On the road: Celebrating Wisconsin's folk life
Just folks
Old World Wisconsin will host Celebrate Wisconsin Folklife two weekends in June. Each weekend features live music, dancing, crafts and food from Wisconsin folk traditions. On June 22-23, it's all things Scandinavian including Icelandic horses, playing the ancient sport of Kubb, rosemaling demonstrations and seeing kermakku and pulla bread come out of the wood-fired oven. Melting Pot of Cultures weekend (June 29-30) offers the Escamilla Mexican Dancers, barn dances and live music.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23 and 29-30, at Old World Wisconsin, W372 S9727 Hwy. 67, Eagle, Wis. Museum admission is $16 for adults; $9 for children 5-17; free for kids younger than 5; $14 for students and senior citizens (65 and older); $43 for families with two adults and two or more children 5-17. (262) 594-6301 or www.oldworldwisconsin.org.
Chicago
Movie nights
A new film series joins other free offerings this summer at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Kickoff night on Tuesday, June 18, begins with a brief tribute to Roger Ebert and then a screening of the musical “Chicago.” The series continues Tuesday evenings and highlights musicals including “Dreamgirls” and “Moulin Rouge.” Films are presented on the most sophisticated outdoor screen with sound projected from the pavilion's state-of-the-art sound system.
6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 18-Aug. 20, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. (312) 742-1168 or millenniumpark.org.
Art utopia
The second annual Artopia Festival brings together Chicago's top artistic and musical talents to the historic Congress Theater. Chicago's largest indoor music and art festival features art displayed throughout the theater with more than 100 artists showcasing and selling their work, live art stations, body painting and walking art pieces, live music performances on the main stage, DJs, an outdoor area with hands-on activities and live graffiti art.
2 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Admission is $6-$10; free for kids younger than 12. (773) 491-2927 or www.artopiachicago.com.
Stately stay
The Talbott Hotel in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood offers a cluster of summer packages in time for many of the city‘s seasonal events. Choose among three American Girl overnight packages, the Personally Yours Romance Package and another that coincides with an anticipated exhibit at the Art Institute. It includes VIP tickets to the “Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity” exhibition.
American Girl packages start at $175, Art Institute package starts at $399 and romance package rates start at $299 at The Talbott Hotel, 20 E. Delaware Place, Chicago. (312) 944-4970 or www.talbotthotel.com.
Midwest
Door County biking weekends
Celebrate the first day of summer on two wheels exploring Door County, Wis., with the new Door County Bike Tours — four guided tours this summer and fall of the guides' favorite routes and area attractions. The three-day weekend tours include stops along the bike route to visit attractions, scenic outlooks and local restaurants and conclude with lodging at the Eagle Harbor Inn in the village of Ephraim. Package rates include three days of guided bike tours, two nights lodging, two breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner, admission to planned events and attractions, support vehicle and a Door County Bike Tour T-shirt.
June 21-23, July 19-21, Aug. 23-25 and Sept. 13-15. Rates start at $890 for a single to $1,040 for a couple, depending on the room type selected. (920) 839-5088 or www.DoorCountyBikeTours.com.