This series of outdoor concerts celebrating Space's tenth anniversary is amazing. Held in the lot…read morenear Temperance Brewing, the beer is plentiful. The stage is reminiscent of street festivals, and it is an absolutely great experience. Just like visiting Space in Evanston for a show, the sound here is impeccable. Food trucks and port-a-potties are available and there are other vendors. There's even a booth to register to vote or update your voter registration. If you're feeling brave, climb into one of the bathtubs for a perfect new Yelp (or tinder) profile pic. Parking is free about a block west.

I love Space events, and this outdoor was no exception. Always great to enjoy a show where the…read moreperson on the sound board actually knows what they are doing. The Out of Space events have a great vibe. My only complaint is that there should be more of them!! Nicely done, folks at Space.

I went to this event yesterday and ended up spending more time there then I originally anticipated…read moreI would! It was such a well put together event and such a fun, relaxing time. This event celebrates street food & artistry in Chicago, just as the event title suggests. It brings together art, music and delicious food! This was the first year the event went out and it was held at the Galleria Marchetti. This was a great location with an indoor section, fancy tented area that was wedding reception-esque, and two outdoor areas. I loved the outdoor areas! The weather was perfect so it was so pleasant to grab some bites, listen to some music and soak up the sun in a decent temperature! They had a silent auction going on and I wish I knew it was because they had some great items for sale! A signed Justin Bieber album!??!? Ummmm amazing!!! And other artists on the same level as him like Michael Jackson! hehe I'm only kidding! Half kidding. Really some amazing items with low starting bids. Seriously wish I had known! Tickets were $31 and I think well worth the price! They had a kid's cooking demo, some amazing musical acts plus an awesome hip hop tap dance group M.A.D.D. Rhythms! I loved all of the music and bands that played!!! On to the yummies! There were some food trucks & carts representing and the best part for me was trying new ones I haven't tried before! I had never had any of these before! The coolest part was talking to the people who ran the trucks & carts. It's not often you get that privilege and for a foodie like myself it was a good thing. Homage Street Food - New food truck to Chicago! The owner was super nice and enthusiastic about what he is bringing to the city and how different it is. Both dishes we tried had some kick to them. I had the buckwheat noodles and really enjoyed them! Arrf Scarf Cart - Treats for dogs! Friendly group and have yet to say how the dog likes these treats. I got treats to give to one of my BFF's dogs Minion...I'll keep you posted on how Minion likes them! Bergstein's NY Deli Truck - I tried their slider and potato pancake. Both were yummy! Puffs of Doom Cart - Super friendly people here! I'm not a huge fan of cream puffs but these little guys were cool. Interesting choices in flavors and I opted for the oreo, yum! Uptown Pie Company Truck - I think they were a no show! Sad. Herby Pop - Gourmet popcorn and it was tasty! I just had my onion & dill popcorn sample after dinner tonight and really enjoyed the savory taste of it. Dawali Mediterranean Kitchen - Now that was some good naan! The hummus was some of the best I've ever had! Everything on this HUGE sampling plate was delicious! Adding this to my list of restaurants I must visit. English & Porkchop both had pulled pork sandwiches. Both were good but it was kind of funny they had the same dish and were right next to each other. I have been to English a bit for the bar aspect of it so was interesting to see them at a food event Old School Root Beer Float Carts - Awesome! Root beer floats are the bomb diggity! A root beer float sitting outside on the grass was the perfect treat! Dark Matter Coffee Company had hangover coffee! It doesn't get cooler then that! Wow Bao is always good! They had pulled pork buns and some other flavors which I didn't get to try! e.leaven had some yummy food plus amazing brownie bites! They were so thick and delicious! Macy's Chefs A-Go-Go Tour - Takashi!!! My friend and I are big Takashi fans and it was so cool to see him there and walking around the event. I wish I would have had more courage to ask for a picture! Either way, I ate his cold noodle dish for lunch today and loved it! Yum.Yum.Yum. The Macy's truck was also handing out Bananas Fosters Pops from Emeril! They were beyond delicious and I don't like bananas! Forever Yogurt Truck - Ended the night with some strawberry lemonade frozen yogurt with no toppings. Delicious and I loved the cute, colorful truck! All in all, a fantastic event and I hope they throw it again next year!

