🦆 The Ducky Derby returns to the Chicago River this afternoon at 1 pm at the Columbus Bridge. Over 100,000 rubber duckies will float their way down the river as a fundraiser for the Illinois Special Olympics. You can adopt a (rubber) duck here.

✈️ The Chicago Air Show is this weekend! Head down to North Avenue beach for the best seats on both Saturday and Sunday between 10:30am-3 pm. Admission is free.

🎨 Painter’s Row Art Fest is this Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm at 701 S. Dearborn Street. Browse thousands of works of art for sale from 90+ artists. It’s never too early (or late!) to become a refined art collector.

✌️Retro on Roscoe returns! Get groooovy and relive the glory of the past (plus escape the dumpster fire that is 2024) in Roscoe Village this weekend. Music from all eras, antique cars, shopping, food, what more could you ask for? How about 3 days of it starting this Friday.

🎷 Hurry! Tuesdays on the Terrace, AKA Free Jazz AKA a great date night is only happening for a few more Tuesdays at the Museum for Modern Art. Bring a blanket and dinner every Tuesday until August 27th. Terrace opens at 4:30 pmwith silky smooth jazz starting at 5:30 pm.

🥦 That’s fresh . . . literally. Chicago is getting its first The Fresh Market. The chain was voted “Best Grocery Store in America” 3 years running (don’t bring this up at the Trader Joe’s check-out). The new location will be on Halstead in Lincoln Park in the now-closed Dom’s Market.

🏛️ Free Museum Days in August! Check out this list of 22 days where you can get into some of your favorite Chicago museums for free.

☕ Coffee Shop of the Week 🍩

Lost Larson

Why we love it:

Ok, we know we’re supposed to be recommending coffee shops. But Lost Larson IS a coffee shop disguised as a bakery.

Scandinavian-inspire baked goods and amazing homemade bread are worth the trip to Andersonville or Wicker Park.

Their cinnamon rolls are some of the best in the city, but they sell out fast. If you’re a professional Saturday morning-er (is that a word?) you can reserve your pastries online!

Come for the waste-line-expanding-but-totally-worth-it pastries and stay for the Nordic chic ambiance, friendly staff, and solid coffee options.

WCW Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ (the coffee is good but better if paired with a pastry).

📍5318 N Clark St, Chicago (Andersonville)

📍2140 W Division St, Chicago (Wicker Park)

🍺 Watering Hole of the Week 🍺

Half-Acre Brewing

Why we love it:

You won’t even believe that you’re still in Chicago when you make your way up to Half Acre Beer’s brewery and beer garden in Andersonville.

The beer garden is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood but this place can get bumping. Plenty of space for friends to hang out, board games to be played, or bags to be tossed in the summer.

Plus it’s some of the best local craft beer around. Try the Daisy Cutter.

They also have a fun and creative food menu to keep you sober enough to Divvy back to the Brown line (a seven minute ride).

WCW Rating: 🍺🍺🍺🍺 Great beer and fun times. But a bit pricey and the cool location comes at a price . . . it’s a hike up to Half Acre.

📍 2050 W Balmoral Ave, Chicago