EAT
Pig Picnic
Small Bar 2049 W. Division St. 773-772-2727
Labor Day weekend's all about barbecues, but no ones says that you have to do the cooking. Dive into a smoked pig roast (5 p.m.) featuring five sauce options and 15 side dishes such as spicy corn salad and boiled peanuts, along with music by The Hat Stretchers and a draft beer of your choice. 3-11 p.m. Sunday. $15.
Bring Your A-Game
Bangers & Lace 1670 W. Division St. 773-252-6499
Gobble your way to a football game at the Hot Dog Eating Contest, where competitors get five minutes to wolf down franks and the winner takes home two Bears game tickets. Registration starts at 1 p.m. and includes a T-shirt and a cold pilsner to wash it all down. 2 p.m. Monday. $25 to compete; free to watch.
DRINK
Kiss the Sky
Vertigo Sky Lounge 2 W. Erie St. 312-202-6060
Kiss the summer goodbye in style at this rooftop bar's Ultimate Summer Sendoff, which includes half-price champagne (regularly $15-$20 per glass) and appetizers such as Hamachi Heaven rolls (regularly $15) and shrimp salad sliders (regularly $20), plus $12 Skyy vodka pina coladas and lemon martinis. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday. No cover.
Crush Party
Wells Street from North to Evergreen avenues
Toast the holiday weekend at Crush in Old Town, an end-of-summer bash featuring wine tastings, craft beer, indie and electronica music on two stages and a 100-artist marketplace. Noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $7 donation. Schedule: oldtownchicago.org.
DO
On the Strip
Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-404-7336
Boas, booties and beauties abound at Chicago Teases for The Strip: A Benefit for The Burlesque Hall of Fame, where The Kiss Kiss Cabaret, The Belmont Burlesque Revue, Plan 9 Burlesque and others join forces to raise funds for the Las Vegas museum. The event includes a burlesque memorabilia silent auction, cash bar and post-show meet-and-greet with the artists. 10 p.m. Friday. $25.
REDEYE TIP OF THE DAY
Get North Coast Music Festival single-day passes and official after-party tickets at northcoastfestival.com.
Julia Borcherts is a RedEye special contributor.