I've been going to Ravinia for many years. It's a beautiful place but you gotta know the ins and…read moreouts... And (I think) I finally have it all down to a science. Basically though one of the main things you have to decide if you want to actually see the act or not. If it's classical, a picnic on the lawn maybe fine. Sound is great anywhere in the park except maybe the farthest corners. There is a usually big lawn screen for pop/rock acts, but the lawn is very crowded over there. If you want to actually see the act, you really must buy pavillion seats. Ravinia made it extra difficult after the 2026 remodel to get a glimpse of the acts while standing outside the pavillion. Otherwise I would have recommended that in the past as an option. For most acts we get to the park early, picnic on the lawn, and then move to our pavillion seats before the show starts. The picnic is fun and relaxing, and it is obviously so much less expensive than the food served in the park. Otherwise in a nutshell - Ticket prices: Fair, compared to other venues. And no gawdawful TicketMaster fees. Ticket ordering: A disaster. All tickets for the season go on sale the same day. Lawn: Nice but overcrowded. Can't see the act (except if near the big lawn screen). Very good sound. Pavilion: Very nice. 2026: New padded (wider?) seats. Excellent sound and views. Parking: A disaster, get there very early. I don't know about the train, it's not an option for me. Food and drink: Not very good and overpriced. Bring your own, it's a great perk about Ravinia actually.

I like Ravinia for live music, once you get inside. The challenging parts are getting here, getting…read moreparked, walking inside with all your stuff and finding a place to setup on the lawn. Yes, there is VIP experience and parking available, but the typical experience is anything but easy. On my last visit, we stayed in a nearby hotel and took a shared ride in. The challenge? Getting out. Expect a half a mile walk to the Braeside station to get a shared ride back after the concert, unless you are up for leaving before the last 30 minutes of a show. There's plenty of staff here walking around and keeping things safe but some of the staff seem cranky and short when asking them questions. Some people are first-time attendees so maybe a little more patience is needed. To me, it's just common courtesy. One man at the North Gate was very rude. I do appreciate that the sound quality is great around the venue and the big screen on the lawn is nice.

Sort of a Jekyll and Hyde experience--well, not exactly. More vintage and modern. The theater…read moreexterior has a comfortable vintage feel; for the interior, there is modern, comfortable seating with attractive wood paneled acoustically resonant walls. It was our first time to visit so we can't comment about show-after-show sound quality, but the performance we attended was sounding and viewing great. Driving there, it felt like parking would be a problem. It wasn't.

Came here tonight for the first time to see Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical! IT. WAS. AMAZING. All of…read morethe actors were great and it was immersive because they had real gun pops which kept everyone on their toes because you never knew when the guns were going to really pop. This play had a full house, so all of the workers kept telling people to leave no gaps between seats. That didn't bother me, but the workers in the main lobby weren't the nicest and seemed pretty stressed because of checking in everyone. The one lady who checked us in and gave us our tickets was pretty rude when telling us we couldn't get seated until 7pm (it was 6:45), but we already knew the time we had to wait to sit down... The theater itself is small, but very intimate, and the acoustics are great because of it. I suggest to get here early because you don't have assigned seats, so it's first come, first seated. However, you can't really have a bad seat because the theater is so small, so you can see the stage from anywhere (unless of course someone in front of you has volumized hair or something!) The thing I love about the seating, too, is that all of the seats face right to the stage. No chairs are angled, which is the best because your neck doesn't hurt from watching a play. It was also cool because I sat in the left aisle seat and the actors used the aisles to run back and forth. Overall, I would definitely come here again to watch a play because the quality of acting was spot on and worth seeing!

The Skokie 4th of July parade is a family tradition that gets better every year. The parade kicks…read moreoff at 8:45 and makes its way to the party in the park around 10am. It is a family friendly parade and it has something for people of literally all ages. The crowds are healthy, but you can get a pretty good place to view it right along the route. Candy seems to run out a few blocks before the end, so if you have young kids then try to get a spot towards the middle of the parade route. The parade itself is pretty long and at times kind of slow. There are groups of Veterans at the start and it is nice to see everyone stand up to respect them. There are all the politicians and community organizations next which isn't the most exciting. Then come the Shriners - they drive around in mini cars, magic carpets and other fun vehicles. The kids love watching them do donuts! There are many marching bands and dance troupes with fun music. The eclectic floats (like the old German couple) are amazing and give the parade a nice nostalgic feel. The parade wraps up with a huge celebration in the park. There are multiple bounce houses, kids games and even a huge fire hose on a 100 ft tall ladder. It is all free so you don't have to worry about buying tickets and getting price gouged. This is a well put together event and we will continue to make it a family tradition.

