The best things to do in Chicago this week

Rooftop Cinema Club, the open-air theater perched atop The Emily Hotel, is back for another season. Guests can catch showings of hand-picked classics, cult films and recent releases while also enjoying sweeping views of the skyline and craft beverages. It’s the perfect summer cinema experience. Check the official website for the full schedule and lineup.

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce hosts the neighborhood's Uncorked Wine Stroll, an evening showcasing Lincoln Park businesses. With a dozen stops along Armitage and Halsted, light bites and snacks and—of course—lots of wine, there’s no better way to get to know the neighborhood. Cobble together a group of five or more to save $5 per ticket!

Wrigley Field is a baseball mecca but from May 10-13, you’ll be able to play a round of golf inside the stadium. The exclusive experience will let guests hit tee shots from the upper deck down to custom greens on the field below. Once you’re finished, head to the clubhouse for music, food and beer.

Experience the energy of vibrant Spanish bodegas at this wine tasting, where guests can sample more than 30 Spanish wines while enjoying Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba’s signature tapas and pintxos. You’ll be able to learn from local experts about each bottle’s journey from vine to vino, plus order some to sip at home. A Spanish Spritzer station will offer tastes of springtime with options like the Lemon and Sherry Spritzer. Tickets are $95 per person.

Mamma Mia! Here we go again. My, my, it really does persist, whew. Mamma Mia! It's that show again. My, my, how can this have missed you? In case it somehow has, the indefatigable ABBA jukebox musical makes its umpteenth Chicago stop on its 25th anniversary tour. It's just here for a few weeks, but bye-bye doesn't mean forever.

The Chicago Critics Film Association throws an annual film fest, giving the public a chance to see buzzed-about unreleased films and overlooked movies that deserve to be seen on the big screen. This year's lineup includes a 30th anniversary screening of Gillian Armstrong's Little Women, Chicago-made Sundance Film Festival breakout Ghostlight and The Fabulous Fleischer Cartoons Restored, a series of animated shorts originally produced by Max Fleischer between 1919-1942. Check out the complete festival lineup on the Chicago Critics Film Festival website.

Chicago Writers’ Bloc puts on this festival featuring staged readings of five new plays and five new musicals from local playwrights, lyricists and composers. The works range from comedy and drama to documentary theatre, including Hearts in the Wood, Hell is Canceled and No Kind of Hero.

Navy Pier, in partnership with the Design Museum of Chicago and The Vintage House Show Collective, presents a new exhibit exploring the history of the home-grown artists, clubs and labels that have built House music. The exhibit will be open and free to the public during all Pier operating hours through the end of October.

Hot Potato Hearts, a casual and inclusive platform for speed dating, is here to help you find your perfect match! Whether you’re looking for a relationship or just a buddy, you'll have the chance to meet all participants in a welcoming and relaxed environment. Tickets are $13 and proof of vaccination is required.

Winter is almost over and the Garfield Park Conservatory is here to usher in warmer days with its Spring Flower Show. Make a reservation to explore this year's show, "What's in a Name?" which explains the history and science of botanical nomenclature. You'll find spring bulbs like Tulipa ‘Rococo’, Lilium ‘Josephine,’ Viola ‘Matrix Yellow’ and Anemone ‘Giant Blue Poppy.’ The show only sticks around through Mother's Day weekend, so book your visit soon!

One of Chicago's most popular farmer's markets, Green City Market welcomes vendors selling regional produce to the south end of Lincoln Park (between Clark Street and Stockton Drive) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Amid the rows, you’ll find farm-fresh eggs from Michigan, cheese from Wisconsin and scrumptious pies baked by Chicago’s own Hoosier Mama Pie Co.

Displaying a 25-story-tall video installation on the side of THE MART, ART on THE MART is the largest permanent digital art projection in the world, with programming that changes seasonally. ART on THE MART's array of 34 digital projectors show the creations after dusk every evening. It’s best viewed from the section of the Chicago Riverwalk between Wells Street and Franklin Street.

This annual festival assembles luminaries from the fields of politics, journalism and the arts for a multi-week series of programming across the city, with events ranging from lectures and discussions to screenings and musical performances. Not sure which events to hit? Some of the fest’s biggest speakers this season include former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, architect Jeanne Gang, musician Kathleen Hanna and comedian Reggie Watts. You can see a full schedule of programming on the Chicago Humanities Festival website.

