Chicago Auto Show: Forget Valentine’s Day, an auto show outing can tell you everything you need to know about whether you and your mate are compatible. Do you head for the latest concept cars while he’s heading to the minivans? Are you curious to see the Chicago Drives Electric exhibit while she’s pining to try the Ford Built Wild Bronco off-road course? How about the Toyota Camry pace car done up with Edward Hopper’s painting “Nighthawks” for this summer’s NASCAR Street Race in partnership with the Art Institute? Maybe deep down, we all want a glimpse of Camp Jeep — an obstacle course featuring a 28-foot “mountain” with a 45-degree approach — but the real question is: What would you drive in the real world? Open daily at 10 a.m. with varying closing times Feb. 8-17 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive; tickets $12-$17 (ages 3 and younger free) at chicagoautoshow.com
Lunar New Year parades: Continue your celebration of the Year of the Snake with parades in Uptown on Saturday and Chinatown on Sunday. Both parades begin at 1 p.m. In Uptown, festivities will kick off around Argyle Street 10 a.m. with reptile displays, crafts, a flower exhibit and performances. In Chinatown, expect floats, marching bands and traditional dragon and lion dance teams. The Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with parade kicking off from Argyle Street and Sheridan Road at 1 p.m. Feb. 8; more details on the free event at partners.exploreuptown.org. Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade at 1 p.m. Feb. 9 from 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue; more details on the free event at ccc-foundation.org
Verizon Super Bowl Fan Fest: So the Bears didn’t make the Super Bowl, no surprise there, but you can still experience the Super Bowl inside Soldier Field. Meet Rome Ordunze and other NFL stars, play tailgate challenges, listen to live music and root for the Kansas City Chiefs (… this is the Midwest, right?). 3 p.m. Feb. 9 at Soldier Field, 1410 Special Olympics Drive; RSVP at verizonfanfest.com
2 Chainz x Jeezy: A dozen years after the Atlanta rap icons first collaborated on “R.I.P.,” 2 Chainz and Jeezy join forces again — this time in a concert at the Chicago Theatre. 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets $149-$350 at 2chainz.com
“Debate: Baldwin vs: Buckley”: A famous debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley is restaged 60 years later, with startlingly current arguments about systemic racism. A Tribune review noted “an atypically engaged audience … positively bursting at the seams to have its own say.” Through March 3 at TimeLine Theatre at DePaul University Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St.; tickets $67-$80 at timelinetheatre.com
Festival of Films from Iran: Eleven films offer a glimpse into Iranian culture and politics. Revisiting several titles screened over the past 36 years of the festival, the movies chronicle a volatile period. It opens with “Close-up,” a 1990 film by revered filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami merging documentary and fiction, and closes on Feb. 13 with “Hit the Road.” The 2021 film, which received a limited release due to the pandemic, won the best film award at the BFI London Film Festival for its portrayal of an Iranian roadtrip. Feb. 7-13 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; tickets $14.50 at siskelfilmcenter.org
The Orchid Show — India Blooms: India’s vibrant and diverse range of orchid species are bursting into bloom this weekend in Glencoe. More than 10,000 blooms will be on display at the Chicago Botanic Garden, along with an impressive floral peacock, a banyan tree and more. Watch for special after-hours events, talks and marketplaces throughout the exhibit, wrapping up with a post-show plant sale on March 27. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily Feb. 8 to March 23 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; tickets $15-$22 (ages 2 and under free) at chicagobotanic.org
First Fridays Art Walk: Dive deeper into the local art scene by browsing the galleries of Wicker Park. Jackson Junge Gallery, Tom Robinson Studio, SoNa Chicago Art Gallery, Torque Ltd., Prism Spaces will be open. Expect artist talks, pop-ups and drinks. This is the first in a planned series on the first Friday of each month. 6-8 p.m. Feb. 7 in various Wicker Park locations; more details on the free event at business.wickerparkbucktown.com
“Dancing With the Stars”: After 33 seasons, are you on a first-name basis with the professional dancers of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”? If so, get to Rosemont this weekend for a performance hosted by one of last season’s celebrities, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, and featuring many of the dancers. 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont; tickets $250-$290 at rosemont.com
Empanada Fiesta: It’s the perfect time of year for tasty little handpies, so get to Chicago Empanada Mama to learn how to make them from the masters. It’s a hands-on class, where you’ll learn how to make empanadas from scratch along with a bit of history on the evolution of the empanada. Once you’re finished, you’ll get to eat what you cook as well as a side dish. 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sundays through March 16 at Chicago Empanada Mama, 1703 W. Chicago Ave.; tickets $75 at chicagoempanada.com
Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.
Also around the area, “Dancing With the Stars” arrives in Rosemont and rap icons 2 Chainz x Jeezy join forces at Chicago Theatre.
