The SportsWise Team is getting hyped for the NFL season.
Cover Story: street photography
Chicago photographer Randy Martens shares a selection of photographs from his new book "I Was Just Looking: Chicago Street Photography from Five Decades."
From the Streets
The Chicago Foundation for Women celebrates its 40th anniversary with track and field superstar Allyson Felix.
The Playground
ON THE COVER: One day as I walked on Michigan Avenue, a man in front of me decided that a traffic cone would be the perfect hat and he put it on and proudly paraded down the street. I admired his newfound sense of fashion and followed behind him for a block or two taking pictures. THIS PAGE: At the Borders on Michigan Avenue in the coffee shop, I saw this fish doing homework. How could you not take a picture of a fish doing homework? (Randy Martens photos) DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
History in Our Neighborhoods!
Logan Square Preservation’s 35th Biennial House Walk Logan Square Preservation presents the 35th Biennial House Walk on Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. This beloved community event offers a rare opportunity to step inside some of Logan Square’s most stunning historic homes and explore beautifully maintained gardens, with a special focus this year on the Palmer Square area. Participants will enjoy guided interior access to 7 architecturally significant residences on Palmer Square as well as the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church (pictured), designed in 1910 by Lowe and Bollenbacher, a firm active in Chicago a century ago. Each location showcases the rich history and unique character of the neighborhood. There will also be a vintage car show lining the north side of Palmer Square, bringing together 2 collector groups from the area to display over 50 vintage and collectible cars. Early Bird General Admission Tickets are $50/person at www.logansquarepreservation.org
A Classic Re-invisioned!
The Joffrey Ballet presents the U.S. premiere of Liam Scarlett’s “Carmen,” a tale of love, betrayal, and defiance set within the gritty confines of a cigarette factory in 1930s Spain. Amid the chaos of a nation on the brink of civil war, the uncompromising and seductive Carmen, who insists on loving whom she chooses, meets Don José, whose consuming devotion ignites a blaze of passion and peril. From the choreographer of the critically acclaimed “Frankenstein,” Scarlett infuses new depth into the timeless story of a woman who dares to live on her own terms. “Carmen” takes place over two weekends, in 10 performances only, at the historic Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker Drive, from September 18 - 28. Tickets start at $46 at joffrey.org
Celebrate Pride!
'Say Gay Plays'
Silk Road Cultural Center, About Face Theatre, and Northeastern Illinois University have partnered to produce the inaugural Chicago staged reading of the “Say Gay Plays” project. “Say Gay Plays” is an initiative of New York City's Voyage Theater Company aimed at countering harmful anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric. The project involves the commissioning of short 10-minute plays by Queer playwrights, and producing royalty-free readings of the plays. The Chicago staged reading will feature new works by local playwrights and plays from the original collection, celebrating the intersections of Queer joy, resilience, and activism. This FREE event is a part of the Goodman Theatre's 100 Free Acts of Theatre initiative. Seating is limited, reservations are strongly encouraged at aboutfacetheatre.com. Saturday, September 20, 2 p.m., at NEIU’s Carruthers Center, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.
Reality TV On Stage!
'Hot People Island'
“Hot People Island” is a world premiere original comedy by Deana Velandra. In this play, a popular television network will take eight lucky certified Hot People, put them on an island, and make them do stuff. Through a series of unexpected twists, the Hot People are left to figure out the difference between truth and reality. Based on reality television staples like "Love Island," "Survivor," and "Traitors," this absurd comedy is sure to keep Hot audiences guessing til the very end. Playing September 25-27, 7:30 p.m., at the Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $10-$20 at cornervatory.org/hot-people-island. BYOB.
'Carmen'
Delicious for a Cause!
Taste of Evanston
The Taste of Evanston is North Shore’s premier foodie celebration! This year’s 11th anniversary event will feature 40 of Evanston’s most cherished restaurants, breweries and wine shops at the historic Charles Gates Dawes House, 225 Greenwood St., Evanston, on Sunday, September 21 from 3-6 p.m. The event supports the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club as well as Reba Place Development Corporation and Connections for the homeless, which are two organizations that focus on providing and advocating for affordable housing. Tickets are $125/adult, $65/student, and $25/child at tasteofevanston.org
Galleries Galore!
