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City Cast Chicago

Pack the picnic, grab a lawn chair, and get ready to watch movies outside all summer long 😎

Starting today, residents can head to neighborhood parks to catch films like family fav “Toy Story,” sports classic “Field of Dreams,” and more. 

See South Side comedy “Barbershop” one week and Oscar winner “Everything Everywhere All At Once” the next on the 40-foot LED screen.

Family — chosen and biological — is the theme of movies playing at this season, including “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Are We There Yet?”

The Emily Hotel offers an upscale outdoor movie experience with lounge chairs and personal headphones from a rooftop showing off the skyline. There are also Black Cinema, Pride, and Y2K collections!

Drive-ins made a comeback during the pandemic: See new releases like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as well as recent blockbusters like “John Wick.”

Kiddos can enjoy balloon twisters, play with animals, and meet Mirabel from “Encanto” before screenings at Lilacia Park.

🎞️ More Chicagloand outdoor movies

"Get Out" screening in Millennium Park in 2018. (Bilgin S. Sasmaz / Anadolu Agency /Getty)

Don’t have a car? Don’t want to drive? Can’t drive? Explore nearby getaways by bus and train!

⏰ 1 hour 45 minutes from Millennium Station

Explore sand dunes, woodlands, prairies, beaches, and more at the national and state parks — with fewer crowds. Be prepared to hike and spot various bird species.

⏰ 3 hours 30 minutes from 630 W. Harrison St. bus stop

Wisconsin's capital has a lot to do like shopping at the Dane County Farmers Market and biking the Lake Monona Loop. And there’s a lot to eat like cheese curds, onion rings, and fish fry from the Old Fashioned.

⏰ 3 hours 30 minutes from Union Station

In addition to the usual waterpark fun at the Dells, go horseback riding, ziplining, and ride festive trains. Don’t miss craft brewery events!

Head to the western Michigan town for apple-picking, fresh apple cider, and haunted houses. Foodies can enjoy poutine week and a chili cookoff.

Bring the fam for scary fun with Fright at the City Museum and Fright Fest at Six Flags St. Louis. Check out apple butter and storytelling fests.

Explore nearby getaways by bus and train!

How to Travel the Midwest — Without a Car

Chicago Life Hacks

 want to get into the Halloween spirit? Hop in the car and drive to nearby scary destinations.

Shaker’s Cigar Bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Once a graveyard, the Capone brothers owned the building as a speakeasy and brothel. Later, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer frequented the spot. Today, patrons can tour the haunted bar and stay overnight above the bar. 

City Cast Chicago lead producer Simone Alicea is making a pit stop …

Downtown Public Library in Peoria, Illinois

Believed to be built on cursed ground, the Central Illinois library’s first three directors died unusually. Ghosts are thought to haunt the library to this day.

Legend has it that the Black Angel statue has been struck by lightning and that virgins will die if they touch the 9-foot sculpture.

‘America’s Most Haunted Small Town’ in Alton, Illinois

McPike Mansion is supposedly home to ghosts of former residents and servants. Unitarian Church and Mineral Springs are also popular haunted sites in the town. Hop on a ghost tour if you don’t want to explore alone.

Stay on the fourth floor of the historic hotel, where guests have seen toilets mysteriously flush and employees have heard doors shut in empty rooms.

Itching for a weekend getaway to get into the Halloween spirit? Hop in the car and drive to these nearby scary destinations.

The Best Midwest Haunted Road Trips

Chicago's Best

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week it would expedite work permits for migrants who have arrived from Venezuela — including those who have settled in Chicago.

How Will Migrants in Chicago Be Affected?

Migrants who are Venezuelan nationals and arrived before July 31 are eligible to 

, which for 18 months protects migrants from deportation to home countries considered unsafe. TPS will also allow migrants to apply for legal work permits.

More than 13,500 migrants have arrived in Chicago since last summer, many of whom are from Venezuela.

 heading into 2024, and it costs the city about $20 million per month to support new arrivals, Block Club’s Manny Ramos told the City Cast Chicago podcast.

“[Expanding TPS] allows folks to be more self-sufficient when it comes to working and providing for themselves. 

 can help alleviate some of those burdens for cities that consider themselves welcoming to migrants, but simply don't have the infrastructure,” he said.

Some advocates say the process will take months before migrants see benefits while others say the government should

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week it would expedite work permits for migrants who have arrived from Venezuela.

