Five free things to do this weekend | Dec 7-9

Landmarks Illinois, rendering of Prentice Women's Hospital (detail), 333 E Superior St, Chicago.

Photo: Landmarks Illinois

Every one of these events is recommended by our critics, and every one is free. Enjoy!

Life, in some form
Marissa Lee Benedict works with yeast to convert honey into mead in an installation that explores the potential of various generative processes. Brittany Ransom houses insects in various stages of metamorphosis in six steel sculptures, amplifying their sounds throughout the gallery.
Chicago Artists’ Coalition, 217 N Carpenter St (312) 491-8888. Opening reception Fri 6pm; Free.

Changes at Beauty Bar
Chicago has always maintained a strong connection to its roots in house music and the sounds that helped create it. Celebrating the past and present of this music, Loves Records (a subsidiary of Chicago house label Fresh Meat) hosts, and its A&R head, Samone Roberts, spins this vinyl-centric night with guests from across the house and techno spectrum. For this installment, Roberts enlists two of the city's top disco-house champs, Zernell (currently based in L.A. when not touring the world with his potent edits and disco cut-ups) and the Black Madonna, who shares space with Zernell on the latest 12" release from Chicago label Stripped & Chewed.
Beauty Bar, 1444 W Chicago Ave (312) 226-8828. Fri 9 pm; Free

Holy Fuck Comedy Hour
Holy fuck is right. Have you seen the lineup for this night of sketch, magic, character studies and all-around tomfoolery? It includes many of our favorite local comedians.
Annoyance Theatre. 4830 N Broadway (773) 561-4665. Fri 11:59 pm; Free.

Reconsidering an Icon
This year's Chicago Architectural Club Chicago Prize Competition invited designers to propose solutions to the dilemma facing Bertrand Goldberg's old Prentice Women’s Hospital, which is threatened with demolition. The three winning entries appear alongside proposals from eleven emerging local architecture studios.
224 S Michigan Ave (312) 922-3432. Sat/Sun 9:30 am- 5 pm; Free.

Small Ordinary Shop
Play your part in Eat, Drink and Buy Local Week. Known as the people's Macy's, the Small Manufacturing Alliance pop-up supports artisans who produce locally made goods. At the city's cultural epicenter, expect to find an assortment of merchandise including terraria, jarred preserves and original stained-glass artwork.
Chicago Cultural Center. 78 E Washington St (312) 744-6630. Sat/Sun 11am-5:30pm; Free.