After another long winter, Chicagoans have cause to celebrate. Spring is finally in full swing! Not ony do we have warm weather to look forward to, it’s time to get ready for festival season!
As you map out a plan to make the most of months ahead, consider these rich Chicago festivals.
Music First
Lollapalooza, the Chicago Blues Festival, and the Chicago Jazz Festival are all popular, but they aren’t the only fun music festivals you can rock out at this summer.
Now entering it’s tenth year, the “cousin” of Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Music Festival, brings an array of indie rock, hip-hop, and electronic music to Union Park the weekend of July 17 through 19, 2015. Wilco, Sleater-Kinney, and Chance the Rapper are headlining.
North Coast Music Festival closes out the summer with the electronic, house, jam-band, indie, and hip-hop communities at Union Park on Labor Day weekend (which is September 4 through 6, 2015 just in case you were wondering). The Chemical Brothers and D’Angelo and the Vanguard are headlining. Atmosphere, Chromeo, Portugal. The Man, Steve Aoki, and The Roots are all scheduled to perform.
The punk rock and alternative music celebration Riot Fest & Carnival will celebrate its eleventh year the weekend of September 11 through 13, 2015 at Humboldt Park. The music festival is all about rock. This year’s lineup has yet to be released, but past bands have included The Descendents, The Cure, Weezer, Social Distortion, Slayer, The Flaming Lips and many more.
Beer: A Chicago Festival Priority
One Chicago festival many craft beer lovers are looking forward to is the Lagunitas Beer Circus, which will be making its Chicago debut on June 6, 2015.The event is essentially what it sounds like: There will be beer, circus performers, and more beer. It will probably be amazing. Advanced tickets are sold out, but keep your eyes peeled for ways to attend. The circus takes place in the Lagunitas’ Chicago TapRoom and Beer Sanctuary in Douglas Park.
Taking place in Grant Park, the Chicago Ale Fest is an event apartment residents of AMLI 900 and AMLI Lofts can walk to (it’s just under one mile). Centered around Buckingham Fountain, the June 19 and 20, 2015 event will feature more than 200 craft brews from over 100 breweries. While reviews have been mixed in the past, the Chicago Craft Beer Festival on Sheffield is also returning for its fourth year. It’s basically a gigantic tasting event that features an impressive lineup of craft beer.
Another up-and-coming festival to check out is the Fourth Annual Square Roots Craft Beer and Music Experience. Taking place in Lincoln Square the weekend of July 10 to July 12, 2015, the event features more than 50 musical acts, plenty of tasty food, and more than 40 local craft beers.
Food, Art, Street Fairs, and More
The Taste of Chicago has been so big (and popular) for so long, it’s spawned several neighborhood food festivals such as the Taste of Lakeview (July 11 and 12, 2015), Taste of River North (July 17 through 19), 2015, Taste of Lincoln Avenue (July 25 and 26, 2015), and Taste of Greektown (August 22 and 23, 2015). Each neighborhood offers unique flavors so you can’t go wrong with attending any of them…or all if your stomach is up for it.
The Windy City Smokeout, an epic celebration of bands, barbecue, and beer not too far from AMLI River North, will be held July 10 through 12, 2015. Ribfests will be taking place in North Center (June 12 through 14, 2015), Uptown (July 3 through 5, 2015), and Naperville (July 2 through 5, 2015). Naperville’s Ribfest doubles as a Fourth of July extravaganza. The festivities are at Knoch Park, a slight longer drive from AMLI at Seven Bridges.
Other food- and art-intensive fests to consider are the Do Division Street Fest and Sidewalk Sale the weekend of May 29 through 31, 2015; Old Town Art Fair on June 13 and 14, 2015; and Roscoe Village Burger Fest on July 11 and 12, 2015.
For bookworms, few Chicago festivals are as exciting as the Printers Row Lit Fest. This year, some 200,000 spectators are expected to attend events on June 6 and 7, 2015 that feature more than 170 authors in, you guessed it, Printers Row. Discuss books you love with the authors that penned them, and gain exposure to hundreds of new literary masterpieces. All the action takes place near AMLI 900 and AMLI Lofts.
Whether you want to browse art, books, listen to music, or enjoy some delicious food, Chicago’s summer festival lineup has something for you. Chicago is a great place to be in the summer!
What are your favorite Chicago festivals?
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst