CHICAGO -- It's the first weekend of October, which means Chicagoans can usher in fall with the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Fall Fest, a beer stein-lifting contest, Norwood Park Fall-O-Ween Fest and a cemetery walking tour.
There's also the Chicago Reader UnGala, the South Side Science Festival, a history symposium at Gerber/Hart, a Bronzeville garden party with a Berries and Batter chef, a family movie screening of "Coco" at the Beverly Arts Center and more.
Here's a roundup of 20 things to do in Chicago this weekend:
This two-day rummage sale in Portage Park has gently used clothing for all ages and genders, including coats, jackets, dresses, shoes, boots and purses. There will also be glassware, kitchenware, artwork, figurines, music and film media, toys, games, hardware and more. Friday will have individually priced items and Saturday will have a stuff-a-bag sale for $8.
The 37th annual Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest is back on this weekend with fresh apples, fall-themed baked goods, family-friendly games and crafts, live music and local vendors.
Admission is free. There is a $5 suggested donation per attendee. Learn more here.
6-9 p.m. Thursday
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
The Chicago Reader is hosting its third annual UnGala, a fundraiser celebrating the newspaper's past, present and future. There will be entertainment from DJs like Grammy Award-nominated Terry Hunter, magic by Deshawn Mason and comedy by Kendra Jamaica. After the reception, West Town's Diego will host an after party through midnight.
General admission tickets are $100, and VIP tickets are $250. Raffle tickets are also available. Learn more and buy tickets here.
Ahead of the Blackhawks preseason game against the Minnesota Wild, the team is hosting an exclusive garage sale at the venue. Customers can shop a variety of discounted game-used and team-issued Blackhawks gear from previous years.
Attendees must have a valid game ticket; they should park in the stadium's Lot K and access the sale through the south atrium doors. Learn more here.
Chicagoans can celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi and have their pets blessed this weekend. There will be free treats for pets and their owners.
Beer lovers and strong-armed locals are called to the American Legion Post 973's inaugural Beer Stein-Lifting Contest. Attendees get a commemorative cup, a beer and a chance to compete for the grand prize. The winner gets a glass mug and one free beer refill.
Nonprofit food pantry Common Pantry is hosting its 13th annual I Am Your Neighbor Party. There will be live music, bites and beverages from neighborhood favorites.
For this full-day symposium, Gerber/Hart is hosting artists, researchers, students and community members who have used the library and archives this past year. Alongside open remarks and an exhibit unveiled by Antonio D. Santos from the Gage Park Latinx Council, there will be panel discussions on Chicago queer religious history, early AIDS activism, rural lesbian life, queer academic resistance and more.
This 35th annual Family Matters event steps off at 11 a.m. The walk is followed by a 12:30 p.m. block party, which features a barbecue picnic, carnival games, entertainment, music and more.
The walk-a-thon raises money for Family Matters' after-school programs, its specialty pre-K through 3rd grade school and community engagement initiatives. Learn more and register online.
At this Openlands Garden Party hosted by the Green Teacher Network, attendees can collect seeds and work alongside Batter and Berries Chef Ken to cook a farm-fresh meal.
The Norwood Park Historical Society's annual Fall-O-Ween features an autumnal farmers market with homemade jams and preserves, honey, fall cookies, mini pumpkin bread loaves, candied nuts and more. There will also be face painting, a raffle and silent auction items.
Fall Fest attendees can enjoy a pumpkin patch, pony rides, scarecrow-making, a petting zoo, balloon animals, food and more. The event is hosted by the Athletic Field Advisory Council.
The Edgewater Library is hosting its annual used book sale this weekend, featuring everything from cookbooks to murder mysteries to biographies.
Poet and artist Luis Tubens is leading a tour through Pilsen to explore the neighborhood's murals and public art across railroad viaducts, buildings and doors. Attendees will explore Pilsen and learn about its Mexican identity, heritage and activism expressed through its art.
Usher in the month of all things spooky with a graveyard walking tour led by Adam Selzer, author of "Mysterious Chicago" and "H. H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil." Hear stories about the people who built the cemetery and their ancestors and some of the incredible stories of people in unmarked graves, from underground railroad workers to people who escaped slavery, criminals and party animals to artists and flappers.
The South Side Science Festival features about 100 hands-on science demonstrations, from controlling a robot with AI to levitating a supercooled magnet on a track to holding a 200-million-year-old fossil. Attendees can also attend panels to hear from science experts, test their knowledge skills in trivia and explore physics through skateboarding and double-dutch.
The Chicago Tool Library's Repair Fair is a free community event where volunteers will help Chicagoans fix a variety of appliances, including bikes, clothes and small electronics.
To kick off the first weekend of October, the Beverly Arts Center is hosting a family-friendly screening of Pixar's "Coco," which follows the story of young boy and aspiring guitar player Miguel, who must journey into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors.
The Field Museum's beer fest is a one-night event at the museum featuring local and domestic breweries and fall seasonal beer samples.
General admission is $55 and early admission (7 p.m.) is $70. Learn more and buy tickets here.
Local dance center Kalapriya is honoring Navaratri, a celebration of nine goddesses over "Nine Nights," with dance, music and refreshments. Kalapriya Foundation Center for the Indian Performing Arts dancer Kavisha Prajapati will teach a garba dance workshop.