By Aanya Mathew and Raina Suri, Staff Writers
As the end of the semester nears, so does our long-awaited four-day weekend on Jan. 17-20. If you’re staying in Chicago for the mini-break, you might be looking for ways to spend your time. Well, look no further! Here we have curated a list of events so that you can enjoy your four-day weekend however you desire.
- Watch a movie
Facets, one of Chicago’s few independent cinemas, will be hosting a “Must Watch Indies” screening this weekend, showing the new international films “All We Imagine as Light,” “A Traveler’s Needs” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.” The first, a drama about two womens’ lives in Mumbai, will be showing twice this weekend, while “A Traveler’s Needs,” a South Korean drama, will be showing only once. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” a documentary about the assassination of the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba, will also be available on both Saturday and Sunday. For more scheduling information, visit the Facets calendar. If you’re in the mood for a more lighthearted movie, try “One of Them Days,” a comedy about two women racing to avoid eviction starring SZA. The movie releases on Jan. 17, and you can find timing and ticket options here.
- Go ice skating
While temperatures are low, make sure to head out on the ice before it’s too late! Ice skating rinks are still open all over the city, from Millenium Park,The Peninsula Sky Rink and Maggie Daley to Parkway Bank Park in Rosemont. If you don’t have your own skates, fear not! All of these locations provide skate rentals, with specific pricing available on their websites. Each location offers its own specific view, but make sure to go soon because most of these rinks will be closing by the end of the month!
- Chicago International Puppet Festival
The Chicago International Puppet Festival is an annual festival that highlights puppetry of all kinds. There will be many shows from artists and puppeteers available to the public from Jan. 15-25, as well as free exhibitions, which are all listed on the festival’s website. It’s perfect for kids to adults with its wide range of themes and topics. You can book your tickets by going to the Chicago International Puppet Festival and scrolling through the shows.
- Broadway in Chicago
Another fun exciting thing to do this weekend is check out Broadway in Chicago. The two shows playing this weekend are “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and “Shucked”. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is a great play, especially for long-time fans of the Harry Potter franchise. It is full of references and humor specifically made for people who have read the books or watched the movies. It is about the son of Harry Potter years after the events of the series and his friendship with the son of Harry’s rival, Draco Malfoy. Alternatively, “Shucked” is a very comedic musical about corn! Very corny if I do say so myself. It’s about a girl who lives in the fictional town of Cob County, which is surrounded by a wall of corn which isolates them from the outside world. When this wall starts to die, a brave girl named Maizy journeys to the big city of Tampa to find help.
- Stop by a winter farmers market
Think it’s too early for a farmers market? Well, think again! The South Loop Farmers Market has moved indoors for the season, residing in Water Tower Place on Sundays from 12-4 p.m. so that you can get all the shopping you need done while still staying warm. The market is host to over 75 vendors, live entertainment, virtual reality set-ups and more! It’s the perfect place to spend a few hours if you want to get out of the cold and try some different produce or foods. For more information, go to their website.
The Paw Print 
Leave a comment