August is arguably the best month to spend in and around Chicago. There are more neighborhood fests, art fairs, outdoor and indoor concerts, than at any other time. The weather is frequently hot, but not usually rainy, and everywhere we look the world is vibrantly alive. Fellow adventurers, we will be busy.

After work today, Friday, August 4^th, let’s go camping, just for the night, at Illinois Beach State Park, Zion, IL, 847-662-4811. Illinois Beach is the last remaining beach ridge shoreline in the state, and was formed as the last glaciers retreated from the Great Lakes. Our campsite is already reserved, don’t worry. It’s a short drive to the park, so we can set up our tent, cook up a fine campfire meal, roast some marshmallows, and just plain relax. Look at the stars! Away from the lights of the city we can actually see the Milky Way. Maybe we’ll even see a few shooting stars.

It’s Saturday, morning, August 5^th, so I’ll make us all a pot of coffee then we can go for a morning swim in Lake Michigan. The water will be quite cool, of course, but not really cold, perfect for a brisk morning wake-up. Invigorating, isn’t it? Now, how about walking and hiking around this beautiful and very large park. Breathe deeply while we’re walking, OK? The air is fresher here, away from the city, and we can smell the scent from the dozens of varieties of wildflowers. There’s even some Prickly Pear Cactus. Look around while we walk, there are so many different environments: bare, sandy beaches, dunes with oak savanahs, and even some wide marshy spaces. It’s good to spend time in wild places like this. Well, this has been great but it’s time to head back. We’ll see you tomorrow.

Today, Sunday, August 6^th, the Jefferson Park Arts & Music Festival, better known as Jeff Fest, 4822 N. Long Ave., is finishing up, so join us there, please, and bring those beautiful kids of yours. This is a great summer festival; it has one of the widest varieties of musical acts, entertainment, and kids’ programs of any neighborhood festival. It opens at 2:00pm. Don’t be late because on the Main Stage, at 2:30, the Downtown Charlie Brown Blues Band starts two sets of high energy blues. At 3:30 Chicago Ballet Center is presenting on the Forward Community Stage. We can stroll about for a while, then check out the food trucks when we get hungry. The excellent Led Zeppelin tribute band, Kashmir, is on at 5:00pm while one of our favorite small theater companies, Filament Theater, will put on a children and young adult show at 5:30. We’ll go back and forth between kid stuff and grown-up stuff, and all have a great time.

This Thursday, August, 10^th, there is a concert at Lighthouse Artspace, 108 W. Germania Pl., where we’ll get:

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this legendary all-star trio, thrilling audiences with a     limitless repertoire and awe-inspiring virtuosity.

The masterful jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut balances his lithe technical skill with a robust,

soulful style that speaks to his deep gospel roots and love of swinging hard bop. Known as one

of the founding fathers of jazz fusion, drummer Lenny White is a three-time Grammy winner

who’s worked with everyone from Miles Davis to Chaka Khan. Grammy-nominated bassist

Buster Williams has collaborated with jazz giants including Art Blakey, Count Basie and Sarah

Vaughn, and recorded soundtracks for cult films like David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks” and Spike

Lee’s “Clockers.”

The concert hall is relatively small, making for an intimate atmosphere. All the seats have good visibility, and the whole building has a wonderful ambiance that makes the entire experience quite the pleasure. You’ll catch us at the 7:00pm show (there is another at 9:00pm) enjoying the display of artistic expertise that these men will bring to the stage.

Now it’s time for one of our favorite neighborhood fests, one that is very dear to our hearts. Today and tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday, August 12^th and 13^th, Uketober Fest returns to St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Catholic Church, 5000 N. Cumberland, and we will be there, celebrating and embracing the heritage, history, culture and amazing people of this wonderful country.

The way Ukrainian musicians bring their musical traditions into this new century has to be heard to be understood. You don’t need to know the language; anyone can instantly appreciate the power, grace, speed, and style of a group of dancers such as Hromovystia. Their name means “Thunderstorm” in Ukrainian, and that’s the level of energy they bring to the stage.

The food is delicious, perfectly cooked and seasoned. Of course, we’ll eat too much, it’s worth it. Ukrainian clothing, much of it handmade, will be on hand in many shop’s tents. It is always beautiful, well made, and increasingly fashionable for everyday use by everyone, as we support Ukraine in every way possible.

Mostly it’s the people who make this so enjoyable. You’ll find them smiling, cheerful, polite and helpful at every turn, Ukrainians are wonderful and upbeat, despite the war and its devastation in their home country.

