Spectacular Texas Sized Issue Families should visit the Bonsai Show or Lego Imagination Celebration. The Avengers opens and the Chicago Underground Film Festival closes. Their are two Elvis events (Elvi?), a Roscoe fair and farmers markets. Culture Club, Human League, Howard Jones and Level 242 are playing! There is a NEW SOUTHPARK EPISODE and Prince night at Berlin. But mainly - meet me at the BrockOut on Thursday! Ongoing: Fireworks, every Wednesday and Saturday night, can you believe it! "Pier Walk", more than 100 REALLY impressive huge modern sculptures. Navy Pier, 312/595-PIER, 600 E Grand http://www.navypier.com "Quidam", Cirque du Soleil, world class art circus, -1998.09.23. United Center, 800/678-5440 for tickets, 1901 W Madison http://www.cirquedusoleil.com "Seahorse Symphony", the amazing seahorse and kin. Shedd Aquarium, 312/939-2438, 1200 S Lake Shore http://SheddAquarium.org "Living Colors: A Butterfly Garden" live in simulated native habitats - final weeks. Field Museum, 312/922-9410, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore http://www.fmnh.org "Chicago Summerdance" dance lessons and dancing, live music, many styles, Th-Su. Lessons 6p-7p, dancing 7-9:30p, except ballroom Sunday lessons 2p-3p dance -5p. Grant Park, 312/744-6630, -1998.09.20. Thursdays have funkiest bands. http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/Summerdance "Bristol Renaissance Faire", near Kenosha WI, I94 N to Russel Rd W to Frontage to 128. I went. Really nice, big, positive, fun. Spend a full day -1998.08.23. http://www.recfair.aa.psiweb.com/bristol.htm "Action Movie: The Play", well reviewed comedy, -1998.08.23, Th-Sa 8p, Su 7p. American Theatre Company, 773/929-1031, 3855 N Lincoln, tickets 312/409-0585. "Pink Floyd The Wall" at the IMax all week. Giant screen, 11kilowatt sound. Navy Pier, 312/644-IMAX, 11p Fr+Sa, 10p Su-Th. "Buffalo '66", sounds Raising Arizona like, starring Vincent Gallo. w/ Christina Ricci, Angelica Huston, Ben Gazzara, Mickey Rourke, Roseanna Arquette. Music Box Theatre, 773/871-6604, 3733 N Southport http://www.musicboxtheatre.com Friday 1998.08.14: "Bonsai Show & Sale" representing all major bonsai styles. Chicago Botanic Gardens, 847/835-5440, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe Big Bugs sculpture exhibit also still going on. http://www.chicago-botanic.org "Lego Imagination Celebration" traveling show van, noon-5p, -1998.08.16 Navy Pier, 312/595-PIER, 600 E Grand http://www.lego.com "The Avengers" starring Uma Thurman and some guys. Opens everywhere. "Annual All Elvis Competition Finals" audience judged. Impersonators sing with a tribute orchestra. Hi-Tops, 773/348-0009, 3551 N Sheffield, -1998.08.16. Chicago Underground Film Festival, -1998.08.16. The Theatre Building, 773/866-8660, 1225 W Belmont "The Decline of Western Civilization, part III" plays tonight at 9:30p. http://www.cuff.org William Darke's freakshow and some good DJs not at their usual clubs. Crobar, 312/413-7000, 1543 N Kingsbury. "Strictly Jungle" radio show. 89.3 WNUR, 11p, 847/604-1983 Brew&View, 312/618-VIEW, 3145 N Sheffield. 8p: "Grease" (John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, many many more) 10p: "Out Of Sight" (George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, ...) mdnt (Fr,Sa,Th): "From Dusk Til Dawn" (George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, ...) Great drink deals, smoking, heckling. http://www.brewview.com Saturday 1998.08.15: India's Independence day. Observed at Dearborn and Wacker at noon. Farmers Markets Winthrop and Thorndale Armitage and Halsted Division and State Clark and Maple, Evanston, 7:30a-1:30p http://chicago.digitalcity.com/entertainment/farmers/farmers.htm Lego (Navy Pier) and Bonsai (Chicago Botanic Gardens) continue. See Friday. "Elvis Presley Memorial 5k Run" tounge in cheek, 6p, Party after w/ impersonator. Lincoln Park, Stockton & Lasalle (near Ben Franklin), 312/587-3338. "Venus To Mars" clothing boutique grand opening. 