Work Permits Coming for Some Migrants in Chicago

Chicago, Explained

You don’t just have to go to Starbucks for fall-themed drinks: Chicago cafes have a bunch of festive specials for you to sip on.

The Goddess and Grocer at Various Locations

The cafe has a few different lattes: raspberry toffee pretzel, sunrise, and brown butter pumpkin.

You can’t go wrong with a classic PSL from this West Side spot.

Try a pumpkin cold brew latte or a pumpkin spice chai latte, both topped with graham cracker crumbs 🤤

Brew Brew Coffee & Tea in Avondale, Pilsen

The Mexican coffee shop has drink specials like a pumpkin spice horchata and café de olla (traditional Mexican coffee with cinnamon).

Get hot or iced caramel apple cider for this sweet treat. I’ll update you if the sweet potato pie latte is coming back this year!

Plus, there are alcoholic beverages in the mix!

Order a blood orange boulevardier — made with bourbon, orange syrup, and Campari — from the English pub.

Order a pumpkin spice martini at the popular North Side trivia bar.

The downtown rooftop won’t offer these drinks until its autumn pop-up Oct. 13, but you can dream about German chocolate coffee cocktails, hot buttered rum, and boozy hot chocolate in the meantime.

We’ll share fall food specials next — stay tuned!

What Chicagoans Can Sip On Besides Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Food & Drink

Chicagoans are urged to turn off their lights this time of year to 

. But there’s another reason residents should keep their lights off: light pollution.

Excess artificial lighting of night skies in cities caused by street lamps, homes, office buildings, and billboards.

Animals’ migration, habitat formation, and sleeping patterns can be affected.

People’s circadian rhythms can be disrupted.

Stargazing in the city with the naked eye is nearly impossible, and becoming more difficult in the Chicago suburbs. That’s why some 

How Can Light Pollution in Chicago Be Fought?

The city has already replaced most streetlights with LED lights

, a Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson told the Tribune.

But Ken Walczak, senior manager of the Adler Planetarium’s Far Horizons program, said LED lights still emit blue light and contribute to sky glow. Instead, he said the city should dim street lights and only use the amount of light it needs.

Plus, the city should also regulate the light pollution that businesses — like parking lots and gas stations — emit.

Another Reason Chicagoans Should Turn Off Lights? Light Pollution

Urban Almanac

Next up in our neighborhood series: West Elsdon.

Near Midway Airport and lined with bungalows, the Southwest Side neighborhood played a central role in public housing riots in the mid-20th century. The neighborhood remained mostly white until the ‘90s when more Mexican residents began to settle there.

Pepe Barajas moved as a kid from Mexico to Little Village and later to West Elsdon. From a family who worked in and owned taquerias in Chicago, Barajas opened 

 (formerly El Solazo) more than 15 years ago. He shares his favorite things to do in the neighborhood.

, serving up Chicago-style dogs, burgers, and Italian beef. Get authentic seafood cuisine from the state of Nayarit, Mexico, at 

 on the northwestern corner of 63rd Street and Pulaski Road that was featured in 'Wayne's World.'”

“Agave 101 at Solazo, which offers a wide selection of agave spirits, including tequila, mezcal, and raicilla.”

which Hey Chicago also has a neighborhood guide for

Solazo owner Pepe Barajas moved as a kid from Mexico to Little Village and later to West Elsdon. He shares his favorite things to do in the neighborhood.

Get to Know West Elsdon

Neighborhood Guides

The final season of “Sex Education” drops Thursday. While the Netflix show follows high schoolers educating each other through an underground sex therapy clinic, a group of Chicagoland students are working to teach peers and revamp sex education in schools.

Ava Gonzalez and Anna Yang, a senior and junior at the Illinois Math & Science Academy in Aurora, are co-directors of the 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Ava: “I would say they range from what seems like common knowledge to stuff you would have never heard before. People have asked me, ‘What is contraception?’ … It’s interesting to see that people don't really even know what a condom is or different types of birth control.”

“Shattering the Taboo” workbooks for middle

Anna: “We've continued to reach out to libraries across Illinois, especially those who may not have the best access to sex ed and sex ed books.”

Ava: “We have one installation of a sex ed podcast where we talked to different health officials and professors about what their perspective was on sex ed during different time periods — like the middles ages and 2000s.”

Will SEI influence what you do after high school?

Anna: “Although I'm not thinking of going into direct sex ed advocacy, I want to pursue a career in health care. … [This knowledge] is something I want to pass down to my little siblings and my future kids.”

Know a Chicago student who’d want to get involved? 

