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New Ryan Field faces its neighborhood test

The new stadium is set to bring 35,000 people to Central Street in Evanston on Friday.

Sports

Northwestern football returns home Friday night, unveiling its $870 million Ryan Field nearly three years after the old stadium was demolished.The big picture: The Wildcats kick off against Penn State at 7pm Friday, exactly 100 years after the original Ryan Field opened.

Bite Club: The Reuben sundae

Kith Treats is serving three Katz's-inspired desserts, including a wild Reuben soft serve.

Food and Drink

New York&#x27;s legendary Katz&#x27;s Delicatessen has landed in Chicago, but don&#x27;t expect pastrami and corned beef.

New book highlights healing power of dance and more 

New book by Chicago's Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark illuminates many paths to healing.

Health

When Chicago physician <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Geeta Maker-Clark" data-vars-click-url="https://drgeetamakerclark.com/about/" data-vars-content-id="a2308e2a-253a-4d1f-a866-650dff87df41" data-vars-headline="New book highlights healing power of dance and more " data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://drgeetamakerclark.com/about/" target="_blank">Geeta Maker-Clark</a> launched her book &quot;Medicine For All People&quot; this summer, she knew there had to be dancing — and lots of it.

Chicago neighborhood quiz, volume 2: Do you know these famous landmarks?

There are so many landmarks in Chicago that it's ripe for a second quiz!

Neighborhoods

Last week, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="I quizzed you" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/09/25/chicago-neighborhood-quiz-landmarks-lakeview-beverly-pilsen-gold-coast" data-vars-content-id="9efdac03-893d-41ff-b5ca-53b20dff4fc1" data-vars-headline="Chicago neighborhood quiz, volume 2: Do you know these famous landmarks?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/09/25/chicago-neighborhood-quiz-landmarks-lakeview-beverly-pilsen-gold-coast" target="_self">I quizzed you</a> on Chicago neighborhood landmarks. <ul><li>I gave you the landmark; you gave me the &#x27;hood.</li></ul>

Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" set lands in Chicago

It will be on display at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in the West Loop.

Things to Do

Stephen Colbert&#x27;s late-night desk has a new home in Chicago.The latest: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Museum of Broadcast Communications" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/10/27/broadcast-communications-history-museum-johnny-carson-loop-bozo" data-vars-content-id="1b3d7ab0-4cb7-4e90-89f8-339f37d35a6f" data-vars-headline="Stephen Colbert&#x27;s &quot;Late Show&quot; set lands in Chicago" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/10/27/broadcast-communications-history-museum-johnny-carson-loop-bozo" target="_self">Museum of Broadcast Communications</a> debuts its new &quot;Late Show with Stephen Colbert&quot; exhibition Friday, featuring the original set and artifacts from the recently ended CBS show.<ul><li>The museum is also getting the giant &quot;Late Show&quot; marquee that hung outside New York&#x27;s Ed Sullivan Theater.</li></ul>

Chicago neighborhood quiz: Can you identify these famous landmarks?

Can you nab a perfect score on Chicago neighborhoods?

History

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods and today we are going to challenge your knowledge of them.

What Chicago's State and Monroe looked like in 1920s

It's not just a mystery of where, but when this archival photo was taken.

Our <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="History Mystery" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/07/29/1940-photo-van-buren-dearborn-chicago-streetcar-l-train-maple-leaf" data-vars-content-id="6c702494-6754-4c23-8c24-f994de22b339" data-vars-headline="What Chicago&#x27;s State and Monroe looked like in 1920s" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/07/29/1940-photo-van-buren-dearborn-chicago-streetcar-l-train-maple-leaf" target="_self">History Mystery</a> sleuths didn&#x27;t just figure out where this week&#x27;s photo was taken; they may have corrected the history books.The (big) picture: We&#x27;re looking west on Monroe Street from State Street in the heart of the Loop.

Chicago's underground film fest keeps pushing boundaries

Nearly 3,000 submissions poured in from 100 countries for the five-day experimental film fest.

Now in its 33rd year, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chicago Underground Film Festival " data-vars-click-url="https://cuff.org/" data-vars-content-id="a6bb0435-d1cb-4100-8d15-0a35e34600fe" data-vars-headline="Chicago&#x27;s underground film fest keeps pushing boundaries" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cuff.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Underground Film Festival </a>(CUFF) has emerged as the premier festival, receiving nearly 3,000 submissions from 100 countries.Why it matters: Chicagoans receive five days of experimental work that rarely reaches the big screen.

How well do you know Chicago punk rock? Take our quiz

Music

Riot Fest takes over Douglass Park this weekend with headliners Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Alanis Morissette, Morrissey, Iggy Pop and Rise Against.Between the lines: The festival has carved out a different lane from Lollapalooza, staying rooted in punk and alternative rock rather than chasing the latest pop stars.

Judy Markey, half of WGN Radio's Kathy & Judy, dies at 82

The Chicago broadcaster dominated the airwaves for two decades.

News

Judy Markey, one half of Chicago&#x27;s legendary radio duo Kathy &amp; Judy, has died. She was 82.The big picture: Markey and Kathy O&#x27;Malley dominated the midday airwaves at WGN Radio from 1989 to 2009 and continued with a weekend show through 2017.<ul><li>Markey had been a Sun-Times columnist and novelist before teaming up with O&#x27;Malley, a Tribune columnist.</li></ul>

Quiz: How well do you know Chicago Bears jersey numbers?

Can you connect current and former players to the jersey number they wore?

This is a quiz for the Bears super fans. State of play: No, not the &quot;SNL&quot; kind, but the real fans who remember the jersey numbers of some of the great and less-than-great Bears throughout history.

Chicago action movie quiz: Test your knowledge of films shot here

Can you score a perfect 10 on action movies?

Culture

I was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sad to read" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15844gwe0wo" data-vars-content-id="282e57d9-5f38-454d-ae9d-a49a7ba9be59" data-vars-headline="Chicago action movie quiz: Test your knowledge of films shot here" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15844gwe0wo" target="_blank">sad to read</a> that one of my favorite childhood voice actors, Peter Cullen, died yesterday. He was an accomplished actor who voiced Optimus Prime in both the &quot;Transformers&quot; cartoons and live-action movies.

Remembering Dolly Parton's star turn at Chicago's Rainbo Club

The iconic actress and singer was in town shooting "Straight Talk" in 1991.

Dolly Parton performed in Chicago several times, but one of her most memorable local star turns came on a tiny stage in a Wicker Park dive bar.The latest: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="musician and actress died" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/08/25/dolly-parton-has-died-at-80-obit" data-vars-content-id="ae944fb6-85fa-47f6-88ae-aa94848ae4fc" data-vars-headline="Remembering Dolly Parton&#x27;s star turn at Chicago&#x27;s Rainbo Club" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/08/25/dolly-parton-has-died-at-80-obit" target="_self">musician and actress died</a> Tuesday at age 80.