I love vegan fast and have gone for a couple of years . Here's the thing :…read more-$20 to get in at the gate .. so we spent $60 cash -the food items are marked up tremendously for this event (for instance it was $16 for 2 hot dogs ) - a bottle of water is $8 .. I mean come on ! I love having so many vegan options in once place .. yet literally all you can do is walk around and eat ... and eat some more ...there are a few vendors , volleyball (no one played as it was over 100 degrees and no shade ) ..a DJ , which was SO loud that you couldn't talk and not sure of who chooses the songs..yet many were just not appropriate . Anyway the pros : great location , option to go in and out if you get a wristband , water filling station ,all of my favorite vegan foods in one location

Beautiful festival and the weather is perfect. Featuring some of the best Vegan Chicago has to…read moreoffer, if you're thinking about coming out, stop thinking and show up. It's peaceful, people are friendly, and the food is delish!!!!

Hey fellow Yelpers! This was me and my boyfriend's first time going to The Venue at Horseshoe…read moreCasino, but we've been to the casino once. We didn't know what to expect, but we were both excited to go to a new venue since this was our first ever rock concert. We went to see Dokken and it was awesome! Atmosphere: Some of the other reviews mentioned it was hard to find The Venue.e and my boyfriend didn't find it hard at all to find it. If you pay attention to the signs, it tells you where it's at. One thing I heavily disliked about going through the casino just to get to The Venue was the smell of pure cigarettes. I do not smoke at all and it was not an appealing smell at all. I wish they had a separate entrance that leads directly to The Venue without having to go through the casino smelling all of that. Layout: The layout of the venue was decent. I bought me and my boyfriend floor seats and we were the 2nd row from the stage. The view was nice for the price. I thought it was interesting that some people kept leaving their seats just to get closer to the stage. I kept asking myself why don't they just purchase floor seats, but the security kept telling them to go back to their seats which I appreciated. Food/Drink Items: There was an okay selection of beverages (alcoholic & non-alcoholic) as well as light snacks. I'm not a drinker, so I just got a water bottle. They only had mini bottle waters and it was $2. I wish they had a bigger bottled waters. The mini bottled water reminded me of the 8 oz Kirkland one from Costco. It probably was and ended up putting the casino's name on it. Overall Experience: Overall, me and my boyfriend had a great experience with the concert at this venue. It's a tad smaller than other ones we've been too, but it also wasn't crazy crowded or sold out which worked out for us. I hope this review helps The Venue at Horseshoe Casino & its current and future customers. Have an amazing day!

From the archives: I had an amazing time with my sister…read moreenjoying a medley of Jazz artist. She had a room and free passes. Gerald Albright, Adam Housley and a handful of others were lively entertainment!

Midwest Brewer's Fest in Plainfield is at the Plainfield Riverfront Park with a ton of craft beers…read morein 2 oz servings. Parking is a good distance walk on a rocky, uneven path from the fest and costs $10! Good thing we had our emergency valet money in the car because we weren't prepared for that cost as the website listed free parking. My friend wasn't all that happy with paying for parking but I reminded him that the money all goes to a good cause. :D Plus!!! We got our tickets for free (Thanks, Candice!!!) - and they're normally $40 when you prepay. It was hot as balls on the day of the fest. Being hot as balls, it would have been nice to have more tents & seating set up for people to relax. Also, they had water kegs on the lawn, but were empty when I tried to get some water. Other than the parking, water and bathroom situation, I thought the event was well put together and ran quite smoothly. Because there were so many breweries, lines were relatively short. My favorite beer was the Watermelon from Horny Goat. I've passed Horny Goat in Milwaukee many times so was pleased I got to try one of their brews. They were out of their other two offerings by 3pm (two hours in) which suited me fine as I wanted the Watermelon...but others were leaving the line a bit crabby. Because of the extreme heat, we didn't stay the full fest and I couldn't drink as much beer as I would have liked. I had 17 tickets left at the end of the fest (started out with 25) and felt a bit sad I couldn't use them. On the long walk back to the car, my flip flop broke! Eek! So I had to gimp back to the car, dying to go pee because I refused to go in the porta potties onsite. All in all, it was a decent festival but could tweak some areas to make it amazing festival. I'll probably skip the fest next year unless the weather is nice and cool and the breweries promise to offer some more unique choices.