Chicago Exhibition Weekend
The third annual Chicago Exhibition Weekend features 50 participating galleries and creative spaces across the city from September 19–21, spotlighting Chicago’s vibrant cultural landscape and artistic spirit for locals and visitors alike. Building off the success of last year’s edition, which attracted 5,000 attendees over three days, CXW25 will expand its footprint with 50 participating galleries, demonstrating the vitality and diversity of the city’s growing commercial art scene. It is like an Open House weekend for galleries. FREE, see a full schedule and list of participating galleries at chicagoexhibitionweekend.com
Free Performances!
Chicago LIVE!
Experience over 100 artists, companies and local organizations performing nonstop across 5 stages + making waves by boat, during a free 2-day celebration, September 20 & 21, that transforms Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., into a vibrant showcase of the arts. Marking its 5th anniversary, the festival features star-studded performances and 5 world premieres, offering an unforgettable weekend of music, dance, theater, and more. For the full schedule, visit navypier.org/chicago-live
A Festival of Dance!
Full Circle Festival
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble has reimagined its Full Circle Festival, featuring physical, fringe, and dance theater works between 30 and 60 minutes in length. Tickets are $10-$20 per show at Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble Auditorium, 1650 W. Foster Ave., September 19 - 28. For a full listing of shows and tickets, visit danztheatre.org/full-circlr-festival-2025.html
Queer Films for All!
Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
Marking its 43rd year, Reeling is the second longest-running fest of its kind. It prides itself on showing a diversity of genres to illustrate LGBTQ+ contributions to culture, sensitizing the public to issues and counteracting stereotypes with valid portrayals. Showings are at Landmark’s Century Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St. & Chicago Filmmakers, 1326 W. Hollywood Ave., September 19-28. $15 per film, with bundled passes available, including a full festival pass for $150. For a full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit reelingfilmfest.org.
Cubs + Beer = New Fest!
Oktoberfest with
the Cubs
The Chicago Cubs invite fans, neighbors and visitors to experience the first-ever Oktoberfest with the Cubs from September 19–21 in the Toyota Camry Lot, 1126 W. Grace St. The three-day, all-ages event will feature traditional Bavarian festival elements, including a ceremonial keg tap, carnival rides, beer tents, authentic food, live music, kid-friendly “Kinderfest” activities and more. Tickets start at $15 for one-day access, with VIP options available at www.cubs.com/oktoberfest. Children 10 and under are free.
Predicting the nfl season
John: What do you think will happen in NFL 2025?
William: The Bears are probably going to suck again. I don’t think they’re going to make the postseason. I hope they do better than 5-12.
John: They can do better than 5-12. They do have a new coach in Ben Johnson. He stresses fundamentals.
William: That’s why they might stand a chance, but again, it is a coach getting used to a new team. The door can swing either way. They might make the .500 Club or they might not go past four or five wins.
John: You don’t think they can make the playoffs with the roster they have?
William: They might. I have thought they have a good roster and, ‘They’re going to go places this year,’ then they blow it.
John: No doubt about that. That 15-18 game against the Washington Commanders last year.
Russell: If I can’t predict the season because of injuries and all, I will just say who I like. In
the AFC, Kansas City. In the NFC, who knows?
Allen: We have to look at the quarterbacks. A lot of teams went to the playoffs last year and the year before, like the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills, and I am looking for them to take it all.
We have some new QBs: Shedeur Sanders for the Cleveland Browns; Jordan Love made the playoffs in his first year, so I am looking for him to come back, even though I don’t like Green Bay.
