Monday, May 24, 2010

Perks of living near a big city

There are a lot of festivals and events in Chicago, especially in the summer. So, here are a few that have caught my attention and seem particularly interesting. The last two events are actually continual throughout the year, weather permitting.

Chicago Blues Festival
When: June 11 @ 11:30am - June 13 @ 9:30pm
Where: Grant Park
What: The largest free blues festival in the world. Past performers include Ray Charles, B. B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Buddy Guy.
Admittance: Free (first come, first serve, areas open 30 minutes before shows begin)

Taste of Chicago
When: June 25-July4, 11am-9pm daily (July 3: 11am-7pm, July 4: 11am-6pm)
Where: Michigan Ave. & Congress Dr.
What: A 10-day lakefront festival featuring the best food in the city. The vast array of foods include giant turkey legs, hot dogs (of course!), Tahi, vegetarian, sushi, Italian, and A LOT more! Plus, there is free, live music to entertain you while you satisfy your taste buds at Jackson & Columbus Dr.
Admittance: Free (however, food is bought not with cash, but tickets. No food item should be more than 10 tickets, sometimes samples are 2-4 tickets. Drinks cost about 6-8 tickets. A strip of 12 tickets cost $8. They are sold for $6 at some Dominick's grocery stores.)

Maxwell Street Market
When: every Sunday from 7am-3pm
Where: South Loop, Desplaines St. & Roosevelt Rd.
What: A flea market that hosts 518 vendors every Sunday, includes food stands and live music (weather permitting).
Admittance: Free

Under the Picasso
When: Jan 1- Dec 31, weekdays, performance start at noon
Where: Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington
What: "Lunchtime performances, ethnic festivals, holiday celebrations, farmers markets and more." Up-coming events include a classical piano concert (Thursday, May 27th), an Asian-American heritage program (Friday, May 28th), Bulgarian artists abroad June 2nd-15th), and a Barbazion fashion show (Tuesday, June 22nd).
Admittance: Free

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