This week, Chicago announced “Open Culture” — the next phase of Open Chicago, the Mayor’s latest initiative to safely and fully reopen the city. City residents can expect many exciting summer events and cultural activities across Chicagoland — including the return of the Old Town Art Fair on June 12 - 13.

The Chicago Police Department is offering to conduct a Block Safety or Building Safety Assessment, which involves an on-site visit from the police. These visits help evaluate preventive measures, such as your street's safety and building safety equipment. CPD can also evaluate your building or home security cameras to determine if they can connect with the Chicago Police Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSC).

As of July 1, 2021 the minimum wage in Chicago is $15 per hour for employers with 21 or more workers, and $14 per hour for employers with 4 to 20 workers.

Join the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce and Scott Cruz, labor and employment attorney at Greensfelder, Hemker, & Gale, P.C., as he answers your HR related questions and discusses legal issues that may be affecting your business.  Whether you have questions about the best way to make changes to your paid time off policy, how to classify an independent contractor, or hiring an intern, this question and answer session is a great way to discuss your issues and work through them with a legal expert, as well as your peers.

Thursday, May 13

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

The Lincoln Park, Andersonville, and Greater Ravenswood Chambers of Commerce, along with the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association are partnering to present an afternoon of cross-neighborhood networking!

Thursday, May 13

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Join us every month for our free morning networking mixer Coffee & Commerce. Whether you're looking to make new business connections or just want to exchange ideas with other small business owners, Coffee & Commerce is the perfect opportunity to enhance your professional network.

Wednesday, May 19

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

On April 27, the LPCC held a special virtual event to meet 18th District Police Commander Jill Stevens and 19th District Police Commander Chris Papaioannou. Chicago Police Department (CPD) and local leaders shared tips about how to keep your business, employees and neighborhood safe. 

For a link to a recording of this webinar, please send an email to info@lincolnparkchamber.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced that Anna D. Shapiro, who has served as Artistic Director since 2015, will step down from this role when her contract expires in August 2021.

DePaul will host a graduation celebration event on their Lincoln Park Campus from May 19 - May 28 to complement virtual commencement ceremonies. The celebration will include photo ops and commencement-themed activities. They expect up to 100 attendees at any given time during the event hours of 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Bid on one-of-a-kind park experiences, uniquely Lincoln Park and Chicago items, and packages showcasing all our great city has to offer. Proceeds support the Conservancy’s stewardship and programming across the Park and will help close the last remaining funding gap for the restoration of North Pond beginning this fall. Learn more and register online here.

You’re gonna want to sit down for this news. The Second City is warming up the bentwood chairs and ready to invite you back inside their theater! Join humans on stage making humans in the audience laugh as they toast being together again on Friday, May 7.

The DePaul Art Museum has announced they will reopen on Friday, May 14. Make your reservation on Tock for their new hours on Friday - Sunday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The blues are back on Halsted! Kingston Mines has tickets now on sale for shows

on Thursday - Saturday from 6:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Founded in 1968, Kingston Mines is the largest and oldest continuously operating blues club in Chicago.

Wrightwood 659 reopens on Friday, May 7 with a new exhibit featuring Yannis Tsarouchis. This is the first U.S. exhibition devoted to the work of Yannis Tsarouchis (1910–1989), widely regarded as one of the greatest Greek painters of the 20th century.

Six months before COVID-19, Ryan and Karen Weckerly opened a coffee roastery. Then March 2020 hit. Join Ryan as he discusses how he and his wife Karen used technology, social media, and Amazon to pivot their business model.

Wednesday, May 19

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

The Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) offers workshops every Wednesday and Friday. Workshops vary each month and are conducted by City Officials, experts, and partner business organizations. All workshops are free, and open to the public.

Join the Juvenile Protective Association as they gather virtually to celebrate 120 years of being All In For Kids! They will be honoring JPA’s past, applauding their current impact and looking ahead to the significant work that is planned for the future.

Friday, May 7

Program Begins at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 11 at 1:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m.