John: Sanders from Cleveland does look good, but he’s still No. 4 on their depth chart. He can scramble, it looks like he has a very strong arm, he can read defenses. You’ve got 90-year-old Joe Flacco, but Sanders has to be No. 2. He’s better than Kenny Pickett, better than Dillon Gabriel. In the NFC, Detroit is going to take a step back. They will miss the play-calling of Ben
Johnson. The Bears are going to be better in that they got a guy who is take-no-prisoners in Ben Johnson, unlike Matt Eberflus.
The AFC is up for grabs; Kansas City perhaps, maybe Buffalo, Baltimore, even Pittsburgh.
William: I don’t expect much from the Browns. You think Chicago’s got bad sports teams, but Cleveland corners the market.
Russell: I agree with John, the AFC is stacked up: Kansas City, Ravens, Cincinnati and Buffalo. Hoping the Bears play good this year. Last year, they weren’t too bad, lost a lot of close games: turnover, missed field goal, Hail Mary, a fumble. They found a way to lose. But I am a true blue Bears fan.
Allen: Ken Williams will be a better quarterback this year. He was just introduced last year and is learning new
things, so I am looking for the Bears to do great things, not, like Russell said, finding a way to lose. I am looking at the Baltimore Ravens with Lamar Jackson. He’s thirsty for a championship. And the Buffalo Bills have been in the playoffs for years with Josh Allen, so I am looking for those teams to be outstanding. I am not counting out the Philadelphia Eagles. Not so much Kansas City. And I do wish Chicago well.
John: After that Hail Mary game last year against the Washington Commanders, the Bears went on a twomonth tailspin. I think they will be more competitive this year. Some of those losses will turn to wins. They’re not as far away as some might think.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors left-right, top to bottom John Hagan, Russell Adams, William Plowman and A. Allen chat about the world of sports.
The allure of street photography is hard to explain. For me it is primal cave painting now practiced electronically. A chance to shout “Look at this. This is my life. This is what I see. This is the world I live in.” It is an egotistical opportunity to affirm, record and display your unique humanity. It is not as easy as many believe it to be and very few are interested in practicing the craft with the effort and dedication it demands, but the satisfaction derived from creating memorable street images yields rewards that are substantial for storytellers.
While many in the field chose to focus on a specific theme like poverty or homelessness, I work with no agenda. Anything life presents is fair game. My only goal is to create images that I see as worthy of being seen and being shared. Viewers can draw their own conclusions. I often use satire, irony and humor
to achieve my goals but I try not to focus on any specific condition or methodology. My search is for situations that look interesting or noteworthy.
Chicago has changed. Honestly, it is no longer the bustling city it once was. It is not as colorful as it once was and visually there is something of a sterility in its current facade. Still, below the surface, there is an energy and a vibe unique among cities, with thousands of stories to be told. That will always be true and telling them will always matter. As I have done for decades, I consider it my duty to find those stories and to tell them.
My latest book, an anthology of my work, titled "I Was Just Looking: Chicago street photography from five decades," is currently only available in ebook form and can be purchased through Amazon, Kobo and Barnes and Noble.
ABOVE: I was attracted to this scene because of the big red "CHILI" on the bench and the man sitting there who looked like he might be rather chilly on this cool autumn day. It didn't hurt that the colors were great either. But even with that, what turned out to make the picture was the passing woman whose coat was blowing in the wind. Without that, the picture would be much less effective.
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY BY RANDY MARTENS
ABOVE: Street photography is supposed to revolve around those split-second, gone in an instant moments that just happen to get captured on film. In reality that doesn't happen very often. On this day however this composition came together all at once and I had the good fortune to be at the right place at the right time and to react fast enough to get a true street photo that I just love.
LEFT: Diane Arbus, a famous photographer from the 1960's, has a very memorable photo of twins and I had often tried to take one of my own. During Lollapalooza in 2021 I saw this pair and thought I had a chance. They were with their parents so I was a little hesitant to ask if I could get a portrait but the opportunity was too good to pass up so I asked if they would agree to a picture. They checked with mom and dad who gave the OK and I got this shot. Maybe not the best ever but I was very pleased with the result.