773/868-6277, 2941 N Broadway. Reportedly funky clubware and goth. "Retro on Roscoe", noon-10p, bands 50s-80s, antique cars and motorcycles, vendors. Damen to Hamilton on Rosco, 773/918-1670. "Annual All Elvis Competition Finals" audience judged impersonators and tribute orchestra. Hi-Tops, 773/348-0009, 3551 N Sheffield, -1998.08.16. Chicago Underground Film Festival, -1998.08.16. The Theatre Building, 773/866-8660, 1225 W Belmont http://www.cuff.org Culture Club, Human League, Howard Jones. Oh my god! Rosemont Horizon, 847/635-6601, 6920 Mannheim Rd, Rosemont Rave: Euro Prod presents "DejaVu", various DJs, tattoos. Orbit (which is a Polish restaurant?), 2936 N Milwaukee, 312/409-6191. Rave: Source presents "Underground Carnival. 773/509-8145, self declared as biggest event of the summer. "Throb", dueling DJs, techno, quality unknown. MadBar, 773/BAR-BAR7, 1640 N Damen http://www.madbar.com Sunday 1998.08.16: Lego (Navy Pier) and Bonsai (Chicago Botanic Gardens) continue. See Friday. "Retro on Roscoe", noon-10p, bands 50s-80s, antique cars and motorcycles, vendors. Damen to Hamilton on Rosco, 773/918-1670. "Annual All Elvis Competition Finals" audience judged impersonators and tribute orchestra. Hi-Tops, 773/348-0009, 3551 N Sheffield, -1998.08.16. Chicago Underground Film Festival, -1998.08.16. The Theatre Building, 773/866-8660, 1225 W Belmont http://www.cuff.org "Liquid Soul", great band with a rapper and horn section, 9p-mdnt. Double Door, 312/489-3160, 1572 N Milwaukee. "New Power Party", The Artist Formerly Known as Prince night, DJ Samnation. Berlin, 773/348-4975, 954 W Belmont, (at the Belmont train stop). Showing a movie at 8p, Dancing from 10p http://www.emale.com/chi-nation Monday 1998.08.17: Dome room reportedly closing! To reopen redesigned in fall. 312/266-2114, 632.5 N Dearborn http://www.domeroom.com "Chrome", Jungle DJs, rapping, break dancing, best at 10p. MadBar, 773/BAR-BAR7, 1640 N Damen http://www.madbar.com Tuesday 1998.08.18: Farmers Market. Dearborn and Adams, 7a-3p Lincoln, Leland and Western http://chicago.digitalcity.com/entertainment/farmers/farmers.htm St. Louis Cardinals play the Cubs, 7:30p. Wrigley Field, 1060 W Addision http://www.cubs.com "Testosterone Tuesday", hard dance music, male strippers. Berlin, 773/348-4975, 954 W Belmont. "Nocturna", Goth w/ DJ Scary Lady Sarah. Smart Bar, 773/549-4140, 3730 N Clark. Wednesday 1998.08.19: Nat'l aviation day. Anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday in 1871. St. Louis Cardinals play the Cubs, 1:20p. Wrigley Field, 1060 W Addision http://www.cubs.com "South Park" NEW EPISODE! Mr. Hanky returns? Comedy Central on cable TV, 9p. Front 242 and Project Pitchform. Metro, 773/549-0203, 3730 N Clark. http://www.metrochicago.com Adult skating and drinking. Rainbo Roller Rink, 773/271-6200, 4836 N Clark, 9p-midnt. "Lunacy", cheap drinks, ladies free, industrial, SM/tattoos, sometimes lame. Crobar, 312/413-7000, 1543 N Kingsbury. "Freakshow", William Darke's incredible "Psycho Circus", includes flaming chainsaw jungling. Dusk, 773/292-1577, 1000 N Wood. "Women Obsession", ladies mainly. Berlin, 773/348-4975, 954 W Belmont. "Boys Night" (now that's funny!) Girlbar, 773/871-4210, 2625 N Halsted Thursday 1998.08.20: Farmers Market Daley Plaza, North of Washington between Dearborn and Clark, 7a-3p http://chicago.digitalcity.com/entertainment/farmers/farmers.htm Front 242 and Project Pitchform Metro, 773/549-0203, 3730 N Clark http://www.metrochicago.com "BrockOut", MY FAVORITE! Great drum&bass DJs, moshy from 11p. Liar's Club, 773/665-1110, 1665 W Fullerton, like a conveniently located rave.