Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
22
than 200 painters, sculptors, and je w-
elry designers fr om the M idwest and
around the countr y. The fair also fea-
tures an art auction, a garden walk, and
food and drink. S
unusual outdoor venues in the city. The
first of thr ee summer concer ts (ticket
prices vary) is held in late June.
Grant P ark M usic F estival,
P ritzker
Music P avilion, in M illennium P ark
(
&
312/742-7638;
www .grantpark
musicfestival.com). The fr ee outdoor
musical concerts in the par k begin the
last week in June and continue through
August. If your kids ar e old enough to
stay up past 10, call to find out about
the movies in the park, shown outdoors
on a large screen.
Taste of Chicago,
Grant Park (
&
312/
744-3315
). The largest fr ee outdoor
food fest in the nation (according to the
City of Chicago), “ The Taste,” as it 's
known to locals, can be hot, sweaty, and
claustrophobic. If your kids are small or
don't do well in crowds, avoid it. Going
on a w eekday morning will help y ou
miss the heaviest cr owds. Three-and-a-
half million people eat their way
econd w eekend in
June.
Wells Street Ar t Festival,
Wells Street
from North Avenue to D ivision Street
(
&
312/951-6106;
www .oldtown
chicago.org). H eld on the same w eek-
end as the O ld Town Art Fair, this ar ts
fest is lots of fun, with 200 ar ts and
crafts vendors, food, music, and carni-
val rides. Second weekend in June.
Andersonville M idsommarfest,
along
Clark S treet fr om F oster to B almoral
avenues (
&
773/728-2995
). You can
relive the Scandinavian heritage of
Andersonville, once Chicago's principal
Swedish community. Parents rave about
the S wedish American M useum's kids '
exhibits; the tr eats at the S wedish Bak-
ery, across the street from the museum,
are not to be missed. S econd weekend
in June.
Puerto Rican F est,
H umboldt P ark,
Division Street and Sacramento Boule-
vard (
&
773/292-1414;
www .pr
paradechicago.com). O ne of Chicago 's
animated Latino street celebrations, this
festival includes 5 days of liv e music,
theater, games, food, and bev erages. It
peaks with a parade that w ends its way
from Wacker D rive and D earborn
Street to the West S ide P uerto Rican
enclave of Humboldt Park. Mid-June.
Jammin' at the Zoo,
Lincoln Park Zoo,
2200 N. Cannon D r., at F ullerton
Parkway (
&
312/742-2000;
www .
lpzoo.com). Family fun is the emphasis
at this concer t; however, depending on
the featur ed musical act (which could
be rock, zydeco, or r eggae music), y ou
might find that singles ar e more domi-
nant at this per fect date v enue. The
lovely lawn south of the zoo's Park Place
Café is cer tainly one of the mor
2
through cheesecake, ribs, pizza, and
more, all car ted to food stands set up
throughout the par k by scores of Chi-
cago restaurants. On the evening of July
3, things get pretty hairy when Chicago
launches its I ndependence D ay fir e-
works, and cr owds ar e at their sw eaty
peak. Admission is free; you pay for the
sampling, of course. Late J une and the
first week of July.
Chicago Countr y M usic F estival,
Petrillo M usic S hell, at J ackson and
Columbus drives in Grant Park (
&
312/
744-3315
), is less claustr ophobic than
Taste of Chicago and ther efore mor e
kid-friendly. And it's free! You'll see big-
name enter tainers of the countr y-and-
western genr e. Late J une (during the
first weekend of Taste of Chicago).
Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade,
on Hal-
sted S treet, fr om B elmont A venue to
Broadway, south to D iversey P arkway,
and east to Lincoln P ark (
&
773/348-
8243;
www .chicagopridecalendar.org).
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