerner up the middle, they’re confident those two will help keep a lot of runs off the board.

“Those metrics will look good by the end of the year,” Green said. “We’ve had a lot of balls beat shifts and roll through holes to start the season that don’t normally go where they’ve gone. So there’s no reason to really be overly concerned about that, because we got really good defenders out there and our process is good. It’s gonna take care of itself.”

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The full musical at Chicago Shakes is on hold, but you can see a streaming mockumentary based on the OG aliens-in-the-desert flick.

Bow down to It Came from Outer Space, the OG mother of all alien blockbusters. Since invading movie theaters nearly 70 years ago, the film (based on an original story by Ray Bradbury) has helped cement the genre’s place in the zeitgeist.…Read More

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 be mostly sunny with a high near 88 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 71. Tomorrow there’s a chance of thunderstorms with a high near 85.

Top story

Cupich clears Pfleger to return to St. Sabina after investigation into allegations of sex abuse

Cardinal Blase Cupich announced today that Rev. Michael Pfleger is being reinstated early next month as the senior pastor of St. Sabina Parish after the Archdiocese of Chicago cleared him to return following an internal probe into allegations of sexual abuse.

In a letter to St. Sabina’s congregation, Cupich said the archdiocese’s independent review board “concluded there is no reason to suspect Father Pfleger is guilty of these allegations.” Cupich noted Pfleger will return to his position starting June 5.

“I have asked Father Pfleger to take the next two weeks to prepare himself spiritually and emotionally to return, realizing that these months have taken a great toll on him,” Cupich wrote. “He has agreed to do so.”

Pfleger was removed from active ministry at the Auburn Gresham parish in January after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor more than 40 years ago. Later that month, the brother of Pfleger’s first accuser came forward with a second allegation.

The men, who are in their 60s and now live in Texas, said at a news conference that Pfleger molested them dozens of times, starting in the 1970s. It allegedly began when they were in the choir at Precious Blood Church on the West Side and continued for years at the Mundelein Seminary as well as two other churches, including St. Sabina, where Pfleger has served as pastor since 1981.

Then in March, a 59-year-old man came forward to bolster the brothers’ claims, alleging Pfleger molested him in the rectory at St. Sabina.

Pfleger didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Neither did a spokeswoman for his accusers.

Read Tom Schuba’s full story here.

More news you need

1. In the aftermath of unrest over George Floyd’s killing, local business owners have worked to salvage what they can and rebuild where possible. Read Manny Ramos’ full story — and watch the video above — on how they view Floyd’s death and the protests a year later.
2. Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore wants the county to delay a vote to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Moore, who said he is a direct descendant of a Choctaw Freedman, called for the vote to be delayed until certain tribes acknowledge their own historic racism.
3. Mayor Lori Lightfoot today earmarked $80 million in federal relief funds for a third round of rental assistance. The move comes ahead of the expected end of a statewide eviction ban that has protected renters during the pandemic.
4. A Chicago developer hopes to disrupt the local real estate industry by using what he calls an “apartment hotel” strategy with his company’s properties. The long-term approach to the buildings includes “higher-end amenities and finishes,” Jonathan Holtzman, CEO of City Club MDA Apartments, said.
5. Season 4 of Showtime drama “The Chi” kicked off on the cable network last night. Read Evan F. Moore’s spoiler-filled recap of the season premiere here.

A bright one

Red Line becomes fashion runway to support My Block, My Hood, My City

As a Red Line train rolled south over the weekend it wasn’t picking up and dropping off passengers — unless you count the models that strutted and danced down the aisles of the privately chartered train to hit songs by Dua Lipa, Beyoncé and others.

My Block, My Hood, My City was hosting “Railways,” a crosstown fashion show to promote the youth-led, community-minded organization’s summer clothing line of branded gear.

Spectators lined a CTA two-car train that traveled between the Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line stations as models displayed T-shirts, letterman-style jackets and hoodies while singing and performing spoken word poetry.

Models prepared for their runway stroll in one car, while attendees of the show sat in another.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Jahmal Cole told the crowd his inspiration for founding My Block came from his time as a volunteer at the Cook County Jail.

Many detainees at the jail had never been downtown, taken a taxi or rode in an elevator, said Cole, 37. He made it his mission to help people from under-resourced areas of the city get out and about.

Read Mary Chappell’s full story here.

