Very few activities symbolize summer in Chicago like walking down a blocked-off street festival with a funnel cake in one hand and a pint of beer in the other.
Every year, Chicago’s street festivals bring a sense of extravaganza to some of the city’s most eclectic neighborhoods, showing off their shops and sites with a flash of bravado. They can also get a little noisy for residents who don’t need a PA system to enjoy their tree-lined streets and corner bars.
For those residents, there isn’t much defense against the blaring music and hordes of visitors. Street festivals (with a valid permit) are exempt from the city’s noise ordinance, says Larry Merritt, spokesman for the city’s Department of Environment, which enforces the ordinance.
That means noise louder than 80 decibels outside or 55 within a residence, which the ordinance usually prohibits, is allowed.
What residents do have are elected officials and the police to ensure the death metal band doesn’t get too carried away when they play next to a day care center.
“Nothing happens without the alderman and the [district] commander signing off on the event,” says Cindy Gatziolis, a spokeswoman with the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. “They work to alleviate the problem before it happens.”
Festival organizers also work with neighbors, meeting with them and opening up a dialogue, to prevent complaints. In preparing for the 4th Cans Music Fest in Wicker Park, organizer Kim Bosse spoke with residents from two condominium buildings close to Cans Bar and Canteen (1640 N. Damen Ave.; 773-227-2277), where the festival is based. She listened to past concerns and repositioned the festival stage away from the two buildings.
With acts like new wave band A Flock of Seagulls and hip-hop legend Tone Loc performing in the past, the music festival got to be a little rowdy at times, admits Bosse, 27.
“It gets loud, but it’s pretty equivalent to if you were at the bar on a Friday or Saturday night,” says Bosse, who is also a member of the Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce.
Residents of the lively neighborhood can expect even more volume when the two-day festival begins June 22. This year’s lineup includes Tommy Tutone and Digital Underground.
Imagine a street full of people singing “867-5309” or “Do the Humpty Dance!” But Bosse isn’t too worried about condo dwellers complaining anymore.
“Lots of them throw parties on the balconies and do their own thing,” she says.
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