We like the number 10, especially when we get to say there are 10 festivals kicking off this weekend. Here’s the lowdown on this week’s newbies: Ruido Fest brings the Spanish alternative tunes, check out Mamby on the Beach for a toes-in-the-sand electronic dance experience and browse Artfest Michigan Avenue for fine art vendors. For beats in the street, check out West Fest and Square Roots Festival. Or hit up Irish Fest for a taste of culture. The rest is all about food, with Taste of Chicago, Windy City Smokeout, Roscoe Village Burger Fest and Taste of Lakeview rounding out the lineup. Busy this weekend? We think yes.
Ruido Fest
When: 3–10 p.m. Friday, noon–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Addams/Medill Park
How much: $54.99 for single-day general admission Friday and Saturday, $64.99 Sunday; $154.99 for three-day general admission (Prices may change). Tickets: ruidofest.com
The skinny: The Riot Fest team’s new event, which translates from Spanish to “Noise Fest,” is all about Latin alternative music. Bringing the noise are more than 50 national and international acts including headliners Cafe Tacuba, Zoe, Molotov and Kinky and locals Dos Santos: Anti-Beat Orquesta.
Taste of Chicago
When: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Grant Park
How much: Free (Food and drink tickets are available to purchase. Tickets are sold in strips of 12 for $8.50 on-site.)
The skinny: From doners to doughnuts, feast on food from more than 60 of Chicago’s favorite restaurants and food trucks at the 35th annual fest. Along with vets such as Billy Goat Tavern, Churro Factory and Chicago’s Dog House, try bites from newbies such as slow-roasted Cuban pork or spicy vegan black bean and corn tamales from Dia De Los Tamales and food truck The Crave Bar’s pretzel ice cream bites (onsite Thursday and Saturday). Popping up for only a day or two are more than 10 restaurants including Luke’s Lobster, with shrimp, crab and lobster rolls (Thursday), Burger Bar, with mini-burgers and fried pickles (Friday), and Riva, with cajun shrimp, clam chowder and seafood gumbo (Saturday and Sunday). Or catch cooking demonstrations near Buckingham Fountain with Travel Channel “Man Finds Food” host Adam Richman (1:30 p.m. Saturday), food blogger Jocelyn Delk Adams (3:30 p.m. Sunday) and others.
West Fest
When: Noon–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Chicago Avenue between Damen Avenue and Wood Street
How much: $5 suggested donation
The skinny: Take to the streets of West Town for this art and music fest in its 11th year. Along with live art demonstrations, watch music acts on two stages. Portland punk rockers Dead Moon headline the main stage Saturday (8:30 p.m.) after others such as Detroit goth group Jamaican Queens (4 p.m.). On Sunday, catch Seattle garage rockers Murder City Devils (8:30 p.m.) and local indie rockers Landmarks (1:30 p.m.). And spinning at the DJ stage are Mark Farina (7 p.m. Saturday), Derrick Carter (8:30 p.m. Sunday) and a solid lineup of others.
Roscoe Village Burger Fest
When: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Belmont Avenue between Damen and Oakley avenues
How much: $10 suggested donation
The skinny: Thirteen restaurants bring on the beef at this neighborhood fest. Bite into a venison burger from Butcher & the Burger, a shiitake mushroom burger from Cortland’s Garage or a huevos rancheros burger from D.S. Tequila Company. With burger in hand, jam out to live music on two stages, including Texas blues rockers The Fabulous Thunderbirds (8:30 p.m. Saturday, main stage), ’90s cover band Mallrats (3:45 p.m. Saturday, Damen stage), Supercrush, mashing up R&B to country hits (noon Sunday, main stage) and Led Zeppelin tribute band Kashmir (8:15 p.m. Sunday, Damen stage).
Square Roots Festival
When: 5–10 p.m. Friday, noon–11 p.m. Saturday and noon–9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson avenues
How much: $10 suggested donation
The skinny: The craft beer is as plentiful as the live music at this Lincoln Square fest. Choose from more than 30 beers from 16 Chicago and surrounding breweries, including 5 Rabbit Cerveceria, Evanston’s Sketchbook Brewing Co. and Penrose Brewing Company from Geneva, Ill. Catch a music workshop (beatboxing or ukulele 101, anyone?) on Saturday and Sunday inside the Old Town School of Folk Music, which also hosts two indoor stages with full lineups, including Latin ska reggae band Los Vicios De Papá Soundsystem (8 p.m. Saturday, Maurer Hall), a battle of the fiddles (7 p.m. Saturday, Szold Hall) and queer ska group Dean of Women (7:20 p.m. Sunday, Szold Hall). Outside, check out a mixed bag of genres on two stages, including British punk rockers The Mekons (8:45 p.m., North Stage) and Louisiana Cajun band Feufollent (9 p.m., South Stage) on Friday, local alt-rockers Urge Overkill on Saturday (9 p.m., North Stage) and Robbie Fulks’ Bluegrass Explosion on Sunday (7:45 p.m., North Stage). Between sets, browse 75 vendors with handmade glass, home accessories and more.
