It might require a bit of legwork in the frigid temperatures, but the offerings on East 53rd Street for the First Weekend celebration are well worth even the most cruel of Chicago weather. On Friday and Saturday, from 6–11 PM, a number of stores and organizations will be offering exclusive discounts and special deals to University students. For starters, Harper Theater will be showing free midnight screenings of the classic comedy Caddyshack, along with a medium popcorn and soda for only $5. Not every offer is explicitly arts-related, but we here at the Arts section like to see the potential for artistic enjoyment everywhere. You can talk about arts over food, as The Sitdown is offering a 15 percent discount on all food. Kilwin’s famous dessert shop is offering special discounted prices on several items, including their renowned fudge. And of course, any artistic experience can be augmented by certain beverages frequently consumed by college students. Which is why Kimbark Beverage Shoppe will be serving free “Grownup” hot chocolate to any student over 21(must show photo ID). There’s way more than just these offers in store. For more information, go to the UChicago First Weekend Facebook page, and for a complete list of offers, go to firstweekend.splashthat.com.

Every quarter student actors, directors, and writers unite to create an original piece of theater from its inception until production in merely 24 hours. One does not have to be a University Theater aficionado to participate; the event is open, and even encourages everyone to join. The only requirement is enthusiasm and willingness to spend 24 hours continuously “art-ing.” Past outcomes included pieces about muffins that grow on trees and another about mermen. This weekend six groups will come together for a weekend of original work and sleep deprivation to create similarly unique performances. The plays, which will only be staged once, will be performed this Saturday, January 10 in the Francis X. Kinahan Theater of the Reynolds Club. Entrance is $4. Be there for a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience if you choose to not participate but are curious to see the results.

Saturday, January 10, Francis X. Kinahan Theater (Reynolds Club), $4.

While the University of Chicago might be best known for the Hogwarts-ian buildings lining the main quad, a feature which has been a part of the campus aesthetic since its inception, in recent years there has been an explosion of new buildings popping up around campus diverging from the traditional neo-gothic style. The evolving architectural style of the university, ranging from the Mansueto Library to the currently under-construction Campus North, is the focus of a talk being hosted by the Renaissance Society this coming Sunday. Associate Curator of the Renaissance Society Hamza Walker and Architect Steve Wiesenthal will be leading a discussion on the history and growth of the architectural aesthetic of the university as well as the various adaptations that facilities have gone through over the years to meet changing needs and tastes.

Wiesenthal helped develop the University’s Office of Sustainability, which has been working to update many of the University buildings as well as push for the construction of more green buildings in the future. The new design for Campus North plans to meet the LEED Gold standard for sustainability. The talk is a companion piece to the current Renaissance Society exhibition by Mathias Poledna, which challenges how art is displayed in specific venues.

Sunday, January 11, Swift Hall Third Floor, free.