Chicago

Chicago’s Millenium Park will once again be home to the Chicago Blues Festival. The annual event is billed as the largest free Blues festival in the world with top tier …
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We write, sing, stand up for, tweet and unite for Ukraine. Actually and to be politically correct, it is "We Write For", "We Sing For", "We Stand Up For", "We Tweet For" and "We Unite For Ukraine." These chants are our new normals. Our new mantras. From that first fateful day of the Russian invasion [...]

Pizza Slices of Diversity Socially Sparked® our lives in countless ways. Today, pizza comes in all shapes, sizes, styles and flavors, making it one of the most versatile food favorites of every age group – from toddler through senior. In honor of National Pizza Day, here’s a bit of trivia on the diversity of the [...]

Lollapalooza pivots virtually for 2020 music festival via YouTube exclusive broadcast with live music and awareness for social issues
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Illinois enters a marijuana state of mind this month as the state's new law legalizing recreational cannabis goes into effect January 1st, 2020. The nearly four dozen dispensaries around the state including 11 in Chicago are gearing up for an historic number of visitors and sales. The timing couldn't be better as January is now [...]

First cousins: 22-year-old cousin #2 and five-year-old cousin #1 are American Girl's Now & Forever. She's an American Girl Now is the story of two first cousins ages eight and 25 years old who proudly shared their American Girl Doll (AGD) experience with Socially Sparked News. in 2016. Today, they are still joined at the hip [...]

TV’s Parks and Recreation Show pops-up in Chicago today in the form of a north side bar’s transformation into a themed pop-up of the iconic sitcom. NBC’s hit show may be over, but the gang from Pawnee, Indiana is not. Fans will now be able to hang out with Leslie Knoepe and the gang at [...]

June sun shines awareness on Safety, LGBTQ Pride, the Environment, Summerfests and more worthwhile causes and fun events. It is the month to celebrate the official onset of Summer, Fathers, Hunger and festivals galore. Here are five top June Events to know. IN THE SUNLIGHT >NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH -- Every June, the National Safety Council [...]

Jazz Songstress Spider Saloff heats up New York City and environs this weekend with two sizzling hot cabaret shows. The Socially Sparked spotlight artist and award-winning sultry jazz and cabaret talent brings her trademark Spider's spin on the music of Irving Berlin and Peggy Lee to Long Island's Tilles Center on Saturday and New York [...]

IN MEMORIUM: Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017)

Iconic Playboy Bunny Man Hugh Hefner (1979)[/caption]Iconic Playboy Bunny Man Hugh Marston Hefner has died at 91. …
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Who Let The Dogs Out? Chicago has let the dogs out hailing its fallen cops with more than 100 fiberglass German Shepherd police dog statues. The 4 ½-foot-tall hand-painted dogs are standing guard on the famed Magnificent Mile (Michigan Avenue) and vicinity as part of the K-9s for Cops public art installation. Launched by the [...]

Chicago Blues Festival begins today with three free days of exceptional blues music, festival activities and summer fun. This year’s music event has a new venue — Millenium Park— which …
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June sun brightens awareness for Safety, LGBT Pride, SummerFests, the Environment and more worthwhile causes and events. It is the month to celebrate the official onset of Summer, Fathers, Hunger and festivals galore. Here are five top June Events to know. 5 Top June Summer Events to Know June is National Safety Month (NSM)

15 Music Festivals to Spark Your Summer Plans Sizzling hot summer music festivals are kicking into high gear. One week and counting before the holiday weekend - the official start to summertime fun. Whether you fancy indie-pop or rock; bluegrass and country; hip-hop or electric dance music, there is a festival for you. Here are [...]

Spotlight with Big Bill Morganfield Singer/songwriter Big Bill Morganfield is many things but foremost he’s a loving son and grandson who sings his Blues away to heal and remember his mom in his new song When You Lose Someone You Love Bloodstains On The Wall (Black Shuck Records). Big Bill Morganfield sings his blues away. [...]

April’s finale showers unity for International Jazz Day, a fitting ending to the month of Jazz Appreciation.

Today marks the sixth annual International Jazz Day which is celebrated in a …
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Spider Saloff. Photo: Bistro Awards This Spider's life is a Cabaret of spirit, moxie, sultriness and all that jazz. The theme for April's Jazz Appreciation Month is women in jazz, in honor of jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald’s centennial. Here, we feature modern jazz songstress, multiple award-winner and 2017 Bistro Award-winner Spider Saloff, who has been [...]

Chicago Bluesman Ronnie Brooks (son of Blues legend Lonnie Brooks) and Chicago harp man Billy Branch Sweet home for Chicago Blues? Beginning to look a lot like reality. After plans and funds raised to house a Blues Museum at Chicago's historic Navy Pier fell through, the concept of a Blues museum for the city that [...]

Chicago is getting total satisfaction with Exhibitionism, the next stop on the Rolling Stone’s U.S. Tour of its interactive exhibit. New Yorkers have through Sunday, March 12th to experience the …
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Big Head Blues Club: Way Down Inside, Songs of Willie Dixon. Left-right: Ronnie Baker Brooks, Billy Branch, Mud Morganfield and Big Head Todd. The original Hootchie Coochie Man of modern blues – Rock ‘n Roll hall of famer Mr. Willie Dixon lives on through his music, his foundation and through Big Head Blues Club: Way [...]