Best Bets: Comedian Jay Pharoah, rocker Rick Springfield, LatiNxt at Navy Pier and more

Posted August 23, 2023 6:00 am

Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum Jay Pharoah tapes a comedy special at Chicago's The Den Theatre Saturday. Courtesy of CAA

Forge Art Fest

The Forge: Lemont Quarries adventure park, at 227 Heritage Quarries Drive, Lemont, expands its programming this weekend to include an art festival featuring music, theater and dance performances, fine art displays, workshops and vendors. $5. forgeparks.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Kids can have a ball when Bounce the City brings inflatable ball pits, obstacle courses and more to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. Courtesy of Bounce the City

Gotta bounce!

The touring Bounce the City bounces into Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, with eight colorful, inflatable fun attractions, including an obstacle course, a ball pit, a silent disco dome, a sports arena, selfie stations and more. All-access tickets are $24 for a 90-minute pass. Book slots in advance at bouncethecity.com. 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, and 12:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27; similar hours on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2-3, and 1:30-6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4

LatiNxt

Navy Pier hosts two days of cutting-edge Latinx music, art and culture as LatiNxt returns to the lakeshore with a full performance lineup across three stages, vendors and more at 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago navypier.org. 2-11:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, and 2-9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27

Comedy show

Comedian, actor and “Saturday Night Live” alum Jay Pharoah (“A Million Little Things,” “The Blackening”) will tape a special at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Tickets are $25. (773) 697-3830 or thedentheatre.com. 7:15 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Poi Dog

Nearly 40 decades after Frank Orral and his friends formed Poi Dog Pondering in Hawaii (before it became a Chicago phenomenon), the funky, folky, jazzy rock band is stopping at Aurora's RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, for a night of humanity-celebrating jams. $40. paramountaurora.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Comedy in Des Plaines

Fast-paced and clever, Jim Flannigan hosts the Des Plaines Comedy Night, bringing Derick Lengwenus and Kristen Toomey along with him to the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 the day of. desplainestheatre.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27

Jazz singer Dianne Reeves headlines the Chicago Jazz Festival in Chicago's Millennium Park. Courtesy of Odasan Macovich

Chicago Jazz Fest

Ron Carter and Foursight, Dianne Reeves, Makaya McCraven and Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars headline the Chicago Jazz Festival taking place Labor Day weekend in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. The free fest also features Chicago favorites Ari Brown, Carmen Stokes, The Chicago Soul Jazz Collective with Dee Alexander and Chico Freeman, who pays tribute to his father, famed saxophonist Von Freeman on the centennial of his birth. chicagojazzfestival.us. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 3

Rick Springfield headlines the "I Want My 80s Tour" concert at Aurora's RiverEdge Park Thursday, Aug. 31. Associated Press, 2019

Nostalgia night

Enjoy a night of rock favorites when Rick Springfield headlines the “I Want My 80s Tour” at RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway, Aurora. The tour includes special guests The Hooters, Paul Young and Tommy Tutone. General admission is $39 at paramountaurora.com. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31

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