🎧 What to know about Illinois' sex ed

Ava Gonzalez and Anna Yang are co-directors of the Sex Ed Initiative.

How Chicago Students Are Teaching Sex Ed

3 Questions With

Break out the flannel and scarves: We’re going apple picking! Here are some of the spots Chicagoans can hit up as the fall equinox hits Saturday.

Pick Gala, Golden Delicious, and more at the orchard. Hop on a tractor ride, visit the petting zoo, and sample fall treats.

🍎 $10 for a half-peck bag or $20 for a full bag

The no-frills orchard only offers apple picking. Open for the season Friday, get McIntosh, Jonathan, and Empire apples.

🍎 Admission includes a quarter-peck bag

The 230-acre farm also has a corn maze, bakery, pumpkin farm, pig races, mountain slide, a life-size Charlotte’s Web, and more.

🍎 Admission includes a quarter-peck bag — bigger bags cost more

The orchard has been voted among the best apple-picking spots in the U.S. Your fav newsletter writer went from being an apple cider doughnut hater to convert at this place.

🍎 Even more apple picking

Break out the flannel and scarves: We’re going apple picking!

Where to Go Apple Picking Near Chicago

Where to See Outdoor Movies in Chicago

Summer’s finally here. Here's how to make the most of it.

Summer Guide

Hot Chicago days call for refreshing frozen treats. From legendary family-owned institutions to trendy new spots, here are our fav bites that help keep us cool.

What’s summer without the iconic five-flavored cone? Rainbow Cone is growing, including a Magnificent Mile location opening June 29.

Since the 50s, the ice cream stand and fast food joint has kept Chicagoans fed in the summer. A soft serve dipped in peanut butter? Yes please.

City Cast Chicago lead producer Simone Alicea says the rich, eggy custard at the vintage-inspired shop is top-tier. Her order? A vanilla custard with hot fudge.

Mario’s Italian Lemonade in Little Italy

Cool off with all shaved ice flavors, from lemon to lime to lychee. Chicagoans have been eating at Mario’s for almost 70 years.

Sample all types of Mexican ice pops: cucumber, pistachio, Snickers, and more. Plus, try the popular mangonada, a spicy mango sorbet.

The shop’s rotating menu constantly has innovative flavors — like goat cheese cashew caramel and dairy-free lemon passionfruit.

Watch the mixing, chopping, and spreading that goes into making rolled ice cream. Takes me back to college!

Order a funnel cake sundae or an ice cream taco from the family-owned walk-up window. Cash only!

Get your dairy-free soft serve or sundaes on at the popular spot.

Check out Block Club’s ultimate ice cream list

Hot Chicago days call for refreshing frozen treats.

Frozen Treats That Taste Like Summertime Chi

School almost out and waiting for camp to start? We’ve got ideas for what to do with your kids and teens.

Kids 13 and under can get a T-shirt if they read 500 minutes and complete five activities. Teens who check off the library’s Pick 4 Card can be entered in a raffle for prizes.

Go to big institutions like the Museum of Science & Industry on free days or pick up a free pass from a library or your alder. Check out free neighborhood museums like the National Museum of Mexican Art!

Children can try out trapeze and clowning at the circus camp. Future tennis stars can enroll in full or half-day camps.

Young people can take acting classes with an experienced coach every Saturday this month. Teens can also try their hand at improv.

Teen students who identify as girls or non-binary can join the waitlist for the virtual self-paced or immersion coding programs.

Adolescents can earn a stipend while learning to dance, cook, and more across the city. The program doesn’t start until June 26, but your teen can apply in the meantime!

What do you do with your kids in the summer? 

Summer Guide

Where to See Outdoor Movies in Chicago

Best citywide reach: Park District’s Movies in the Parks

Best range: Millennium Park Summer Film Series

Best family movies: Water Flicks at Navy Pier

Best views: Rooftop Cinema Club in Fulton Market

Best drive-in: ChiTown Movies in Pilsen

Best pre-show fun: Movies in Lombard

Summer Guide

Frozen Treats That Taste Like Summertime Chi

Summer Guide: Keep Chicago Kids Busy

The latest in Chicago

How to Travel the Midwest — Without a Car

The Best Midwest Haunted Road Trips

Work Permits Coming for Some Migrants in Chicago

What Chicagoans Can Sip On Besides Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Another Reason Chicagoans Should Turn Off Lights? Light Pollution

Get to Know West Elsdon

How Chicago Students Are Teaching Sex Ed

Where to Go Apple Picking Near Chicago