The Midwest Brewer's Fest seemed very well planned. For a $40 General Admission ticket ($50 at the…read moregate) attendees received a beautifuly printed, perfect bound brochure containing detailed Fest info which included a foldout pocket map of the festival grounds/beer tents and a description of each participating brewery with room for taking notes; a plastic beer 'glass', and 25 tickets for 2 oz. beer pours. If you're doing the math, that's just over 3 pints of beer. Of course it's difficult to do just a 2 oz. pour from a tap, so I estimate if you used all your tickets you probably had 4 pints of beer. I'm a lightweight and so is my husband, so we were more interested in tasting a variety of brews than in quantity of beer received, so the small pours were great for us. We got to taste a lot of beers, though we didn't get to them all. Our palate and backs tired out well before we began to feel the beer. There were four beer tents (A-D) with 14 brewers each. That's 56 brewers! Each brewery brought at least two beers. There were kegs of cold, filtered water all along both sides of each tent so attendees could wash their beer glasses, cleanse their palates, and stay hydrated. There was also a VIP tent, but not having VIP tickets I can't tell you what went on there. The lines for beer were generally short. Even the long lines were not a long wait. It was smart of the organizers not to oversell tickets. There was a designated smoking area occupied mostly by cigar smokers. It was not a smokers ghetto, but rather set up under a tree with some cushy outdoor couches and chairs. Cigars were sold on site. Now I have been known to appreciate a cigar with a stout or porter, but I do wish the designated smoking area had been at one end of the grounds or the other. Having it alongside the beer tents meant I often had cigar smoke with my ale whether I wanted it or not. There were also individuals who felt the designated smoking area did not apply to them and who hit me in the face with a blast of smoke while I was waiting in line for a beer. Not appreciated. Food was exceptional for a fest of this kind. Way better than hot dogs spinning on a roller. Heaven on Seven was there, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Windy City Paella, Aurelio's Pizza. I had paella and it was delicious. There was plenty of shade and seating in the food tent too. I heard some folks paid $10 dollars for parking. We parked free near the Village Hall and walked no further than everyone else. My biggest disappointment had nothing to do with the Fest itself, but with the brewers' offerings. There was an overabundance of pale ales, IPAs, and wheat beers. There were quite a few pumpkin ales too. My husband and I had really hoped some of the brewers would bring out their less pedestrian brews. There was not one sour to be had. There were a few Belgian abbey styles. At least one porter and one stout. We thought surely with so many brewers and beers that we would be able to extend our experience of what we know as beer, but there was not the variety of styles that we had expected. We were pleased to find mead and several brewers of ciders and perrys. The purpose of the fest (beyond celebrating craft beer) was to raise funds to restore the Plainfield Riverfront (the venue for the Fest) and support Pints for Prostates. I confess I won the tickets as a (very new) Yelp Elite. Had we spent $80 to find less variety than we expected, we might have been very disappointed because $80 buys dinner and a couple choice selections of beer at a good beer bar. I would still be impressed by the organization and experience of the Fest itself. Perhaps the organizers can persuade the brewers to take more chances with their offerings next year.

Last minute music and beer fest? Okay, what's the lineup? THE ANNIVERSARY ARE PLAYING? YES, HI,…read moreHELLO, I'M THERE. Star Events and Riot Fest put on a pretty last minute 3-day festival with a solid music lineup and okay beer/wurst lineup. You had the option to get a 3-day pass for $25, which is cheaper than most suggested donation of $10 a day street fests. The music tent was covered and the whole thing was set up in a parking lot. It wasn't crowded, probably because it was pretty last minute with promotion and everything, but I still enjoyed walking around and waiting for the band to play. So basically, The Anniversary was amazing and 5 stars for Wurst Music and Beer Fest for allowing me to be nostalgic af a week before being super nostalgic at Riot Fest!