From the press box

It’s been a good May for the Cubs’ offense, and some of that can be credited to manager David Ross’ message finally hitting home with his players, Russell Dorsey writes. Those recent adjustments could hopefully lead to more consistent run production than in years past.

The Packers-Aaron Rodgers saga continues as the QB skipped the team’s first voluntary organized team activities today. Rodgers isn’t required to report for camp until June 8, however.

And with four players set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, the Bulls face some tough questions. Read Joe Cowley’s update for the latest on the futures of Garrett Temple, Daniel Theis, Denzel Valentine and Cristiano Felicio.

Your daily question ☕

How much has your daily routine returned to “normal” since being vaccinated?

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

On Friday, we asked you: City aldermen are attempting to corral rogue tow truck drivers. What do you think about the tow truck industry in Chicago? Here’s what some of you said…

“Tow truck drivers (sharks) have been circling city streets (water) for years. If I can pay for my tow in something other than cash and get a real receipt, I’m floored by it. It’s time for the city to regulate the sharks.” — Walter Brzeski

“Lived in the city for over 25 years and never had an issue with any of them. Staying on the right side of legal helped, I’m sure.” — Christine Bock

“After decades of hearing how City Aldermen are going to address the problem with rogue tow truck drivers, I think most have lost confidence that they’re ever going to effectively address this problem beyond a press release.” — Paul Elkins

“I have told my kids their whole lives: there are two kinds of tow trucks — the ones that come to help you when you need it, and the ones that come to steal your car away and hold it for ransom, deserved or not.” — Michael R. Butz

“Wise move! Massive abuse, empowered by Chicago ordinances!” — John Paul Jones

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

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Improving coronavirus numbers have made more summer events possible. Here’s the latest updates on this year’s changing entertainment landscape.

With coronavirus case numbers and positivity rates on the decline, the summer festival season in Chicago is in much better shape than last year.

The city has given the green light for festivals and “general admission outdoor spectator events” to welcome 15 people for every 1,000 square feet.

The city has debated various ways bolster vaccination rates among young people most likely to attend outdoor music events like Lollapalooza and Riot Fest. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a proposal to create a coronavirus vaccine passport for Chicago events is “very much a work in progress” but that preferred seating at those events could be one way to urge vaccination.

Some festivals have already announced their return and concerts are starting to be rescheduled.

We’re tracking the status of the city’s festival and major events throughout the area as new cancellations and postponements are announced. Check back for more updates.

May

• Navy Pier Fireworks: The Pier is hosting a 10-minute fireworks show every Saturday in May at 9:00 p.m.
• Manifest Urban Arts Festival: Columbia College Chicago’s student driven event that showcases graduating student work. May 10-14.
• For the Love of Chocolate: Long Grove, demonstrations, classes, presentations, experiences, vendors, chocolatiers, entertainment and so much more. Advanced online registration is required, May 14-16.
• Hot Stove Cool Music virtual music festival, benefits the Foundation To Be Named Later, which was co-founded by former Cubs president Theo Epstein. Eddie Vedder headlines. May 18.
• Mayfest: Armitage Ave. at Sheffield Ave. in Lincoln Park, May 21 – 23.
• Pivot Arts Festival: Reimagining Utopia – A Performance Tour: Live, a multi-arts experience featuring world premieres in theatre, dance, video, music and puppetry. May 21 – June 5.
• The South Side Jazz Coalition – Jazzin’ On The Steps. At St. Columbanus Catholic Church, 331 East 71st St. May 23.
• Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts at Symphony Center, beginning May 27. Tickets will go on sale 10 a.m. May 11, at cso.org. Performances will take place over three consecutive weekends at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. Fridays, 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.
• “Rocking in the Park,” Rosemont: 20 weekly concerts that starts May 30.

June

• “Tuesdays on the Terrace,” Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, starting June 1 and every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. through Aug. 31.
• Celebrate Highwood’s ‘Grads and Grease’ Carnival: June 10-13 in the Highwood Metra Station
• Old Town Art Fair, June 12-13.
• “The Obama Portraits,” Art Institute of Chicago, June 18 – Aug. 15.
• Pride in the Park, Grant Park, Headlining will be Chaka Khan, the legendary Queen of Funk; Gryffin, the self-taught prodigal producer; and Tiësto, who has been dubbed “the world’s greatest DJ.” June 26- 27.

