Show your humanity by attending the Chicago Humanities Festival October 28-November 8, and stay at the nearby and affordable Best Western Plus Chicago Hotel at Hillside!
This year’s theme of the Chicago Humanities Festival is “Citizen.” One hundred guest speakers, films, music events and book readings will take place. This writer remembers the world premiere of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” as part of the festival, and an evening with the great actor Peter O’Toole.
The list of guests is amazing. Seats are limited, and some sellouts have already been posted. (You missed Elvis Costello.) This is not a festival where you walk in and hope to get a ticket. Here are some highlights of this year’s Chicago Humanities Festival.
“Capturing the Hive.” National Geographic photographer Anand Varma and writer Robbie Q. Telfer show photographs of bees and discuss the horrifying decline of bee populations in the US. “The Wind in the Reeds: A Storm, a Play, and a City that Would Not Be Broken.” This is the newest project of the great actor Wendell Pierce (“The Wire”, “Treme”). Pierce lives in New Orleans, and this is his tribute to the city post Hurricane Katrina.
“Citizen Artist: Salman Rushdie.” The great novelist and essayist will discuss his work. “Patton Oswalt.” The actor (“Ratatouile,” “Parks and Recreation”) comedian and film lover discusses his new book, “Silver Screen Fiend.” “An Evening with Sarah Vowell.” This former Daily Show “reporter” talks about her hilarious series of history books. And the list goes on and on.
For tickets and the full schedule of events, (312) call 494-9509 or go online to www.chicagohumanities.org.
Best Western Plus Chicago Hotel at Hillside, just a short drive to the venues of the Chicago Humanities Festival, provides free shuttle service to and from O’Hare Airport in Chicago. The hotel offers affordable, comfortable rooms, a breakfast bar and restaurant and much more. The hotel is pet friendly and offers AAA rates.