Chicago, IL

The filming of the lastest Batman film, The Dark Knight is ongoing here in Chicago. On Wednesday, the old Brach’s Candy building, at the corner of Cicero Avenue and Ferdinand Street, was blown up during the filming. The building will serve as “Gothman General Hospital” in the film. The movie is the biggest movie project that Chicago has ever hosted.

Below are some stunning photographs of the explosion, which will be coming soon to a theater near you.

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This weekend will mark the 18th annual African Festival of Arts in Chicago. The event will celebrate the art and culture of Africa. It features three performance stages, including a hip-hop stage and a world music stage. Performers include MC Lyte, Naughty By Nature, and James Cotton.

In addition to music, the African Festival of the Arts will feature cultural programs including fine arts, fashion, a kids pavilion, and food sellers. There will also be a drum village featuring talented percussionists.

The event will take place in Washington Park at 51st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue on Friday August 31-Monday September 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit the African Festival of the Arts website.

Chicago, African Festival of the Arts, African Festival, Naughty by Nature, MC Lyte, James Cotton

Photo from a protest on the opening day of Macy’s.

Although the downtown Marshall Field’s store has been known as Macy’s since last September, there is still a group of Marshall Field’s supporters hoping to return the store to it original name and identity. There is a website called Field Fans Chicago which is “working to bring back Marshall Field’s not only in name, but also in quality, service, culture, history, tourism, and more.”

The group has a protest planned for 1:00 p.m. on September 9th, 2007, on the one year anniversary of the change in the store’s name. The protesters will meet up underneath the clock at Washington and State Streets. They also are encouraging people to boycott Macy’s stores to show support for Marshall Field’s.

At their website, you can order free lapel stickers to show your support and learn more about the cause. They also have t-shirts available for purchase.

If you are looking for a great venue to hear some wonderful music, you should visit Ravinia Festival in Highland Park. They host a wide variety of artists from different genres. For example, this week will feature B.B. King, the Beach Boys, Tony Bennett, and Diana Krall, on different nights of the week.

On Labor Day, Ravinia will host a “Labor Day Spectacular” which will feature the Ravinia Festival Orchestra playing many patriotic tunes, ending with a finale of Tchaikovsky’s “1812″ Overture, featuring live cannons.

At the outdoor venue, you have a choice of sitting in reserved seats or on the lawn. For more information on Ravinia, including directions, ticket prices, and schedules, check out the Ravinia Festival official site.

Friday, August 31 through Sunday, August 2, all are invited to join the festivities in Grant Park FREE music on three stages. The event opens daily at 11 a.m., with music beginning at noon on the Jazz on Jackson stage and 12:30 p.m. at the Jazz and Heritage Family Stage. Then at 5 p.m., music lights up the night at the Petrillo Music Shell for three evenings of spectacular Jazz performances, tributes and entertainment for any fan of Jazz music to enjoy.

This year’s Artist in Residence is Charlie Haden. One of the most respected jazz bassists today, Haden became famous playing with Ornette Coleman in the late 1950s. He will play in Grant Park on multiple stages with the Jazz Institute of Chicago Jazz Links Students on Friday, the Liberation Music Orchestra on Saturday, and “A Chicago Jam,” with local jazz veterans on Sunday.

For the full list of performers, visit the city of Chicago site about the festival here.

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Chicago, Jazz Festival,

Chicago and the surrounding suburbs were hit with very severe thunderstorms yesterday, in addition to reported tornado sightings. There is widespread tree damage, power outages, and flash flooding.

Here is a photo of a tree in my front yard that was damaged during the storm.

Chicago, thunderstorms, tree damage

Looking for a fun way to say goodbye to summer, while also helping a good cause? This weekend is the Riverview Music Festival, which brings together nine different bands for two days of performances. Headliners Umphrey’s McGee will perform both nights at 8:00 p.m. The proceeds from the event go to the Boys & Girls Club.

Date: August 25, 2007 - August 26, 2007
Time: 1pm to 11pm daily
Location: 3300 N. Campbell (DeVry University Campus)

For more information, including the full musical line-up, as well as ticket information, visit the Riverview Musical Festival site.

Riverview Music Festival, Umphrey’s McGee, Boys and Girls club

Celebrate Greek heritage and culture this weekend at the Taste of Greece. The event will take place in the heart of Greektown, on Halsted Street, from Monroe to Van Buren.