Mamby on the Beach
When: Gates open at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Oakwood Beach
How much: Single-day general admission: $67.50. Two-day general admission: $129 (prices may change). Tickets: mambybeach.com
The skinny: Jam in the sand at this new lakeside house and electronic music fest, with headliners Empire of the Sun, Passion Pit, Phantogram, Royksopp and others. Saturday is the best day to catch Chicago acts, including Felix da Housecat (5 p.m., The Tent), Kinky Love (5:30 p.m., Beach House), Greg Corner (1:15 p.m., Main Stage), Yawn (3:30 p.m., Beach House), Orchard Lounge (2 p.m., The Tent) and Redux (4:30 p.m., Beach House). Three locals take the stage Sunday: Holt (6:30 p.m., Beach House), DJ Walt (1:15 p.m., Main Stage) and Good Life (4 p.m., Beach House).
Irish Fest
When: 6 p.m.–1 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m.–1 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Sunday
Where: Irish American Heritage Center (4626 N. Knox Ave.)
How much: $15 Friday and Sunday, $20 Saturday. Tickets: irishfestchicago.com
The skinny: This fest is about as Irish as it gets, with dozens of Celtic music and dance performances, traditional food and plenty of beer. Grab a drink from craft breweries such as Revolution, New Belgium and Sam Adams before heading to one of the many contests—compete for fastest consumption of mashed potatoes on Friday (8 p.m.), watch men in kilts strut their stuff on Saturday (6 p.m.) or vie for the best soda bread recipe on Sunday (5 p.m.). Singles have a chance to meet their sweetie at two Hooley Hook-ups, speed-dating on Saturday (6–7 p.m.) or a matching trivia game on Sunday (7–9 p.m.)
Windy City Smokeout
When: 3–10 p.m. Friday, noon–10 p.m. Saturday and noon–9 p.m. Sunday
Where: 560 W. Grand Ave.
How much: $40 for single-day general admission, $99.50 for three-day general admission. Tickets: windycitysmokeout.com/tickets
The skinny: Ain’t no shortage of barbecue here. The folks behind Bub City handpicked a lineup of pitmasters from all over the country, including locals Chicago Q, Smoque BBQ and Lillie’s Q. Try pit creations from Hogapolooza Bar-B-Que (Wynne, Ark.), Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Syracuse, N.Y.), The Salt Lick (Driftwood, Texas) and others. Wash it all down with beer from more than a dozen breweries from near and far, such as Chicago’s Pipeworks Brewing Co. and 18th Street Brewery from Gary, Ind., and catch country tunes from Kacey Musgraves (8 p.m. Friday, North Stage), Chris Young (8 p.m. Saturday, North Stage) and Lee Brice (8 p.m. Sunday, North Stage).
Taste of Lakeview
When: Noon–10 p.m. Saturday and noon–9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lincoln and Belmont avenues
How much: $5 suggested donation
The skinny: Chow down on bites from Da Lobsta, Quang Noodle and others while watching cover bands with hits ranging from oldies to present. Catch Stereo Heart with music from the ’50s to today (2 p.m. Saturday, North Stage), ’80s rockers Breakfast Club (6 p.m. Saturday, South Stage), Mike & Joe with modern rock (5 p.m. Sunday, North Stage) and American roots- and folk-inspired Cornmeal (3 p.m. Sunday, South Stage).
Artfest Michigan Avenue
When: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Pioneer Court (401 N. Michigan Ave.)
How much: Free
The skinny: Browse art from about 100 vendors at this new one. Peter Rujuwa’s hand-carved stone sculptures are inspired by his Zimbabwean tribe Shona, Polish artist Lidia Wylangowska brings oil paintings loosely inspired by fairy tales and Tim McWilliams showcases pointillism paintings of pop culture icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Mick Jagger.
Fest survival tip 9
Going to a food fest? Eat light the day before. Who wants to pick between tamales, pierogi and pulled pork sandwiches? Well, you don’t have to if you plan accordingly, and if there’s a sample or mini-portion option—like Taste of Chicago’s taster portions—take advantage of that. Calories don’t count during street-fest season.
#ChiFestQuest
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