The Museum of Science and Industry debuts a new exhibit dedicated to the science and technology behind the world’s longest-running film franchise, James Bond. Fans can check out 13 vehicles and over 90 additional artifacts, including the prototype jetpack used in Thunderball, an MI6 Retina Scanner from GoldenEye and the Parahawk snowmobile hybrid from The World Is Not Enough. You’ll also be able to step into a lab space inspired by “Q” and test your skills developing the perfect vehicle for spy activities, designing stunts and more.

Downton Abbey: The Exhibition makes its way to Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie, giving fans an opportunity to step into the world of the hit series. The immersive experience showcases the elaborate sets, detailed costumes and luxurious jewelry of Downton Abbey’s high society inhabitants, and transport visitors to the grand home of the Crawleys and those who served them. From Mrs. Patmore’s hectic kitchen and Carson’s office to the family’s glamorous dining room, the exhibition provides a fascinating look into the post-Edwardian period.

Navy Pier’s newest attraction is here, transporting guests to some of Chicago’s most epic places via exhilarating flights. The multi-sensory experience incorporates drone technologies with aerial shots and first-person views to showcase the city like never before. Guests will swoop, dip and turn in motion seats as they climb up skyscrapers, check out iconic landmarks, float through fireworks and more.

Chicago Gamespace, a video game museum and gallery, opens a new exhibit that explores the unique and ephemeral history of vector (line) graphics in contrast to the dominant raster (pixel) visual displays that reign today. Notable games like Asteroids, Battlezone and Star Wars will be highlighted, as well as a recently-preserved emulation of Moonlander.

The largest and most immersive touring Titanic exhibition comes to Westfield Old Orchard mall in Skokie. Visitors will experience a narrative journey that brings to light the fates of the passengers and crew aboard the famous ship. Marvel at hundreds of artifacts that survived the sinking, plus props and costumes featured in James Cameron’s blockbuster film Titanic. Music from the era will play as patrons walk through detailed recreations of the ship’s interiors, including the grand staircase, while the Discovery Gallery will simulate what discovery teams saw during dives to the Titanic’s wreckage site.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has brought its first immersive entertainment destination to Oakbrook Center, inviting guests to enter the worlds of popular franchises like Uncharted, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, Bad Boys, Zombieland and more. The 45,000-square-foot space is home to a variety of activities, ranging from escape rooms to virtual reality and racing simulators to bumper cars. When you need to refuel, drop into the Commissary Restaurant for a full menu of food, desserts and cocktails. Entry to Wonderverse is free, with attractions priced separately.

Escape the planet with exhibits about the first lunar missions, the solar system and more, plus immersive shows in the dome theater. The Doane Observatory is also home to the largest public telescope in the area, and gathers 7,000 times more light than the human eye. Every Wednesday, the Adler stays open late from 4pm-10pm so that folks can visit after work or school. And best of all, admission is free on those nights for Illinois residents.

This weekly “live magazine” is a cavalcade of culture, politics and wit featuring journalists, actors, comedians and musicians offering idiosyncratic reports on the news of the day. Head to Uptown’s iconic Green Mill for drinks, hot takes and laughs; the longstanding Saturday afternoon edition tends to run about two and a half hours.

What’s better than a show at the Empty Bottle? A free show at the Empty Bottle. Every Monday, Chicago’s premier indie rock club hosts a free concert. Check the website for a schedule of upcoming performances and to RSVP.

Bye Bye Liver combines two robust Chicago traditions: comedy and heavy drinking. The show opened over a decade ago for a three-week run, then kept getting extended. A cast of four to six performers portray characters at the fictional "Franks Bar," telling stories that explore the city's robust drinking culture. Each show incorporates interactive audience drinking games, allowing you to sip a cocktail or beer while taking cues from the cast. And if you're up for a nightcap after the performance, you can stick around for the official after party and mingle with the cast.

For more than 30-years, the Neo-Futurists have been delighting late-night crowds with performances that pack 30 miniature plays into a 60-minute show. Returning to in-person programming (attendees must be vaccinated and masked) after more than a year spent in the virtual realm, the company's signature show is more unpredictable than ever, with a handful of compact new plays premiering every week. Within the span of 10 minutes, you may be treated to a poignant monologue about everyday life or an irreverent diatribe delivered by a pantsless member of the cast—all inspired by the experiences of the performers on stage. Always changing and evolving, it's the rare show that truly offers something different everytime you show up to see it.