Dorothy Hernandez

Nov 14, 2024 | wbez.org | S. Nicole Lane |Dorothy Hernandez |Mitch Dudek |Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

The Lower West Side of Chicago, chiefly Pilsen, is home to music lovers, Mexican eateries, bustling cafes and vintage shop hoards. More than simply a destination neighborhood, Pilsen has a reputation for its gutsy arts district, its Second Friday gallery events and its 50 street murals around 16th Street that celebrate local culture. If a neighborhood had a taste, Pilsen’s would be piping hot Mexican food from a taco stand after a few beers at The Barrel.

Nov 11, 2024 | wbez.org | Miriam Di Nunzio |Mitch Dudek |Erica Thompson |Dorothy Hernandez

Pitchfork Music Festival, long a staple on Chicago’s big summer music fest scene, announced Monday that it will not be returning to Chicago in 2025. In a social media post, the festival’s organizers stated the rapidly evolving music festival landscape was behind the decision to call it quits after 19 years in the city, writing in part:“This decision was not made lightly.

Nov 10, 2024 | wbez.org | Erica Thompson |Kyle MacMillan |Dorothy Hernandez |Cassie Walker Burke

When Jen Plumridge attended CHIRP Record Fair and Other Delights on Saturday, she did her fair share of shopping and observing. “It’s interesting to see who comes to these events and what they’re looking for,” said Plumridge, 34, of Edgewater. As a knitter, she knows what it’s like to have a niche interest. For Plumridge, the attendees rifling through about 100 tables of vinyl albums, CDs, local band merch and other music-related items were like kindred spirits.

Nov 9, 2024 | wbez.org | Mike Davis |Kyle MacMillan |Dorothy Hernandez |Cassie Walker Burke

On a brisk Thursday night in Wicker Park, less than 48 hours after Donald Trump sailed through the 2024 presidential election, Chicago’s Refracted Theatre Company staged a sold-out performance of its new play, Coronation, about women in power. The show, which runs through Nov. 16, is a new work by local playwright Laura Winters.

Nov 9, 2024 | wbez.org | Dorothy Hernandez |Kyle MacMillan |Cassie Walker Burke |Morgan Ciocca

When Vamarr Hunter first walked in to Give Me Some Sugah bakery in South Shore 14 years ago, he immediately felt at home. The walls showcased local art, R&B music was playing, and the tablecloths were made of leather. It was how he would decorate his own place, he said. “It was the energy, it was the decor. Everything just felt natural,” he said.