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Five things to do in Chicago, from the obvious to the absurd.

Thursday Jul 16, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Lifestyle Feed

USA OK
8 p.m. Thursday at The Spot; $10
White-faced, neo-burlesque mimes love America, too! The Oona Tramps (think goth-weird Charlie Chaplins) are raising funds for their Canadian tour by celebrating the good old U.S. of A. The evening features a short film, strip-tease by Lady Jack and Michelle L'amour and comedy by the Tramps themselves. Also included in the $10 ticket price: free drinks, free snacks and free freedom. God Bless.

View all weekend theater, including Strauss at Midnight and Cavalia

Pitchfork Music Festival
Friday-Sunday at Union Park; $35/day
If you don't know about the country's most consistently interesting fest (yeah, we said it), get learnin'. This year's lineup features a who's who of indie music, from Built to Spill and Yo La Tengo on Friday (doing request-driven sets, no less) to The National, The Black Lips and Lindstrom on Saturday, to Grizzly Bear and The Flaming Lips on Sunday. Add to that a ton of cool vendors and, for once, mild weather, and you've got a recipe for an amazing musical weekend. Check out our schedule picks and plan where to eat around the park.

Couldn't get tix? Check out the full music calendar for the weekend, including Saul Williams and Beyonce

The Silver Room's Sound System Block Party
noon-10 p.m. Saturday at Evergreen and Milwaukee; free
Live music, DJs, food and art highlight this indoor/outdoor fest presented by The Silver Room in Wicker Park. The party (this year's theme: "Take A Stand") features performances from some of Chicago's most diverse creatives, including BBU, The Gents, Lono Brazil and more.

Cornhole Classic Tournament and Festival
Begins 10 a.m. Saturday at Soldier Field's South Courtyard (inside Gate O); free admission, $25-$90 to compete
Are you the cornhole king of your block? It's one thing to embarrass your drunk friends at a barbecue, but quite another to test your bag-throwing skills against the kind of competition that'll be present at this annual event. This thing is so big, the American Cornhole Organization (yup, it's real) has come to oversee the Competitive Singles Division, which features some of the best pro players in the world. Competitors in this division and the other three (competitive doubles and social singles and doubles) will vie for $4,000 in cash and prizes. Even if you choose not to enter, you'll enjoy live music, food and more. To register or for more information, call (312) 235-7000 or hit the website.

Sheffield Garden Walk
noon-10:15 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Don't be fooled by the name of this one - sure, there are plenty of self-guided garden and architectural tours to be found, but the real action happens at the house parties going down all day. We're not saying you can just waltz into any building with a case of beer, but it'll feel like it. It all leads up to the throwback concerts at night, featuring Rusted Root (Saturday) and Poi Dog Pondering (Sunday).