Midwest travel: ACTIVATE: SMELL, FIGMENT art events take over Chicago
Chicago
Do you smell that?
Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) launches its third ACTIVATE event of the year, SMELL, featuring dynamic art, music and lights. ACTIVATE: SMELL fills the Hard Rock alley with spices and smoke of authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, and if you RSVP in advance, you get a complimentary drink ticket for beer or wine at the event. Expect numerous "scent-scapes" created by local artists designed to delight the nose and relax the mind: a flower temple, Chakra balancing paintings, aerialist work, Urban Life Rafts and Zipcar smell zones. 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at Hard Rock Alley, 230 N. Garland Court, between East Wacker Place and East Lake Street, Chicago. Free admission but RSVP at loopchicago.com/activate.
Pitch a tent
Those excited to see Carly Rae Jepsen, Sufjan Stevens, Brian Wilson and FKA twigs among the bands headlining Pitchfork Festival in Union Park might want to know about Pitchfork Perks at Hotel Chicago. The West Loop's new affordable boutique property offers an array of bonuses for anyone who books two nights or more in a double room during Pitchfork weekend. Pitchfork Perks include: complimentary Pedicab Rickshaw transportation during peak Pitchfork transit times to and from Hotel Chicago and Union Park; a complimentary gift card per booking for a 64 oz. craft beer growler at Haymarket - a pub and brewery nearby in the West Loop; breakfast tacos setup in the lobby; and a convenient living space designed especially for friends and concertgoers. Friday through Sunday, July 15-17, at Hotel Chicago-Illinois Medical District, 1622 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. Rooms are $219 nightly. (312) 243-2900 or hotelchicago1622.com.
FIGMENT of your imagination
FIGMENT Chicago, a free, family-friendly, participatory arts event, will transform a city green space into a large-scale collaborative artwork - and then it disappears. FIGMENT, held in multiple cities and drawing thousands of attendees, removes museum and gallery walls and pricey fees and invites art lovers to join musicians, painters and dancers in art projects. In 2016, FIGMENT takes place in 11 locations, from Portland, Oregon, to Derby, United Kingdom. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 16-17, at Frank Wilson Park, 4630 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. chicago.figmentproject.org
Garden party
Stroll one of the country's oldest and most prestigious garden walks in the heart of Chicago's Near North and Gold Coast neighborhoods: the 58th Dearborn Garden Walk. Take a peek behind the grand greystones that line the streets of Dearborn Parkway to see a beautiful array of private gardens and outdoor entertainment areas, plus get in on gardening seminars and sidewalk architectural tours. Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17. Ticket booth is at the Latin Middle School, 45 W. North Ave., Chicago. Tickets cost $30 in advance or $35 at the gate. (312) 632-1241 or dearborngardenwalk.com/.
Midwest
Up in the air
Things are looking up at the sixth annual Waterford (Wisconsin) Balloonfest. Experience more than a dozen brilliant hot air balloons as well as tethered balloon and helicopter rides, an arts and crafts fair, food and beverages, games and an inflatable amusement area for the kids. The balloons are partially inflated with propane burners to create a spectacular nighttime balloon glow. Admission to the grounds is free. 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 15; 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 16; 5:30 to 10 a.m. Sunday, July 17, at 817 W. Main St., Waterford, Wisconsin. Admission is free; preferred parking is $10, general parking is $5. (262) 534-5911 or waterford-wi.org/waterford_balloon_fest.html.
Air supply
The Janesville, Wisconsin, area gives you anther reason to keep your eyes to the skies during a three-day gathering of World War II-era aircraft visiting the Heavy Bombers Weekend 2016. See B-29 FIFI, B-17 Aluminum Overcast, B-25 Yellow Rose, P-51 Mustang, C-45 Expeditor, T-6 Texans and many more. Tour aircraft and other exhibits on the ground or take a ride in your favorite aircraft. There will be food vendors, a beer and wine tent, merchandise vendors, World War II re-enactments and 1940s-era music. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, July 22-24, at the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, 1716 W. Airport Road, Janesville, Wisconsin. Admission online or at the gate (cash only at the gate) is $15 or $25 for a family for a three-day pass. Air-rides are extra. Go to heavybombersweekend.splashthat.com.
Good as gold
Galena, Illinois' Goldmoor Inn offers a Links & Luxury package that includes exclusive savings on golf, dining and more. Check in for a luxurious two-night stay in a suite with fresh flowers, whirlpool tub, fireplace, a dining area and kitchenette and views of the Galena countryside. The packages includes: accommodations for two nights in a luxury suite; $100 credit for dinner at the Goldmoor Inn's restaurant, which overlooks the Mississippi River Valley; gourmet breakfast served in-room or in the restaurant each morning; and two 20 percent savings certificates for a round of golf at any of Eagle Ridge's championship courses. Available throughout golf season at Goldmoor Inn, 9001 W. Sand Hill Road, Galena, Illinois. The package is priced from $790 per room (double occupancy). For reservations, see goldmoor.com.