Chicago Auto Show: Forget Valentine’s Day, an auto show outing can tell you everything you need to know about whether you and your mate are compatible. Do you head for the latest concept cars while he’s heading to the minivans? Are you curious to see the Chicago Drives Electric exhibit while she’s pining to try the Ford Built Wild Bronco off-road course? How about the Toyota Camry pace car done up with Edward Hopper’s painting “Nighthawks” for this summer’s NASCAR Street Race in partnership with the Art Institute? Maybe deep down, we all want a glimpse of Camp Jeep — an obstacle course featuring a 28-foot “mountain” with a 45-degree approach — but the real question is: What would you drive in the real world? Open daily at 10 a.m. with varying closing times Feb. 8-17 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive; tickets $12-$17 (ages 3 and younger free) at chicagoautoshow.com
Lunar New Year parades: Continue your celebration of the Year of the Snake with parades in Uptown on Saturday and Chinatown on Sunday. Both parades begin at 1 p.m. In Uptown, festivities will kick off around Argyle Street 10 a.m. with reptile displays, crafts, a flower exhibit and performances. In Chinatown, expect floats, marching bands and traditional dragon and lion dance teams. The Argyle Lunar New Year Celebration will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with parade kicking off from Argyle Street and Sheridan Road at 1 p.m. Feb. 8; more details on the free event at partners.exploreuptown.org. Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade at 1 p.m. Feb. 9 from 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue; more details on the free event at ccc-foundation.org
Verizon Super Bowl Fan Fest: So the Bears didn’t make the Super Bowl, no surprise there, but you can still experience the Super Bowl inside Soldier Field. Meet Rome Ordunze and other NFL stars, play tailgate challenges, listen to live music and root for the Kansas City Chiefs (… this is the Midwest, right?). 3 p.m. Feb. 9 at Soldier Field, 1410 Special Olympics Drive; RSVP at verizonfanfest.com
2 Chainz x Jeezy: A dozen years after the Atlanta rap icons first collaborated on “R.I.P.,” 2 Chainz and Jeezy join forces again — this time in a concert at the Chicago Theatre. 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets $149-$350 at 2chainz.com
“Debate: Baldwin vs: Buckley”: A famous debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley is restaged 60 years later, with startlingly current arguments about systemic racism. A Tribune review noted “an atypically engaged audience … positively bursting at the seams to have its own say.” Through March 3 at TimeLine Theatre at DePaul University Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St.; tickets $67-$80 at timelinetheatre.com
Festival of Films from Iran: Eleven films offer a glimpse into Iranian culture and politics. Revisiting several titles screened over the past 36 years of the festival, the movies chronicle a volatile period. It opens with “Close-up,” a 1990 film by revered filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami merging documentary and fiction, and closes on Feb. 13 with “Hit the Road.” The 2021 film, which received a limited release due to the pandemic, won the best film award at the BFI London Film Festival for its portrayal of an Iranian roadtrip. Feb. 7-13 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; tickets $14.50 at siskelfilmcenter.org
The Orchid Show — India Blooms: India’s vibrant and diverse range of orchid species are bursting into bloom this weekend in Glencoe. More than 10,000 blooms will be on display at the Chicago Botanic Garden, along with an impressive floral peacock, a banyan tree and more. Watch for special after-hours events, talks and marketplaces throughout the exhibit, wrapping up with a post-show plant sale on March 27. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily Feb. 8 to March 23 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; tickets $15-$22 (ages 2 and under free) at chicagobotanic.org
First Fridays Art Walk: Dive deeper into the local art scene by browsing the galleries of Wicker Park. Jackson Junge Gallery, Tom Robinson Studio, SoNa Chicago Art Gallery, Torque Ltd., Prism Spaces will be open. Expect artist talks, pop-ups and drinks. This is the first in a planned series on the first Friday of each month. 6-8 p.m. Feb. 7 in various Wicker Park locations; more details on the free event at business.wickerparkbucktown.com
“Dancing With the Stars”: After 33 seasons, are you on a first-name basis with the professional dancers of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”? If so, get to Rosemont this weekend for a performance hosted by one of last season’s celebrities, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, and featuring many of the dancers. 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont; tickets $250-$290 at rosemont.com
Empanada Fiesta: It’s the perfect time of year for tasty little handpies, so get to Chicago Empanada Mama to learn how to make them from the masters. It’s a hands-on class, where you’ll learn how to make empanadas from scratch along with a bit of history on the evolution of the empanada. Once you’re finished, you’ll get to eat what you cook as well as a side dish. 12:30-2:30 p.m. Sundays through March 16 at Chicago Empanada Mama, 1703 W. Chicago Ave.; tickets $75 at chicagoempanada.com
Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.
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