Is there anything you can't do at this zoo?…read more I've run through it. http://www.yelp.com/biz/united-run-for-the-zoo-chicago#hrid:KB0TuGEb5ev-_L3iem1yTQ I've frolicked the grounds with 3D glasses and a cup of hot chocolate in my hand during Zoo Lights. Now I can say I've jammed at the zoo too! I had been stalking the Jammin' at the Zoo website to see which bands would be performing this summer. The zoo hosts 3 concerts on the last Friday of the month starting in June. The website did not announce the line up until 3 weeks before the first concert. Ugh! Some advanced notice would have helped. I swiped up tickets as soon as I found out that Lifehouse would be playing. Next time I'll: -buy my tickets at the zoo before the concert (avoid an extra $10/ticket) -show up well before the gates open at 6pm so you actually be front row! -sneek in some grub & drinks even though they're not allowed because they don't even look in your bags (just a quick purse groping) -remember that there are 2 entrances (one in the parking area on Cannon Drive and the other on Stockton near the greenhouse) or give my husband his ticket beforehand! -bring my bug spray! Food is decently priced. Went to the Park Cafe to pick up a couple smoked turkey wraps ($7.95) and cheese fries ($3.99). Their beer of choice is Budweiser-thank goodness for Bud Light with Lime ($5). They take credit cards too. It got pretty dang crowded. So don't be surprised if some 40 year old drunk soccer mom from the burbs keeps bumping into you as she does some odd hippie dance. All in all a good time. Great somewhat intimiate setting to hear some of your favorite bands!

Came here to see Neon Trees and Hedley in 2012. Show started at 7pm and lasted until 11pm, and we…read moregot 5th row from the barricade after getting there 6:30pm. Pros: -nice venue Cons: -$24 event parking -30 min break between bands with Neon Trees starting around 9:20pm -ticket service fees

It's not every day that one of the major streets in the city is closed for blocks or a street…read morefestival. So we decided to head on down. We met a friend and her toddler there; we both drove since it was easier with our kids but of course most folks took the CTA. It was ok. It felt a little different from other street festivals in the city, maybe a little more flea-market-y. Or maybe that's my bougie-ness seeping through. I will commend them for not really having a bunch of booths--either merchandise or food--that I've seen in a lot of other places, and that's a great thing. It gets a little boring going to some of the north side stuff and seeing the same merchants each time. State was closed from Jackson to Randolph. There were lots of the aforementioned merchants, selling t-shirts, jewelry, personal care items, and more. There was a dance event happening--I'm not sure it was a class, exactly, but it was the folks participating seemed to know what they were doing. There was a little installation of sorts where you could take photos (or have a seat if you needed to). So there was a good variety of stuff happening. I don't think I'd go back, in part because it's just so far out of the way for me. Also, I didn't think to go on SpotHero for parking and as a result paid over $40 because I forgot the discount I get for my workplace doesn't work on weekends. Oops! If you do go and are able, taking the train is going to be your best bet.

Sunday on State is a great family friendly event in the heart of the loop with Iconic landmarks in…read morethe background, it's always a great mix of music, dance, art, and local flavors. This week July 13th, there's some 10'' tall day of the dead puppets, karaoke and multiple stages of performances spanning multiple blocks. Always look forward to this series of street fairs!

Look, I'm not Italian, I've been to Italy. Does that count? This fest definitely feels Italian…read more There's a lot of musicians singing Italian songs all over the place and the ton of food options is predominantly Italian. We had the bacon jam coal fire pizza, really thin crust with fresh buffalo mozzarella - excellent ! Most boths are run by mom and pop, so they don't flip the tablet to guilt you the mandatory 15% tip for handing you your food. Alleluia!!! The suggested entry fee is only $7! They have actual merchandise to sell here not just arts and crafts. They also have carnival games for kids.