Not too many words needed here, pictures are better. I have…read morestopped by at least for a short bit every year since about 2001! At times overcrowded and pretentious and a silly show At time genuine and human and showing the best side of non-judgmental acceptance A good place to make and meet friends of the same stripe and lash! Even if it's not your thing you should stop by to see what makes a lot of people pulse

The event that, in 1979, outgrew the Gold Coast bar it originated in, has over the thirty years…read moresince then outgrown a number of Chicago hotels; expanded from twelve contestants the first year to now drawing regularly over 50 or 60 from a number of countries; and now yearly draws thousands of assorted leather folk of all ages, races, genders and kinks to what is now felt by many to be the Leather Family Reunion. Salute!

Fun festival to pop over to a bit! If you're a beer drinker, that is. It happens annually at Palmer…read moreSquare in Logan Square and with one of my best friends living just a block away, it's an ideal summer fest for me. I can get nice and boozy, then just stumble back to my friend's place. Tour de Fat always starts with a bicycle parade in the morning and these people go all out. Now my bike gets some stares and whispers, because as my friends say, "it shoots out rainbows and sunshine like a unicorn." However, my bike has nothing on those at Tour de Fat. People go all out decorating and they bring in really strange looking bikes of all shapes and sizes. It's a fun place to people [and bike] watch, that's for sure. The day then goes on filled with fun including many musical performers (this past year the highlight for me was Reggie Watts!), contests, shows and things all around the park to play with. And boy does it offer some great photo ops! The beer girl in me loves this festival which made me love New Belgium. They had all their staples on tap like Fat Tire, Snapshot, Ranger and Slow Ride but also Blue Paddle and then some really stellar sours La Folie (Lips of Faith) and Hoptart a very sour IPA. If you want some of their more special beers, best to get there early because they did run out of some brews. If you're looking for a boozy, chill afternoon surrounded by locals this could be just what you're after, especially if you're into the musical artists and/or people watching. 11.2.15 - Update from Eater.com today: New Belgium Brewing Co.'s traveling tour to raise money for bicycle advocacy found Chicago hospitable, as their tour stop on July 11 here raised $51,141.

Like beer 'n bikes 'n some weird stuff too? If so, this event is for you!…read more I'm not sure how long New Belgium has hosted the Tour de Fat in Palmer Square, but I know it's been several years now... One day every summer, New Belgium sets up shop in various city parks in celebration of bikes and good beer. Along with that, there is music, activities for kids, performances, dance contests, slow-ride contests, hula hoops, tutus, food trucks, and, among a lot of other funky things, a circular riding ring for custom built bikes (i.e. a three-person bike, super low riders, super high riders). Before all the festivities begin at the park, there is a bike parade where riders are encouraged to dress in costume. We didn't participate in the parade, but we did enjoy wandering around the grounds and exploring everything that came along with the Tour de Fat. Very fun and well managed (plenty of extra bike racks, easy event registration, ample porta potties).

Great event. Lots of support of and by the Highwood community…read more Wicked fun and great performers.

I'm so proud to live in a community that truly values all of its members! Highwood does a great…read morejob with all of its events, but this one celebrates diversity and really allows the LGBTQ residents of the north shore and their allies to show their pride and have a great time doing it.

I love archery so when I saw a Living Social deal I jumped all over it!…read moreI scheduled my appointment with Al as he was very flexible on the timing. Once I showed up he had someone inside shooting and he was able to work with the both of us, but spending more time with me as she was a frequent visitor of the place. Al worked with me on techniques and aim in addition to showing me how awesome the compound bow is. He told me if I wanted to bring a group that it was more than welcome in which I may do in the near future. Equipment is all up to date and the people that come here seem to enjoy themselves...grea hobby to pick up!

