Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wells Street Art Festival,
Wells
Street from North Avenue to Divi-
sion Street (
&
312/951-6106
).
Held on the same weekend as the
Old Town Art Fair, this arts fest is
still lots of fun, with 200 arts and
crafts vendors, food, music, and
carnival rides. Second weekend in
June.
Andersonville Midsommarfest,
along Clark Street from Foster to
Balmoral avenues (
&
773/728-
2995
). You can relive the Scandina-
vian heritage of Andersonville, once
Chicago's principal Swedish com-
munity. Parents rave about the
Swedish American Museum's kids'
exhibits, and don't miss the treats at
the Swedish Bakery, located across
the street from the museum. Sec-
ond weekend in June.
Puerto Rican Fest,
Humboldt
Park, Division Street and Sacra-
mento Boulevard (
&
312/744-
3315
). One of Chicago's animated
Latino street celebrations, this festi-
val includes 5 days of live music,
theater, games, food, and beverages.
It peaks with a parade that wends its
way from Wacker Drive and Dear-
born Street to the West Side Puerto
Rican enclave of Humboldt Park.
Mid-June.
Summer Solstice Celebration,
Museum of Contemporary Art,
220 E. Chicago Ave. (
&
312/280-
2660
). Hip urbanites party for 24
hours straight on the longest day of
the year, as the MCA transforms
into a madcap festival of art, dance,
music, and performance activities.
General admission is $5; children
12 and under are admitted free.
June 21 to 22.
Jammin' at the Zoo,
Lincoln Park
Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Dr., at
Fullerton Parkway (
&
312/742-
2000
). Family fun is the emphasis
at this concert; however, depending
on the featured musical act (which
could be rock, zydeco, or reggae
music), you might find that singles
are more dominant at this perfect
date venue. The lovely lawn south
of the zoo's Park Place Café is cer-
tainly one of the more unusual out-
door venues in the city. The first of
three summer concerts is held in
late June.
Grant Park Music Festival,
Pritzker Pavilion, in Millennium
Park (
&
312/742-4763
). The free
outdoor musical concerts in the
park begin the last week in June and
continue through August. If your
kids are 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
).
Warning:
This food fest is hot, sweaty, and
can get claustrophobic. If your kids
are small or don't do well in crowds,
avoid it. Going on a weekday
morning will help you miss the
heaviest crowds. Three-and-a-half
million people eat their way
through cheesecake, ribs, pizza, and
more, all carted to food stands set
up throughout the park by scores of
Chicago restaurants. On the
evening of July 3, things get pretty
hairy when Chicago launches its
Independence Day fireworks, and
crowds are at their sweaty peak.
Admission is free; you pay for the
sampling, of course. Late June and
the first week of July.
Chicago Country Music Festival,
Petrillo Music Shell, at Jackson
Drive and Columbus Drive in
Grant Park (
&
312/744-3315
), is
less claustrophobic than Taste of
Chicago and therefore more kid-
friendly. And it's free! You'll see
big-name entertainers of the coun-
try-and-western genre. Late June
(during the first weekend of Taste
of Chicago).