ABOVE: In my bio I state that I don't have an agenda when I photograph. I do, though, look for ironic situations that I can satirize if possible. So when I saw this rapidly happening composition of a relatively healthy looking man asking for a miracle and a woman in a wheel chair, who really did need a miracle, I couldn't resist and this little piece of satire was born.
LEFT: This man was a regular in the Loop for years. He fished through trash cans and kept to himself. I never saw him talk to another human being. I always wanted a portrait to go with the unposed pictures I took and I always offered him money. I went as high as $50 but he always said I don't do photos. When one day I saw him sitting at this bus stop next to the “Life Is Magical” sign it was without question a photograph I had to take. One of my best photos ever with a message that I thought had to be seen. I haven't seen him in two years.
LEFT TOP: In the 1990s Division Street was the place to be on Halloween and people took their costumes seriously. Many were home made and not mass produced. Impressed by the outfits this couple had chosen, I asked to take a photo. This was the somewhat surprising and unexpected result.
LEFT CENTER: Sometimes photos are interesting visually without having any specific idea expressed. I took this quick snapshot because it just looked unique and the Rolling Stone lips added to that uniqueness. I had no idea what exactly was going on. In this case interpretations are left to the viewer.
LEFT BOTTOM: This photo opportunity happened quickly and I didn't have time to consider what was going on, so it was more or less point and shoot. What exactly is being demonstrated I didn't know but it certainly looked interesting. My guess would be it was a commentary on slavery but that's just an opinion. The viewer is free to decide what was going on.
RIGHT TOP: Mothers who dress their daughters in their own style are always interesting but seldom do you get a chance for a candid shot. I don't remember exactly how I saw this and got the photo but I thought the look of this stylish little girl walking with her stylish mom was just great.
RIGHT BOTTOM: There are a lot of religious messages to be found on the streets of Chicago. Sometimes they even work their way into a good composition. On this day the little girl's elevated status and her intense gaze seemed to work well with the message on the sign a man was holding.
LEFT TOP: When a light drizzle started to fall in Daley Plaza this was one family's method for staying dry. This didn't look like the safest way to accomplish that but it made for a rather humorous photo.
LEFT BOTTOM: This was a photo I couldn't resist taking. The man's T-shirt says one thing while his stature and apparent diet suggest that perhaps he should be a bit concerned.
RIGHT TOP: I walked past this wall for weeks and was always attracted to the colors. Then one day as I passed this man was sitting there. Immediately I thought about his asking for money and the correlation of that to the words on the wall, America 1930s, which was the time of the Great Depression. Perhaps some things hadn't changed so much in all these years.
RIGHT CENTER: This is another example of a shot that came together suddenly. I was taking pictures of the Broadway sign and not planning any special moment when this man passed by with his daughter on his shoulders. Almost an ideal commentary on the life of a child.
RIGHT BOTTOM: These 2 were at the end of a protest march on the Fourth of July. The message was clear. Their being away from the crowd, their serious expressions, the soft light and the city's canyon walls all helped to make the image one to remember.
Chicago Foundation for Women at 40
Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) marks 40 years of impact with its September 25 luncheon at the Hilton Chicago – a powerful celebration of community, progress, and purpose. As CFW gathers to honor the people and partnerships that brought them to this point and to fuel what comes next for gender equity in Chicago, the milestone event is intended to channel the energy of their movement.
Sharing her powerful story of impact and equity will be Allyson Felix (pictured below), the most decorated track and field athlete in U.S. history, with 11 Olympic and 20 World Championship medals.
Felix’s influence goes beyond the track. She is an investor, venture fund advisor, and the founder of Saysh.
She serves on the Board of Directors for For All Mothers+ and Right to Play; she partners with Voice in Sport, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and more.
Felix has fearlessly advocated for increased maternity protections and closing the gender pay gap. She was named to Time’s “100 Most Influential People of the Year” in 2020 and 2021 and Sports Illustrated’s “Unrelenting List.”