Wheaton, in the far western suburbs, has fully embraced #Warhol2023, the massive exhibit at the Cleve Carney Museum and the community involvement inspired by Andy Warhol, and encouraged by the museum. This evening, Thursday, August 17^th, let’s spend some fun, lighthearted time together indulging in all things Warhol. At 7:00pm The Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St., is holding a DIY art class, Animal Color Collage, wherein we will learn enough about color theory to create animal collages using black and white images on clear acetate which we will paint (in true Andy Warhol style) in bright eye-popping colors.

Let’s eat outdoors, under disco balls hanging from the Innovator Hale Street Tents. The tents are a summer tradition in Wheaton, enhanced this year with live music and disco balls to add some retro-pop to the dining experience. Look at this! There are at least eight different restaurants serving meals; what do you have a taste for?  As much as I love Greek and Italian food, my choice tonight is Burger Social, and their Naan Burger of lamb, with aioli, tomato chutney, arugula, and more, served on garlic naan. Oh yeah!

There’s “Pop Art Photo Ops” where we can take turns posing as famous Warhol portrait subjects: Queen Elizabeth II, Marilyn Monroe, and others. Many shops and restaurants have Warhol-inspired artworks, painted by local artists, on display in their windows, complete with Warhol “fun facts” beside each one.

Today, Saturday, August 19^th, we’ll be taking our trip to the Illinois State Fair, 801 Sangamon Avenue, Springfield. We’ll arrive early and make a very full day of it; the fairgrounds are huge, and full of music stages, entertainment, shows and contests. Yes, we are definitely going to see the Butter Cow, 500 pounds of butter hand-molded and carved into a life-sized cow. The cow has been at the fair for a hundred years, and OK, it might be silly, but I have got to see it, just this once. Let’s walk through the various buildings and learn how Illinois farmers have carefully cross-pollinated crop plants and bred and nurtured livestock from chickens and geese, through rabbits, sheep, and the prize-winning cows and bulls that provide us with the delicious, high-quality food we consume every day.

Do you want to see the Pie Eating Contest? How about a truck or tractor pull demonstration? Those are all great things, but in true state fair tradition we want to see the Bettenhousen 100 auto race. This grand event features “Silver Crown” open wheel cars, built with front engines, rear wheel drives, and a more upright profile and driving position. They are modern versions of those raced in the Indy 500 before the advent of F-1 style mid-engine designs. Adding to the excitement is the dirt track, so these big cars will be throwing “rooster tails” into the air as they speed so loudly through the corners for the 100-mile main event.  Awesome! Whew! What a day.

Today, Thursday, August 24^th, is the 32^nd Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence. Everyone, from every community, is invited to join us at the Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., at 12:00 noon, for the Raising of the Flag of Ukraine. We’re here to show the world that the people of America stand in support of Ukraine and against Russia’s criminal war. Please join us today, and again on Saturday, August 26^th, for the “Ukraine – Unbreakable Nation” march. It starts at 4:00pm, at Congress Plaza Garden, 501 S. Michigan Ave. We will march north to the River Theater, at LaSalle St. and Wacker Dr. It will end with a program of speeches and presentations, that are sure to impress you with the strength and determination of the Ukrainian people in their current struggle.

Thursday Night Out in Oak Park sounds like a fun evening, so tonight, Thursday, August 24^th, let’s visit Oak Park and have more summer fun. Overtwenty downtown Oak Park restaurants are offering drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts on a special TNO menu. We can eat inside or take a table outside. We like trying new foods, so let’s pick up one of these $25.00 ticket booklets from the special tent. It has four “dine-around tickets” and each is good for one item from the Thursday Night Out menu at participating restaurants.

While eating we’ll enjoy live jazz from the Illegal Smile Trio, and the Anthony Bruno Quartet. In addition, tonight there will be a host of local artists with their colorful pieces on display. Perhaps we’ll find something to grace the dining room wall.

Yes, we ate out last night, but, today, Friday, August 25^th, we’re doing it again. Taste of Greektown,  is open and we can’t wait to get down to 315 S. Halsted St. and have spanakopita, dolmades, Athenian chicken and baklava. While we’re gorging ourselves on delicious Greek cuisine, “Hellas 2000” will be playing a mix of traditional and nostalgic Greek songs as well as modern Greek music. Let’s take a dive into another fine culture, both ancient and modern, while we finish our meals with some fine Greek wine.

This afternoon, Thursday. August 31^st, marks the opening of the Chicago Jazz Festival, the annual musical extravaganza that celebrates all things Jazz. The Jazz Festival is scheduled to run through Sunday, September 3^rd, so you know where we’ll be this entire weekend.

This has been a non-stop adventure-filled month, yes? Let’s do it again next month. Until then, friends and readers, live your life as an adventure.