Saw: This lovely lawn mosaic twinkling in the sunshine

Heard: Mournful guitar music from someone’s bike speaker echoing eerily through the tunnel underneath Lakeshore Drive

Smelled: Bug spray and more bug spray (I like the oil of lemon eucalyptus kind)

Tasted: Perfectly fried veggie samosas from Raj Darbar 😍

Touched: Fellow dancers at the Thursday night lakefront dance! See spotlight below

❝

Event spotlight: Lakefront Social Dance Party with Rosalind Phelps

There are few things your faithful Observer loves more than dancing outside in the summertime, and last Thursday I got to do just that on the lakefront steps just south of the Hollywood beach pier. After a fun and welcoming introductory lesson, the instructor and event host Rosalind Phelps put on a great mix of music from varying eras and genres (we all yelled “Emo hour!” when Panic! At The Disco came on toward the end of the night) and we danced the sun down.

Rosalind says she grew up dancing in a neighborhood where community dance parties were common and it was normal to gather for local music and partner dancing. Moving to Chicago from the west coast, she found that often the folks she asked to dance were too scared or shy to get out on the dance floor. Now she’s on a mission to repopularize basic social dancing skills. Rosalind says, “I want everyone to feel comfortable and confident joining in and dancing together no matter the style of music.” She created the Lakefront Social Dance Party to be a place where anyone can pop in and dance with new friends, regardless of ability or age, in a relaxed, approachable, neighborly way.

As summer winds down, the Lakefront Social Dance Party will only run for three more Thursdays, through the end of September. But Rosalind isn’t done gathering dancers: the party will move indoors to her new studio space, First Step Social (4809 N Ravenswood #118), where she’ll also lead group classes, private lessons, and other events. She also hosts themed costume dance parties “for extra whimsy!” The next one is a Pirates & Mermaids picnic at Promontory Point.

Come join the Observer this Thursday at the lakefront for chill and friendly dancing, great music, and beautiful end-of-summer vibes!

Follow Rosalind Phelps on instagram or through her website for more dance fun down the road.

Happening Around Town

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Monday, September 7

  • Trans Up Front IL, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM: A community table at Loaves & Witches, 6034 N Broadway.

  • 2026 USA Women's Basketball National Team, 1:45 PM: On the screens at Whiskey Girl Tavern, no cover. 6318 N Clark St.

  • Edgewater Monday Market, 3:00–7:00 PM: Produce and makers in the Broadway Armory lot, 5917 N Broadway.

  • Pokémon League, 6:00 PM: Weekly league play at Dice Dojo, 5550 N Broadway.

  • Trivia!, 8:00 PM: "Start your month off right with some TRIVIA!!" With Stewpendous Productions at Beard & Belly, 6157 N Broadway.

Tuesday, September 8

  • Pharaoh and Tarot, 10:30 AM: Readings at Loaves & Witches, 6034 N Broadway.

  • A Dolly Double Feature, 1:00 PM: A two-film afternoon at the Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N Broadway.

  • Flashback Dance Party, 6:30-9:00 PM: Come and have some fun at our dance party at Atmosphere Bar. There will be music videos, a DJ will “spin platters” of your favorite music from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, and of course there’s a chance to socialize and make new friends. Atmosphere Bar, 5355 N Clark

  • Free Pub Trivia, 7:30 PM: "Whaddayaknow?" trivia every Tuesday at Burke's Public House — free to play, prizes for the winning teams. 5401 N Broadway.

  • Outlaw Tuesdays, 9:00 PM–12:00 AM: Live music every Tuesday at Randall's Pub, 6341 N Clark St.

Wednesday, September 9

  • Storypalooza, 10:30–11:30 AM: Stories for little ones at the Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N Broadway.

  • Meditation for Stress Reduction and Better Sleep, 1:00–2:00 PM: Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N Broadway.

  • Fiber Crafts Night, 6:00-8:00 PM: Come meet other fiber crafters and work on your projects while you enjoy the cozy cabin atmosphere of Rivers & Roads after hours. All fiber crafts welcome! Rivers & Roads Cafe, 1259 W Devon.

  • HamBINGO Wednesdays, 7:00 PM: Drag queen bingo at Hamburger Mary's, supporting local charities and organizations. Reservations from 6. 1055 W Bryn Mawr Ave.

  • Wine & Whiskey Wednesday, 8:00 PM: Live music every Wednesday at Randall's Pub, 6341 N Clark St.

  • Bob Ross Paint Night, 8:00 PM: Join us for a creative evening where you can channel your artistic side while enjoying a fun, social atmosphere. Gracie O'Malley's, 6334 N Clark St.

Thursday, September 10

  • Edgewater Community Music Jam, 4:00–5:00 PM: Bring an instrument. Edgewater Branch Library, 6000 N Broadway.

  • Beat 2022 & 2023 meeting, 7:00 PM: "Want to get involved with public safety in your neighborhood?" 5225 N Kenmore Ave.

  • Lakefront Social Dance Party, 7:00–9:00 PM: Learn to dance with a partner the chill way, outdoors — every Thursday through the end of September, weather permitting. The concrete steps south of the Hollywood Beach pier, 5700 N Lake Shore Dr. (See spotlight above for more info!)

  • Fat Juliet at Berger Park, 7:30–9:30 PM: "An 80-minute solo aerial play that reimagines Shakespeare's heroine as a modern young woman searching for love and belonging in a world that wasn't built for her." Berger Park Cultural Center, 6205 N Sheridan Rd.

  • Witch — first preview, 8:00 PM: Idle Muse Theatre's production of Jen Silverman's play, directed by Libby Beyreis. The Edge Off-Broadway, 1133 W Catalpa Ave.

Friday, September 11

Saturday, September 12

Sunday, September 13

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