A celebration of Greek heritage includes food from area restaurants, live music on two stages (5 p.m.), beer and wine, belly dancing, games and more. The Hellas Dance Troupe and the Orpheus Dancing Group perform nightly beginning at 7 p.m.

The event runs from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

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Chicago, Taste of Greece, Greektown

The two-day Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival will take place this Saturday and Sunday, August 25th and 26th. The event will feature dozens of musicians on two different stages, including Moenia and Mike Roman and the Tellstars featuring Jose Feliciano.

According to the official city of Chicago release, the event will feature:

Distinctive types of Latin music like cumbia, reggaeton, salsa, merengue, tango, bachata, banda and Spanish Pop! The Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival is considered one of the largest events of its kind in the Midwest and the festival entertains both residents and visitors alike.

Admission to the event is free and takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Millennium Park. For more information and the complete schedule of performers, check out the official Viva Chicago site.

Chicago, Latin Music Festival, Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival, Moenia, Mike Roman and the Tellstars, Jose Feliciano

Do you think you have what it takes to perform at one of the city of Chicago’s summer music events? The Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events has posted information for those musicians who would like to be considered for a spot in the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Taste of Chicago, Chicago Country Music Festival, Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival or Celtic Fest Chicago.

The deadlines for submissions vary, although most are due this fall or early winter. For full information on how to apply and what the deadline is for the event you are considering, view the official announcement here. Who knows, I could be writing about your performance next summer!

Chicago, MOSE, Chicago Gospel Music Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Taste of Chicago, Chicago Country Music Festival, Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Celtic Fest Chicago, music audition

Elvira Arellano, an undocumented immigrant who has been living the past year in a Chicago church, has been deported. Arellano traveled to Los Angeles over this past weekend, the first time that she left the Chicago church since August 15, 2006. She was facing deportation after she was charged with using an false social security number to obtain employment, but did not want to be separated from her eight-year-old son, who is an American citizen. As a result, she had not left the church, fearing arrest and deporation.

According to reports, she was arrested yesterday afternoon outside of a church in Los Angeles and taken to Mexico. Arellano had championed immigration issues in an effort to convince Congress to allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States, rather than breaking up families. Her son is reportedly still in the United States.

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Chicago, immigration, Elvira Arellano, deportation

Here are some photos of Angelina Jolie filming the movie Wanted here in Chicago this week. It looks like she is enjoying doing the stunt on top of the Dodge Viper.

Dirty Dancing: The Musical, the musical version of the classic film has already been a hit with theatergoers in London. The musical will be coming to the United States in the fall of 2008 and will open first in Chicago. It is scheduled to debut on September 2, 2008 opening at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

The musical will include many of the popular songs from the film, including “Hungry Eyes” and “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” Group tickets are available now and single tickets will be soon. For ticket information visit Broadway in Chicago.

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When I moved to Chicago seven years ago, I had never heard of the Air and Water Show. The day after I moved into my near north side apartment, I heard planes flying continuously overhead. I thought that I had made a big mistake and moved into a building that was in the flight path of the airport. I did not realize that I was listening to the rehearsal for the Air and Water Show. I was relieved to learn that the noise would not be permanent.

If you want to experience the amazing airplanes and exciting water acts yourself, you should head to this weekend’s Air and Water show.

The Chicago Air and Water Show shakes up the lakefront August 18 - 19, 2007 for the largest FREE show of its kind in the United States. This year the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights will headline the Chicago Air and Water Show along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach as the focal point. The water show begins at 9 a.m. and air show runs from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. both days.

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The fire that claimed the lives of a Naperville mother and her two young children has been ruled a double murder-suicide. Police revealed that video surveillance at a nearby store showed Nimisha Tiwari purchasing a can of gasoline.

She was also seen purchasing toys at another store the same day. It is believed that the children may have been playing with the toys at the time that the fire began, as the Dora the Explorer and Thomas the Tank Engine toys were found near the bodies of 18-month-old Anaya, 4-year-old Vakadham. Although it is not believed that the mother poured gasoline onto the children, the police have not ruled out the possibility that the children were drugged prior to the fire.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Nimisha Tiwari and her husband, Anand Tiwari, had a troubled marriage, which included accusations of abuse and bad parenting from both parents. She previously alleged that he was controlling and abusive and he alleged that she acted erratically as a result of her multiple sclerosis. Police have said that the husband has been cleared as a suspect.