July

• The Ravinia Festival announced it will reopen in July 1 for 64 concerts through Sept. 26 with a slate of outdoor concerts including a six-week residency by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also slated to appear are: Cynthia Erivo, Kurt Elling, Brian McKnight, Ides of March, Madeleine Peyroux, Midori, Joshua Bell, Pinchas Zukerman, the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Joffrey Ballet.
• Ribfest: Naperville/Romeoville, July 1-4.
• Grant Park Music Festival, Millennium Park. All concerts are free with reserved seats for all concertgoers and will take place Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Run time will be 90 minutes, without intermission. July 2-Aug. 21.
• African/Caribbean International Festival Of Life: Washington Park, July 2-4.
• The Windy City Smokeout, headlined by country music superstars Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley and Jon Pardi, will return July 8-11 outside the United Center.
• The Auditorium Theatre presents “ABT Across America” featuring American Ballet Theatre, Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, July 8.
• Southport Art Fair, Waveland Ave. and Southport Ave. July 10-11.
• The Chicago Loop Alliance announced plans for Sundays on State, a weekly summer street festival, which will close portions of State Street on Sundays for pedestrians starting July 11.
• Chicago Auto Show is on for July 15-19 — breathing life into McCormick Place for first time since pandemic began.
• Country Thunder Wisconsin: July 15-18
• “Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change, and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40,” Smart Museum of Art, July 15 – Dec. 19.
• Millennium Art Festival: Lake St. at Michigan Ave., July 16-18.
• Race to Mackinac: July 16-17.
• Chinatown Summer Fair, July 17-18.
• Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest: 3200 N. Sheffield Ave, July 17-18.
• Sheffield Street Fest and Garden Walk: July 17–19
• Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, Humboldt Park boathouse, July 23-24.
• Lincoln Square Greek Fest: July 23-25 (tentative dates).
• “Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden: Shrouds by Faheem Majeed,” through July 24, Hyde Park Art Center.
• Lake County Fair: July 28- Aug. 1.
• Jeff Fest: Milwaukee and Lawrence Avenues, July 30-Aug. 1.
• Lollapalooza: Grant Park, July 30-Aug. 1.
• Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival, July 31.

August

• Dave Matthews Band tour heading to Northerly Island this summer, Aug. 6 and 7.
• Northalsted Market Days: Aug. 6-8.
• Lake County (Ind.) Fair: Crown Point, Indiana, Aug. 6-15
• Printers Row Art Fair: Dearborn St., from Harrison to Polk, Aug. 7-8.
• Retro on Roscoe: Roscoe St. & Damen Ave., Aug 13-14 (tentative dates).
• Edison Park Fest: Aug. 13-15 (tentative dates).
• Wells Street Art Festival: Aug. 14-15
• World Naked Bike Ride: 6 p.m. Aug. 16. Route to be announced.
• Ruido Fest: Addams/Medill Park, Pilsen. Aug. 20-22.
• Summer Smash: Douglass Park. Aug. 20-22.
• Taste Of Greektown: Aug. 20-22.
• Gold Coast Art Fair: Grant Park. Aug. 21-22.
• Sangria Festival: Humboldt Park, Aug. 20-21.
• Dragon Boat Races: Chinatown. Aug. 28.

September

• Summerfest: Milwaukee. The festival will take place over three weekends, Sept. 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18. More than 100 artists are slated to perform including Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus, Luke Bryan, Pixies, Rise Against, Wilco, Diplo, and Fitz and the Tantrums.
• Roscoe Village Burger Fest, Sept. 4-5
• Pitchfork Music Festival: Union Park, Sept. 10-12.
• Printers Row Lit Fest, Sept. 11-12. Headlining the festival will be National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates.
• Chicago Vegandale: Vegan Food Festival, Grant Park. Sept. 11.
• RiotFest: Douglass Park, Sept. 17-19.
• Dead & Company: Wrigley Field, Sept. 17-18
• Wright Plus Architectural Housewalk: Oak Park. Sept. 18.
• Artfest Michigan Ave.: Sept. 18-19.
• Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Sept. 25-26.
• Lyric Opera of Chicago 2021-22 season, opening night featuring an all-new production of Verdi’s Macbeth, Sept. 25.

October

• Chicago Wine Fest, at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Oct. 2.
• Spring Awakening/Autumn Equinox, Addams/Medill Park, Oct. 2-3.
• “Six,” Broadway In Chicago, at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, Oct. 5, 2021 – Jan. 30, 2022.
• Lincoln Park Wine Fest, Jonquil Park, Oct. 9-10.
• Court Theatre – “Othello,” Court Theatre, opening Oct. 21.

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