Every Tuesday this summer the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), hosts free, outdoor activities: the popular Tuesdays on the Terrace live jazz series, a Farmers Market, and Summer Studios.

From June 4 to September 24, 2013, Tuesdays on the Terrace features Chicago’s quintessential jazz musicians, including popular trumpeter Corey Wilkes, acclaimed cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, and vocalist Dee Alexander on the MCA’s terrace and sculpture garden. The performances take place from 5:30-8 pm and are hosted by Al Carter-Bey, Richton Guy Thomas, Linda Hall, and Leslie Keros, from WHPK 88.5fm.

Jazz schedule: June 4: Corey Wilkes; June 11: Tomeka Reid; June 18: Douglas Ewart; June 25: Chris Greene; July 2: Eastern Block; July 9: Fred Lonberg-Holm; July 16: Jimmy Ellis; July 23: Jazz Links All Stars; July 30: Harrison Bankhead; August 6: Victor Garcia; August 13: Julia Huff; August 20: Tatsu Aoki; August 27: Dee Alexander; September 3: Andres Earls; September 10: David Boykin; September 17: Junius Paul; September 24: Carolyn Davis.

At Tuesdays on the Terrace, visitors may enjoy gourmet cuisine created by Puck’s Café featuring fresh, locally-grown produce from the MCA Farmers Market. Puck’s Café presents a $25 buffet featuring a changing menu of international barbeque and side dishes inspired by Korean, American, Italian, and Latin American cuisine. Visit www.mcachicago.org to view the week’s featured menu. Tables are limited and dinner reservations are recommended, call 312.397.4034.

Hamburgers, homemade sausages, and a variety of freshly made salads may be purchased from the outdoor grill along with assorted cold beverages, wine, and seasonal cocktails from the cash bar on the lower terrace. Guests may bring their own blankets or rent an MCA lawn chair ($5 each) to relax on the garden lawn. Outside food and beverages are not allowed in the sculpture garden. In case of rain, the events take place inside Puck’s Café.

Families are invited to engage their creative side at the free Summer Studios in the MCA Sculpture Garden during Tuesdays on the Terrace. Each week guests may participate in a different art making activity.

Photo © Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Every Tuesday the MCA hosts the City of Chicago Farmers Market, from June 4 to October 29, on the plaza from 7 am to 3 pm. Vendors at the European-style outdoor market offer a colorful variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, cut and potted flowers, baked goods, cheeses, spices, and more. Out of the more than 30 popular Farmers Markets throughout Chicago, the MCA’s is the only one in the Streeterville area.

Every Tuesday at the MCA is Community Free Days, when Illinois residents receive free admission and the museum is open late until 8 pm. The spring and summer art exhibitions include Amalia Pica (through August 11), Theaster Gates: 13th Ballad (through October 6), Modern Cartoonist: The Art of Daniel Clowes (through October 13), Homebodies (through October 13), Paul Sietsema (through January 5), Think First, Shoot Later: Photography from the MCA Collection (through November 10), MCA DNA: Chicago Conceptual Abstraction, 1986-1995 (through September 29), Gaylen Gerber (through September 8), BMO Harris Bank Chicago Works: Jose Lerma (through December 3), and a new plaza project by Amanda Ross-Ho.