Nothing says summer in Chicago more than street fairs. Starting in late May, you can pretty much hit a street fair nearly every weekend at neighborhoods all over. Sure, some like Do Division, Taste of Randolph, Andersonville Midsommarfest and Old Town Art Fair, attract massive crowds, but others are a little more manageable. But you haven’t lived until you’ve had a brat, an elephant ear, a boneless rib sandwich and taking your photo riding the wave.
Mayfest (Ashland and Barry), May 15th-17th, usually kicks off the summer fest circuit, but if you miss it, there’s plenty where that came from. Memorial Day Weekend sees a bunch – Lincoln Square’s Welles Park Craft Beer Fest, Pilsen’s Mole de Mayo, Lakeview’s Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest — and then they keep rolling through September. And this doesn’t even count things like Blues Fest, Jazz Fest, Taste of Chicago, Pitchfork, Lolla. The city has a full schedule of festivals here. Start marking up your calendar.