NATIVE HISTORY The…read moreAmerican Indian Center is rich in history and culture. What I love about this center is that they open their doors to everyone and they help everyone in the neighborhood in need. I volunteer with the charity Fight2Feed and we use their kitchen to cook for the center and for street missions. I was lucky enough to get to run the kitchen on Valentines Day (2015) when we made chicken soup. It was a cold day and everyone loves a warm bowl of chicken soup. I had a great time leading the crew as we prepped and cooked. Recently my family was invited as guests to enjoy a traditional Indian PowWow and a "giving thanks" dinner the weekend before Thanksgiving. How could we pass up an invitation to share a meal with native Americans. If it wasn't for their hospitality with the Pilgrims then they would have never survived the harsh winter. It also snowed on this day too making the dinner even more special. The meal was incredible and our favorite part was the fresh squash. The squash was a 5th generation plant from a seed that was carbon dated from 850 years ago. Archeologists digging in Northern Wisconsin found a sealed Native American vase that contained the squash seed. It was so special for us to share this squash with everyone at the center. I will tell you that the flavor was incredible. It was an honor to share this squash. I also loved that the seed was not tainted by big corporate America. The PowWow also had two drum crews that took turns playing traditional music with singing. There was also traditional dancing and my little one could not contain herself. She jumped right in and had a great time. This was one of the best nights we've had in a long time. We also came back here on Thangsgiving Day and cooked meals for 400 people with Fight2Feed. Fellow friend & Yelper Kyle H even asked me if he could join in and help. He did an amazing job making the largest batch of stuffing I've ever seen. I love stuffing and I must say it tasted perfect. I'm giving Kyle H a perfect "5 Stars" on his dish. This center offers so much for the community by offering support and food for those in need. I have met so many great people and I am glad to be able to come here and volunteer. I also love eating and writing about food but I really love making food and sharing it with those who are hungry. Food is the one universal bond we all have and I am glad to have found this place 10 months ago and I look forward to many more experiences here.

This is the first food truck festival I've attended so I have nothing to compare it to. I enjoyed…read moremy time here and met up with a few of my Yelp friends. For a small $5 entrance fee, there are plenty of options to choose from. There were at least 20 food trucks, if not more. The selection was vast and due to this, I had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted. Almost all of them sound amazing. The lobster rolls from Happy Lobster truck were decent and the gumbo from Boo Cou Roux was good. I ordered a small portion of mini donuts from Beaver's and although decent, they were not the best. I've had better. I would like to return next year to try Bruges Brother's poutine fries. One look at their menu had me sold. Unfortunately, I could barely eat anything else because I was stuffed! From end to end, the festival had music performances going on every hour on separate stages. The platform near the entrance showcased local bands and the tail end had a DJ spinning tunes. Next to the DJ booth, I noticed a large set of old school speakers stacked 12 feet high. The sound was amazing and I loved the retro look. There were several stalls scattered within the fest that sold local clothing, art, and housewares. A few sold some interesting items that would make for an ideal take home souvenir. This event is very dog friendly. Many attendees brought their dogs with them and it was fun checking out all the unique breeds. I drove in and getting a parking space took some time to find. Your best bet is to find parking on the side streets. Just check for signage if you need a permit because some Chicago streets require you have a permit to park. You could potentially get a ticket if you don't have the appropriate parking permit for the neighborhood. If it's too much of a hassle and you have no plans on driving in, the fest is close to public transportation. Just hop on the #73 Armitage bus, head west, and get off near California or Humboldt Boulevard. A short walk down either one of these streets should get you there within minutes. Ride sharing it would also work too. My only complaint is that the fest needs more tables, benches, garbage cans, and Porta Pottys. After an hour of opening, the crowd began to grow. Seating was limited and I noticed a lot of folks walking around eating due to a lack of tables and benches. I saw only eight Porta Potty's at the front end of the fest. I didn't remember seeing Porta Pottys towards the middle and end of it. It would suck if you really needed to go and the nearest Porta Potty was 3 blocks away. More hand washing or hand sanitizer stations would've been useful too.