This was a nice, pretty big fest. Great food choices, great atmosphere, singing artists, and a nice…read morechoice of small shops. Parking not far, it was $10, but considering the area it was not a price. Highly recommend this fest.

Peter Pan is a show that both adults and children will love!!!…read more There are signs on Chicago Avenue with "Peter Pan" all over them so you cannot miss the entrance to this show. The theater is actually a huge tent set up on a large parking lot (think Cirque du Soleil size tents). The stage is circular so there is not a bad seat in the house. You can see all the characters from every seat. The show is about 2 hours and 20 minutes (which includes a 20 minute intermission). The bathrooms are high class portable restrooms with hard wood floors. It was very impressive! The covered outdoor patio seating area (to enjoy your drinks/food/candy) was a nice touch. Situated right next to the Chicago river made it even more relaxing and serene. The best part about this theater were the visuals. I was very impressed with their 360 degree IMAX type screen. It really looked like the actors were flying through the city of London. I also really like some of the sound effects. Great touch! Acting was perfect and some parts were very funny. I've seen many shows and this one was definitely unique. Parking in the area was relatively easy. We parked on Green and Huron for free (no meters). Make sure to read the signs though because some spots require residential permits. It was about a 7 minute walk away from the theater. For closer parking, you can park on site for $15 (there are signs on the road), or try the parking structure on Larabee (website says $8). I believe the CTA 66 bus will take you directly there. Everyone in the staff was very nice and helpful. You can purchase tickets/pick up will call tickets before entering the actual tent. They ring a bell 10 minutes before showtime so you will have a heads up on when you need to be seated. All persons (including children) require a ticket. Regular price tickets are $75 but you can get half off tickets through Goldstar here: https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F123738RP Wonderful show! Would definitely see it again!

Completely agreed with the great review by Janet E. Absolutely fantastic. Just Hubby and I went…read more(40s), and we enjoyed it immensely. If you have kids, this will make for a phenomenal family activity. Must-see. Goldstar email, discounted tickets, will-call, no probs. Every single staff member is so friendly and helpful. No dinky tent thing. Whole facility looks top notch, almost permanent. A LOT of thought went into making this a complete experience. Entrance/Lobby: Large tent with hardwood floors and concession area (just drinks & candy, I think) and tons of patio seating. There's a "Candy Shop" all-you-can-fill box for $6. Past this, lots more uncovered patio seating, some along the river. It's pretty enough to bring a little finger food picnic out here, have the kids run around, and enjoy the river a bit before the show. Further along is an amazing billboard exhibit on the history and pop culture presence of this timeless story. Full of excellent trivia and factoids. To the left and back are the classiest trailer bathrooms I've ever seen. Yes, I took pictures. Go see for yourself, I'm not nuts. Oh yeah, the show! It's a circular stage, no bad seats. The story is wonderfully told, excellently acted with lots of heart and enthusiasm. Top notch stage sets, better than some operas I've seen. The 360 movie projection works really well with their dangling aerial escapades, which the kids loved. Priceless "Awwwww" factor - kids' reactions. Lots of gasps, lots of questions, a little sniffle here or there. Awwww. We all loved the monster too (and the guy peddling real fast inside). You'll know when you see it. Warning: It's a wee bit long for the kids (WE were starting to fidget a bit), so be prepared with a toy for the last 15 mins or your fellow audience members will be snickering at your kid's attempts to fling his arms out Peter Pan-style smacking your face while furiously kicking air. It's all ok. It's all entertainment. Seriously, though, all the kids were so well behaved thru the entire performance, no worries (and we were a wee bit worried about the wee ones). And that concludes my longest review. Ever. So far. Kudos for getting to the end of this.