I've had a chance to visit this concert hall a couple times, all for events hosted by Northwestern…read more First time I had the pleasure of seeing a stand-up gig by Aziz Ansari. Second time I got to see a Q&A session with James Franco. Both times, I had no desire to wait outside in the cold for a good seat, so I ended up sitting on the second level balcony. Despite these less-than-ideal seats, I had no issues seeing the stage or hearing them speak. Concert hall itself is clean and modern looking! Great venue.

A concert at Pick-Staiger actually turned out better than I expected…read more First, specifics about the hall itself. - Excellent acoustics. I was in the balcony, about half way up, and I could hear the rustle of paper as the conductor turned a page. Wow! I should add that the hall was only about half full, but since there were a lot of college students there, their noise level quotient is higher than the average baby boomer's. - The house lights go down for the concert, but it's not pitch black. The hall just becomes dim. I could see the musicians on stage perfectly, no problem, and yet, I didn't feel like a cast member in "Scream 4Ever", expecting some scary creep to pop out of the darkness. - Excellent sightlines. - Would you believe, I had leg room? Yes, it's true. And I'm a tall woman. I actually had leg room. My knees were not jammed against my chest. Wow. That never happens. And during intermission, I did not have to stand on my seat, to allow other patrons to pass by. - The seat itself was okay, nothing special, but it was comfortable enough. It shows that the hall is a little older. So is my ass (older, I mean, not comfortable), so a little more padding on the chair would have been good. - The seat numbers were marked clearly enough that I found my seat, quickly and easily, and did not need to pull out magnifying glasses to read the numbers. Good thing, because there were no ushers around. Hire some students! They need all the help they can get to repay their student loans. For the venue: - Ample ladies' room, and clean. - Easy to turn in my groupon for my ticket. Tickets lines were well-marked and organized. - If there were water fountains, I didn't see them. They must be some, right? If not, that's a ding against the venue. - No refreshments being sold, anywhere. (See above about water fountains.) I would have paid for a drink of something; didn't have to be alcoholic. Maybe this is some sort of weird Evanston or university ordinance. Refreshments, please. - Temperature was comfortable. I had an overcoat and was wearing a sweater (layering is so Chicago, I know), but I was perfectly comfortable in my turtleneck. - There was some kind of free student performance in the lobby before the show. Very nice! Wish there had been some information about who they were, though. I'm assuming students. Give these people a little advertising, please. - This was a Sunday evening concert, so there was plenty of parking close by.No problem with Northwestern University parking stickers, assigned spots, etc. I got in and out quickly and easily. This might have been tougher if the crowd had been bigger, but, like I said earlier, the hall was only half full. Bottom line: recommended. Good venue for music. I would definitely be happy to hear any musical act here. Or play, for that matter, given the solid acoustics.

Came here for a friends celebration gathering and it was a good time! This was my first time…read moreexperiencing The Wrigley Rooftops and it was a nice first time. It was a bit pricey in terms of what I could pay for a ticket at Wrigley but it was all you can eat and all you can drink so... there's pros and cons. I had a burger, brat, chicken, and Italian beef and that food mixed with adult beverages... great food. It definitely enhance the quality of the food. My ticket was roughly $220 (with taxes) for the Cubs vs Twins game. If you have never been to a Wrigley Rooftops... I most definitely recommend giving it a try! Worth it maybe one. Thank you Wrigley, hope to be at the next one soon.

Loved this location. Seems like this rooftop had the best view compared to previous location…read more Positioned well between first and second base. Staff was friendly and helpful. Food was good with lots of options. Great view and perfect for group events.

I came here to see The Amazing Acro-cats perform. The theater is about movie theater size with…read morestadium seating that seats about 300 people. The check in process was quick. The theater is located upstairs on the 3rd floor. The men's bathroom is located near the theater entrance while the women's bathroom is on the 2nd floor. There were no food or beverages sold at this venue. Parking on Sunday is free on Milwaukee Ave, otherwise you'll have to pay at the pay box. There are free parking available on Noble and Augusta.