Entrance donation fee: $5 We just gave $5 for the group of…read moreus. Unlike other street festivals, it isn't mandatory. At first glance: a couple blocks of food trucks and merch vendors. Two stages at both ends of fest. I was REALLY hoping for Fat Shallot. Instead, I found some new favorite food trucks (along with some I did not care for). Food Trucks: Island Noodles- high sodium, scarce noodles, lots of veggies. Not worth it. Pierogi Wagon- great with bacon bits, but overall very dry. Potato and Cheese had flavor, at least. Beef, not so much. I would order here again! 5411 Empanadas- you can never go wrong with the Bacon Dates Goat Cheese, unless it is already pre-made and stale... The Happy Lobster- delectable, as always! Piko- we ordered the Teriyaki Tofu Bao and the Coconut Curry Chicken Bao, both fit in a small paper boat container, great snack, not very filling, delicious flavors! Yum Dum- No where to be found :(

The heat is on! When…read morea saucy event like this rolls into my hood, it doesn't take much convincing to get me to go. Having heard about it while listening to 97.1FM The Drive, I immediately decided that my mom and I were to attend on Saturday 8/8. Buying tickets online saved me a few bucks, so admission was $10/pp, and parking was free. Held inside the Stephen M Bailey auditorium (chicago journeyman plumber's union local 130), the venue was the perfect size for the occasion. There were TONS of vendors present from all over the midwest, showcasing everything from bottled hot sauces to chocolate confections. Lagunitas was on hand to sell beer ($5) to those who needed to quench the flames, as was a Jimmy Luv's bloody mary booth. Several places offered T-shirts and various knick-knacks (keychains, bumper stickers, etc) as well. Being a well-known 'spicehead' amongst my circle of friends, I found myself trying many of the hottest sauces the vendors had to offer--and they had some unbelievably scorching offerings. Most of the hot sauces centered around the newly-discovered Carolina Reaper pepper and even the tiniest of samples nearly sent me running to the drinking fountain (which there were several of, thank god). Over the course of the day, I tried something close to two dozen varieties of hot pepper jellies, chili oils, pepper extracts, and even chipotle caramels. Needless to say, my stomach was doing barrel rolls by the time we left :( but they were self-inflicted wounds, so I've only myself to blame.... There were a few booths stationed in the hallway that sold sustainable food (like Naansense's chicken and rice bowls). I got a pulled pork sandwich and mac'n'cheese from Hoboken Eddie's for $10; the pulled pork was eh, but the mac was outstanding, even if he shortchanged me on the portion size -_- we also bought a buffalo chicken tamale and a fiery pork tamale which were great. I probably spent $30 on various merch, including jars of Two Fat Guys' BBQ, maple habanero & jalapeno watermelon suckers from Dollipop Candy, and vials of seasoning from Tonguespank Spice Company. One of the best things about the vendors was their acceptance of debit/credit cards! A swipe across their iPad attachment and voila, transaction complete! Overall, I found the event to be enjoyable and well-run, although there were several things they could do to improve. Notably absent was a place to purchase soda or milk (dairy is ideal for putting out heat). There was also a fair amount of confusion when it came to buying tickets: when my mom asked for "$20 worth of tickets", they didn't specify 'drink' or 'food', they just gave her red tickets. Turns out, what they gave her were booze tickets, which couldn't be used to buy food, naturally. Fortunately we were able to trade some red tickets in for blue tickets, but there was no sign that explained this--we just had to find out the hard way. To compound matters, some of the food booths *only* accepted the blue tickets, while others only took cash, and of course none had out signs stating this. Between the musical entertainment--drums and bagpipes courtesy of the Shannon Rovers--and free samples, The Great Chicago Fiery Foods Fest was a blast. The food eating competitions made for some terrific spectacle, and the MC amped up the crowd with plenty of fervor. The collection of vendors was dizzying, and their setups were executed nicely. Time permitting, I'd very much like to return next year. Two days later, and I'm still feelin' hot hot hot!