Friday, May 7
Kick off the festival season at the Cinco de Mayo festival in Pilsen. The festival celebrates the Mexican army’s 1862 defeat of French troops at the Battle of Puebla (and not Mexican Independence Day, as the tequila ads claim) and will feature arts, crafts, and plenty of live music. (West 26th Street and South Kostner Avenue, 6 p.m., free)
Make it two festivals in one day at the World Fair Trade Festival in Daley Plaza. More than 25 vendors will be selling their fair trade and eco-friendly goods. While the festival starts at 9 a.m., Jerome McDonnell of WBEZ’s World View will emcee a program at noon featuring a drum ensemble performance and a talk by Nomvume Pearl Magaqa, the Consul General of the South African Consulate. (Daley Plaza, 9 a.m., free)
Saturday, May 8
Comedian and frequent Loveline co-host Joel McHale will be performing at the Chicago Theatre Saturday night. McHale, who is also the quirky host of E!’s The Soup, will be appearing with his Community co-star Donald Glover. (175 N. State St., 10 p.m., $39.50)
Sunday, May 9
It’s ScavHunt season again, as teams converge at Ida Noyes Hall for Judgment Day this Sunday. See what the 23rd anniversary of Scav Hunt entails, as teams vie for the trophy and cash prize. This year’s items include a game of human elephant polo, a unicornskin rug, and a tampon resembling Lady Gaga. (1212 E. 59th Street, 11 a.m., free)
Monday, May 10
2010 Kestnbaum Writer-in-Residence Jhumpa Lahiri will be at I-House to give a reading of her book and an interview. The Indian-American author, who has won Pulitzer prizes for her short-story collection Interpreter of Maladies and her debut novel–turned-Kal-Penn–movie The Namesake, is known for her exploration of the roles of love and identity among immigrants. (International House, 7 p.m., free)
Get a taste of Puerto Rico without engaging in that nasty statehood debate at the Puerto Rico World Food Tour. The “tour” consists of a class on Puerto Rican culture and a meal of fried plantains, jibaritos, and flan. (2420 West Fullerton Avenue, 7 p.m., $35)
Tuesday, May 11
If you missed Robert Glennon on the Daily Show last year, the nationally renowned water expert will be appearing as part of the Program on the Global Environment’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Glennon will be speaking on the oft-overlooked water crisis in America. (Franke Institute for the Humanities, Regenstein Library, Room S-102, 6 p.m., free)
Wednesday, May 12
Independent rapper Murs has created multiple identities for himself by claiming that his name is an acronym with multiple meanings, such as “Making the Universe Recognize and Submit” or “Making Underground Raw Shit”. However, through his major label debut “Murs for President,” the vegan rapper is perhaps best known for his desire to be a leader and spokesperson for rap by running on the platform of peace, love, and having fun. (2424 North Lincoln Avenue, 9 p.m., $15)
Thursday, May 13
Catch Norwegian synth-pop group A-Ha one last time before they disband forever at the end of the year. The band, perhaps best known for its single “Take on Me” and its subsequent remixed literal interpretation in a pencil-sketch animation video, is splitting after more than 25 years so members can focus on solo careers. (4746 North Racine Avenue, 7:30 p.m., $41)
Author and current National Director for Tsingtao Beer Jian Ping will be giving a lecture “From the Cultural Revolution to the Olympic Games: Changes in China.” Ping is also the author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, a novel about three generations of women during the Cultural Revolution. (5710 South Woodlawn Avenue, 6 p.m., free)
