Taste of Chicago is billed as a family picnic, but the sheer size and intensity of Taste could eat the unwary and the unprepared alive. Here are some strategies to help you fully enjoy this massive event:
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1. Don’t drive, especially if you plan to arrive after 2 p.m. If you don’t live near public transportation, drive to a station, park and then ride a bus or a train. But if you’re determined to drive, there are some $8 and even $5 parking lots on Congress west of State and on Michigan south of Balbo.
2. It was sweet of Taste organizers to pitch those dining pavilions on the main thoroughfares. But the nicest places to nibble are on the grass and in the shade, and on the picnic tables at Buckingham Fountain.
3. The Navy Pier Ferris wheel is getting all the attention, but the wheel at the south end of the Taste offers stunning views, too.
4. The lines for the Ocean Spray and the AT&T virtual reality rides are longer, but worth the wait.
5. Bring water. You’re already spending enough on food, so why blow more on bottled water.
6. All the napkins and portable sinks in the world aren’t going to wash your hands of hot wings grease or pecan roll glaze. Bring a small container of baby wipes; you’ll be the best smelling adult in Grant Park.
7. For a break from the madding crowd, stroll among the art booths just east of the Ferris wheel.
8. If you have any tickets left, save them. Participating Taste restaurants will accept them between July 10 and Sept. 4 for a portion of your bill.
9. Bring a blanket, or better yet a bed sheet (it’s lighter), for picnicking and to claim territory for concerts or Monday’s fireworks.
10. The six computer games in the Sears/Q101 game tent are an amusing diversion.
11. Although you can use credit cards to buy tickets, not all the ticket booths accept them. At least on the first weekend, the booths on the extreme north and south ends did.