Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
267
of leafy branches while listening to music and indulging in an elaborate picnic (i's a local
tradition to try to outdo everyone else by bringing candelabras and fine china). I've been
here for ev erything fr om B eethoven symphonies to folksy singer-songwriters, and the
setting has been magical ev ery time. The lawn to the left of the stage is a popular place
for families to spr ead out, but I' m partial to the tr ee-filled area on the right (the lights
projected into the branches create a dramatic effect after the sun sets).
Don't let the distance fr om do wntown discourage y ou fr om visiting, because an
extremely convenient public-transportation system serves Ravinia. On concert nights, a
special Ravinia M etra commuter train leav es at 5:50pm fr om the N orth Western train
station at Madison and Canal str eets (just west of the Loop). The train stops at the fes-
tival at 6:30pm, allowing plenty of time to enjoy a picnic before an 8 o'clock show. After
the concert, trains wait right outside the gates to take commuters back to the city . The
round-trip train fare is $5, a real bargain considering that traffic around the park can be
brutal.
At the park, dining options range from the fine-dining restaurant
Mirabelle
(
&
847/
432-7550
for r eservations) to pr epacked picnic spr eads from the
Gatehouse,
featuring
gourmet items to go. For $10, you can rent a pair of lawn chairs and a table from booths
set up near the park entrance. In case you're wondering about the weather conditions at
concert time, dial Ravinia 's Weather Line (
&
847/433-5010
). G reen B ay and Lake-
Cook rds., Highland Park.
&
847/266-5100 or 312/RAVINIA (728-4642). www.ravinia.
org. Tickets: Pavilion $20-$75; lawn $10-$20. Most concerts are in the evening.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ages 6 & up.
Come one, come all
to this massiv e circus, which stops in Chicago ev ery fall for sev eral weeks beginning in
November. Three rings of glitzy , over-the-top entertainment are in stor e, from trapeze
artists to the horses, tigers, elephants, and cr ocodiles that make up some of the 200
human and animal performers. There's nothing subtle about this show—in fact, smaller
kids might be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the United Center, plus the flashing lights
and ear drum-blasting music (the cir cus also visits suburban R osemont at the smaller
Allstate Arena, which might be a better choice for little ones). S till, at least once in your
life, it's worth it to see this darn impr essive “greatest show on earth.”
United Center, 1901
W. Madison St.
&
312/559-1212.
www.ringling.com. Tickets $13-$85. Bus: 9 or 20.
SummerDance
Ages 5 & up.
Now entering its tenth year, the annual Chicago Sum-
merDance Festival usually runs from late June to August in the Spirit of Music Garden
in Grant Park. Presented b y the Chicago D epartment of C ultural Affairs, the festiv al
features 1-hour dance lessons to taped music (y ou can learn ev erything from ballroom
dancing to country line dancing), followed by dancing to live orchestras, every Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday evening from 6 to 10pm, and Sunday afternoons beginning at 4pm,
weather permitting. The festival also pr esents folk dance fr om Scandinavia, I srael, Ire-
land, Scotland, Wales, and others at v arious venues throughout the city.
Grant Park, 601
S. Michigan (btw. Harrison and Balbo , across from Columbia College). For complete informa-
tion on what 's scheduled, call the Chicago Dept. of C ultural Affairs at
&
312/744-6630.
Free
admission. Subway/El: Red Line to Jackson.
10
3
THEATER
Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences
Value
Ages 3 & up.
How can the 35,000 kids and adults who flock to see this company 's performances each
