
City Cast Chicago
🤔 Think you know your Chicago facts?
September 26, 2025 · — Emmi Mack
Hey you! We’re wrapping up the first week of our fall membership campaign! This is your chance to gain benefits that make weekends in Chicago even more worthwhile. When you become a City Cast Chicago Neighbor, you unlock access to:
- 🗓️ A weekly events preview: Get ahead of weekend plans with a roundup of the best things to do, delivered every Monday
- 🌟 Members-only events: Insider tours, volunteer meetups, happy hours
- 📣 Neighborhood Shoutouts: Highlight your favorite local spots on the pod and in this newsletter
- 🎧 Ad-free listening: A special feed just for you special members
- 🎙️ On-air thank-you: With love from your City Cast team
Every day we bring you curious, passionate, and human stories that are as complex as our city. When you become a City Cast Chicago Neighbor, you’re supporting those daily conversations — and the team of locals who make it possible.

What's CITY Talking About?

What Actually Happened in Fatal ICE Shooting?
Conflicting narratives have emerged from ICE’s fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez. Meanwhile, fences have gone up around the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview despite local opposition. We discuss all of it on today’s podcast with Borderless magazine’s Katrina Pham and the Sun-Times’ Nader Issa. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
- Related: ICE detained two residents outside a Chicago homeless shelter. [Block Club]
Sister Jean Retires at 106
Sister Jean is hanging up her maroon-and-gold scarf. Just kidding, she’ll always be a Rambler. But the 106-year-old nun is retiring from Loyola University, where she’s served as the basketball team’s chaplain since 1994. [The Athletic]
Leo High School Choir Gets 4th In ‘America’s Got Talent’
The choir from Leo Catholic High School in Auburn Gresham captured the hearts of the country during their run on “America’s Got Talent.” Now, that run has come to a close. The boys finished fourth. [Sun-Times]

This Week’s Must-Read
“Ashland Avenue,” the Goodman Theatre’s latest play, takes place inside an old Chicago electronics store. And as this review says, “Goddamn … that is one gorgeous set.” It’s cozy and intricate with TVs from every era flashing along the walls, telling their own bygone story. [Stage and Cinema]

Take This Week's News Quiz

This was a varied week in Chicago news, from coolness rankings to pet politics to “AI slop” art. Were you paying attention?
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What To Do
Friday, Sep. 26
- 🍺 St. Al’s Oktoberfest | St. Alphonsus Church | Lakeview
- 🎡 St. Helen Carnival | St. Helen Catholic School | West Town
- 🥃 Pilsen Malört Fest 2025 | Dorman Dunn Post 547
- 🧠 Beats, Brains, and Balance: The Science of Soul and Sound | DuSable Museum | Washington Park
- 💃 Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival 2025 | The Ruth Page Center for the Arts | Near North Side
- 🤝 TEDxChicago 2025: The Future is Human | Harris Theater | Loop
- 🧘♀️ Sound Bath Guided Meditation | Meditation Center of Chicago | Norwood Park
- ⚾️ Cubs vs. Cardinals | Wrigley Field
- 🛍️ 312 Market’s Shop Collective | Olio | Lincoln Park
- 👻 Chicago Horror Film Festival | The Logan Theatre
- 🤠 Hard Country Honky Tonk | Empty Bottle | Ukrainian Village
- 🍝 All You Can Eataly Septemberfest | Eataly | River North
- 🎭 “Broomhilda & Gwen: The Musical” | Labyrinth Club | Irving Park
Saturday, Sep. 27
- 🍻 11th Annual Berwyn Brewfest | Proksa Park | Berwyn
- 🥁 Uptown Rhythm Festival | Wilson Abbey
- 🎶 Hyde Park Jazz Festival | Multiple locations
- 🍺 St. Al’s Oktoberfest | St. Alphonsus Church | Lakeview
- 🎉 312 Block Party | Goose Island Brewery | Fulton Mark
- 🖼️ Beverly Art Walk | Multiple locations
- 🏃 AIDS Run & Walk Chicago | Soldier Field
- 🎷 South Side Jazz’n on the Steps | St. Moses the Black Parish | Greater Grand Crossing
- 🎡 St. Helen Carnival | St. Helen Catholic School | West Town
- 🇵🇭 Musika SamaSama Filipino Festival | Eugene Field | Albany Park
- 🚴🏻♀️ Birds, Bikes, and Beats Fest | Big Marsh Park | South Deering
- 🌎 IndigiFest | Grove B | Jackson Park
- 🛍️ Randolph Street Market | 1341 W. Randolph St. | Fulton Market
- ⚾️ Cubs vs. Cardinals | Wrigley Field
- 🚶♀️ Walking Tour: Glitterati on the Gold Coast | Chicago History Museum | Lincoln Park
- 🧶 Craft Supply Swap | Archer Heights Branch
- 🛍️ 312 Market’s Shop Collective | Olio | Lincoln Park
- 👻 Children’s Costume Swap | Daley Branch
- 🚶🏻♂️ Walking Tour: Paseo Boricua and Humboldt Park | Ciclo Urbano
- 🖼️ Jennifer Cronin retrospective | Vanderpoel Art Museum | Beverly
- 🚶🏻♂️ Walking Tour: Lincoln Park and the Young Lords | DePaul Art Museum
Sunday, Sep. 28
- 🎶 Hyde Park Jazz Festival | Multiple locations
- 🌳 Final Humboldt Park Arboreal Society (DJs) | Noon to Sundown
- 🪦 Autumn Tours of the Tombstones | Bohemian National Cemetery | North Park
- 🚧 Meet Me on Milwaukee | Milwaukee Avenue from North and Damen to Ashland | Wicker Park
- 🎡 St. Helen Carnival | St. Helen Catholic School | West Town
- 🚶♂️ Walking Tour: Union Park and Beyond | Carter Harrison Statue
- 🛍️ Randolph Street Market | 1341 W. Randolph St. | Fulton Market
- ⚾️ Cubs vs. Cardinals | Wrigley Field
- 🍺 St. Al’s Oktoberfest | St. Alphonsus Church | Lakeview
- 🛍️ 312 Market’s Shop Collective | Olio | Lincoln Park
- 🛸 The Psychedelic Market | Pilot Project | Logan Square
- 🩰 Barre3 in the Park | Mary Bartelme Park
- 🥦 Another Vegan Market | Emporium | Logan Square
- 🛍️ Sunday Market | Jefferson Memorial Park | Jefferson Park
- 🚶🏻♂️ Walking Tour: Lincoln Park’s Lost History | Chicago History Museum
- 🤰🏻 Tending to the M{other} | Facility Theater | West Town
🫶 Welcome to our newest Neighbors: Julie C., Emily Louise S., Will C., Sarah M., Alexandra F., Jennie B., Alexandra G., and Donald O.!
Jennie shared why she joined the Neighborhood: “I appreciate the daily email and truly enjoy listening to the podcast on my way to work! I love hearing the Chicago food/drink/event recommendations and I learn so much from the podcast conversations. Thanks for keeping me informed and for boosting all Chicago neighborhoods.”
Thanks, Jenny! We appreciate the compliment. We hope you’ll appreciate the tote coming your way.
Want your own tote? And your own chance to support local journalism? Become a member today!
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