Festivals and Fairs

Best Bets: Rosemont hosts Spring Fun Fest and Anime Central

Posted May 12, 2026 10:52 am

Barbara Vitello

It’s all happening in Rosemont

Parkway Bank Park in Rosemont hosts its annual Spring Fun Fest Saturday, May 16. Courtesy of Village of Rosemont

• Rosemont hosts its annual Spring Fun Fest at the Parkway Bank Park entertainment district at 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. The free fest includes family-friendly activities, bounce houses, balloon sculptors, face painters, a petting zoo, vendors and music from Jeanie B. and the Jelly Beans. rosemont.com/thepark. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 16

• Anime Central, the anime, manga and Japanese pop-culture convention, returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. Meet and greet creators, voice actors, directors and composers from the U.S. and abroad. Plus, there are panel discussions, autograph signings, cosplay, video games, concerts and special events. $90 for the full weekend; $60 for single-day access Friday and Saturday; $50 on Sunday; $25 kids. acen.org. 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 15; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 16; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17

CSO showcases French composers

Conductor Juraj Valcuha leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in an all-French program featuring Maurice Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite,” Francis Poulenc’s celebrated “Gloria” featuring soprano Erin Morley and the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony. $39-$215. cso.org. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14; 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 15; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16

James Gillray's 1801 political satire “The Union Club” is part of the Driehaus Museum's summer exhibition, Ink & Outrage: 18th Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin.” Courtesy of The Driehaus Museum

Driehaus Museum celebrates satire

The Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie St., Chicago, presents “Ink and Outrage: 18th Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin.” The exhibition examines the golden age of caricature by showcasing artists such as James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank, who “used humor and exaggeration to lampoon the great and powerful, giving rise to one of the most distinctive visual languages of dissent in Western art.” $23 adults, $18 seniors, $13 students. (312) 482- 8933 or driehausmuseum.org. Saturday, May 15, through Sept. 13

Chicago native Matt Walsh and his fellow Bluebird Improv members perform at the Studebaker Theater Saturday, May 16. Courtesy of Matt Walsh

All-star improv

The actor/improvisors of Bluebird Improv — Matt Walsh (“Veep,” Netflix’s “Vladimir”), Marc Evan Jackson (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “The Good Place”), Brad Morris (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Stephnie Weir (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) and Joe Canale (“The Mindy Project”) — perform at Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Tickets start at $40. fineartsbuilding.com/events/bluebird-improv. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16

On stage at Space

Corky Siegel, left, and Ernie Watts perform Sunday, May 17, at Space in Evanston. Courtesy of the Raue Center

• Composer, pianist and harmonica player Corky Siegel, 82, brings his Chamber Blues ensemble to Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Limited tickets remain for the concert celebrating Siegel’s 60-year career featuring Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Ernie Watts. $47.14-$60.45. evanstonspace.com. 7 p.m. Sunday, May 17

• Contemporary Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon and The Chicago Way — whose music is rooted in Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters and Elmore James — headline Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, next week. $23.33-$31.05. evanstonspace.com. 8 p.m. Thursday, May 21

‘Rocky’ in concert

The Auditorium’s Philms Concert series at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, continues with a screening of “Rocky,” accompanied by the Chicago Philharmonic playing Bill Conti’s score. $60-$174.77. (312) 341-2300 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16

“Straight-on (no bulb)” by artist and former Aurora resident Dr. Charles Smith is among the works included in the Intuit Art Museum exhibition titled “Monumental: Sculpture by Dr. Charles Smith.” Courtesy of the Intuit Art Museum

Intuit Art Museum debuts new exhibition

The Intuit Art Museum, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, an institution devoted to showcasing self-taught artists, inaugurates “Monumental: Sculpture by Dr. Charles Smith.” A Vietnam War vet whose experience shaped his artistry, Smith created his first sculpture — an homage to fallen Black comrades — in his Aurora yard. From 1986 to 2000, while he lived in Aurora, Smith created more than 600 sculptures. He has also created memorials to victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Underground Railroad and Chicago’s first Black postmaster, Henry McGee. $20, free for ages 24 and younger, teachers, those with disabilities and active duty military, police and firefighters. (312) 624-9487 or art.org. Opening reception: 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 21. The exhibition runs through April 22, 2027.

Telling tales

Short Story Theatre celebrates family — grandparents in particular — with an evening of heartfelt true stories characterized by unexpected twists. The event takes place at The Art Center Highland Park, 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. shortstorytheatre.com. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21