Came here w my Son's school (4th/5th graders) along with about five other CPS Elementary for a…read moreperformance by each. The space is great and fairly good size. I think "intimidating" was the word he described when he was up there on stage with such a large amount of ppl in attendance. No worries though, he and all the others did a fabulous job. Stellar AV in comfy, cozy environs.

Thirsty Ears Festival held by ACM is Chicago's only classical music street festival. For two days,…read moretwo blocks of Wilson Street between Hermitage and Ravenswood were closed to traffic, with the main stage featuring stellar ensembles and soloists performing classical music. This year's festival took place on Saturday, August 22, from 2:00-11:00 pm, and Sunday, August 23, from 1:00-9:00 pm, with a different ensemble or soloist featured each hour. This was our first time visiting the street fair, and we were fortunate to have gorgeous weather for an outdoor event. It was perhaps a little too sunny for me -- even with my bucket hat and sunglasses, the sun was still a little too strong on my back when I sat in the front row for half an hour. I joined my husband and daughter after an open studio at Lillstreet Art Center. From there, it was only a six-minute walk to the festival. When I arrived around 4:30 pm, they had already been comfortably sipping beer and enjoying classical music for hours. From 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Lakeshore Rush was performing, and they played beautifully. I especially enjoyed the last few pieces, which were upbeat and lively. The festival offered much more than beer and wine. There were numerous vendor booths, kid-friendly activities, and food trucks on both days. It was wonderful to see people of all ages having a good time while enjoying live classical music in such a relaxed outdoor setting. The suggested $10 entry donation felt very reasonable, especially since the festival was supporting a good cause. We had a lovely time, and I'm glad we finally discovered this unique Chicago event. I would definitely consider coming back next year.

Thirsty Ears Festival has been on my list to visit for a while because it's just a few blocks away…read more This year I finally made it, toddler in tow. A friend and her kiddo came along too. The festival is the brain child of Access Contemporary Music (ACM), the music school on the block, and it's the only classical music party in the city. It's a very small festival, spanning just the block on Wilson between Ravenswood and Hermitage. There's a packed schedule for the two days of the festival, with various musical ensembles and composers performing throughout the day. Of course the music was the main attraction, but there were a couple booths selling some food as well. Alcoholic beverages were available and pizza, and I think possibly another snack but I can't recall. Of course there's also a couple restaurants nearby as well, and the two that are right on this block have a bit of outdoor seating. Most of the booths were local artists selling their work; I saw a booth that made crochet wall hangings, a pottery booth, a local author selling his novels, and more. I was really glad that we happened to be here there when a small choral ensemble was performing. The other musician we hard was a pianist performing when we arrived. The main stage was on the eastern edge of the festival along the Hermitage end, and there were folding chairs set up for people to enjoy the concert. A kid's area and stage was on the Ravenswood end. They had some kids activities like face painting and balloon animals in addition to the musician playing children's music. It was great that they had a children's space since otherwise they might get bored quickly. On the weekend, the parking along Ravenswood is super easy. There's also the Metra, of course, with the Ravenswood stop a block away.

The View is Amazing…read more Which Ever Way you come at "NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER" (foot, car, campus shuttle, or strong willed) You Shall and Have to Ascend. So When you arrive in "NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER" you have already climbed to get there. The view of Lake Michigan is Amazing from "NORRIS UNIVERSITY CENTER"

Landmark Review: Best student center in the country IMHO! I…read morerecently went back to my alma mater and had some extra time to burn before attending an art show. The comfy couch and public computer labs remain on the second floor. Now they have free US world and Chicago tribune newspaper to read while you wait. Situated along this area is a large starbucks which is ready to fill your caffeine needs. If you are hungry just head on downstairs for the food court with pizza, sushi, crepes, and smoothies. You can't go wrong! Also in the basement is a arcade center and other activities to keep you busy. Be sure to stop by the bookstore to pick up some wild cat gear before leaving! Pro: great amenities, staff is friendly Cons: none Hidden gem: 1. Free newspapers 2. WIFI available if you have a NU account 3. Free computer use upstairs