Join the LPCS Board of Directors and presenting sponsors Greg Gallopoulos and Jenner & Block for Metamorphosis 2021: Celebrating New Beginnings.

Friday, May 21

7:00 p.m.

Here’s your chance to support neighborhood businesses, high-quality jobs, and the North Branch of the Chicago River as a great place to work and do business. Their virtual Spring Fundraiser will be an entertaining, one-hour program on Zoom featuring dynamic local businesses and future development updates.

Thursday, May 20

6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Lincoln Common is a proud sponsor of Move For Kids, a weekend of activities benefitting parents, families and caregivers of Lurie Children's Hospital. As the site of the former Children's Memorial Hospital from 1882 to 2012, Lincoln Common continues Lincoln Park's longstanding legacy of community innovation and partnership while supporting an invaluable asset in our city: Our Children.

Join Scott Robin, PT, DPT, Cert. DN from React Physical Therapy for a live webinar as he continues his discussion on why full-body mobility is necessary to optimizing performance, as well as preventing avoidable injuries.

Monday, May 10

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

ABC Communications is growing and looking to add salespeople to their staff. They are seeking savvy and professional sales associates with energy, enthusiasm and a drive to succeed! Straight commissions paid with great earning potential. 30% Commission with a Guaranteed Territory. Please email resume and cover letter to candice@abc-communications.com explaining why you’re perfect for this job.

In advance of the opening of their new gym on Halsted in Lincoln Park, Btrainerfitness is now hiring. Positions available include:

Interested applicants can send their resume to contact@btrainerfitness.com.

The NOW Massage, a new concept massage boutique, is now hiring for their Lincoln Park location.

React Physical Therapy is now hiring for their Lincoln Park location. React Physical Therapy is a privately owned, boutique physical therapy practice within the Chicago-land area. React Physical Therapy works with patients of all fitness levels, from professional athletes to beginners, who present with a wide variety of orthopedic injuries.

New Exhibit Opening: Vivian Maier: In Color

The Chicago History Museum is featuring a collection of many never-before seen works by world-renown photographer Vivian Maier in an upcoming exhibition, Vivian Maier: In Color, opening to the public May 8, 2021. Vivian Maier: In Color is a multimedia exhibition featuring 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, most of which have never been on display, as well as film clips, quotations, and sound bites.

Enjoy the DePaul School of Music’s first-ever Virtual Spring Celebration as their students, faculty, alumni, and leadership come together for a virtual evening of uplifting music and inspiring connections. Celebrate with the School of Music community in Chicago and worldwide as they showcase the best of us all during extraordinary times.

Saturday, May 15

7:00 p.m.

In the fourth year of the Joan W. Harris Visiting Music Scholars in Residence program, Parker welcomes The Westerlies, a New York-based brass quartet known for its artsy fusion of diverse types of music, from chamber music to jazz to Appalachian folk and beyond.

Monday, May 17

7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Amidst the noise and pain in the world, Genesis at the Crossroads invites audiences to zoom in on healing with their multicultural musical program. This collaboration features their professional world music ensemble, Saffron Caravan along with youth musicians from their Genesis Academy Summer Insitutes. The artists come from Brazil, Venezuela, Morocco, Israel/Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Congo, the US (Chicago) and more.

Saturday, May 22

8:00 p.m.

The link will stay live through May 29

Schubert Avenue will be closed from Halsted Street heading east to the alley from 9:00 a.m. Friday until 11:00 p.m. Sunday the next four weekends. Enjoy outdoor dining with Tandoor Char House, aliveOne and Sapori Trattoria.

R.J Grunts is bringing back a fan favorite for the month of May for National Burger Month. The La Fiesta Burger is made with pepperjack and cotija cheeses, pickled red onion and jalapeños, chipotle mayo, lettuce, beefsteak tomato and cilantro and on a toasted bun. The burger is topped with a whole grilled jalapeño and is served with cottage fries and a pickle spear.

Saturday, May 8 - 12:00 p.m.

Monday, May 10 - 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 13 - 4:00 p.m.

Looking for something new? Use the LPCC website and Lincoln Park Business Directory to find great neighborhood restaurants.