Finally in town over Wicker Park Fest weekend and could not have enjoyed myself anymore!…read more Wicker Park Fest is an annual fest that is rooted in all things local with a focus on music, food and art. Stretching from one end of Milwaukee Ave to the other with tents and booths lining the middle of the street all capped off by music stages at each end of the street. So, you enter and leave through music! The tents line the center of Milwaukee avenue and are two deep, making it a necessity to walk all the way up one side and back down the other to get the full experience. And along the way you can pop in to any of the local shops on Milwaukee, as they stay open during. We ventured to the festival to find artwork to take back home, and while we struck out there, we did find a few other things, namely fashion and accessory items, to take back...all while enjoying a few drinks and tasty bites along the way! Porta-potty's were decently plentiful and centrally located, as were trashcans. Attendance is free, however they recommend a donation at the door. With that donation you get a cool WPF pin, which doubles as a discount "card" of sorts for several of the booths and shops inside. Overall, this was our first Wicker Park Fest and certainly will not be our last!

Always a good time here at Wicker Park Fest. Donation expected $10. They do a really good job of…read morecombining performance, art and neighborhood exhibitions. They also do a good job of incorporating the kids and the dogs. The bars and restaurants are open and have specials for the occasion. On top of that there is a diverse set of food vendors. Additionally, the live music is always on point. Congrats to this neighborhood for including all the local businesses and community for a fun, safe weekend!!!

I love this festival! This is one of few street festivals that I actually look forward to every…read moreyear. Unlike most festivals in Chicago, this one is giagantic! They have two stages that have bands and perfomers. In the park inside the fest there are also activities for either kids or performances to watch. Fiesta del Sol is also cigarette and alcohol free. Yes, sounds strange....festival but no booze?? You don't really need it here. This festival is very family friendly and has something for everyone. Now lets really get to what I like about this festival........THE FOOD!!! Unbelieveable tacos, sopes, elotes, and well pretty much any Mexican dish. The food is made fresh and won't put a huge dent in your wallet. Take that other festivals!!! I bought 7 tacos and a paleta all for 11 bucks... not too shabby!! When was the last time you went to a street festival where you didn't shell out at least 20 bucks?? Also there is no admission! Great food, cheap prices, great music, fun times....what is not to like???

Every year, since the early 70's it seemed we had djs showcasing popular urban music. This year,…read morethey didn't even have a House music venue. I don't know if they are justifying it by saying, it keeps the gangs out but the gangs no longer really follow House music trends. Plus, they still had gang fights. As I walked my bike through the festival it felt alienating. On tv they called it America's largest latino fest and that's a lie.

I always make it to Do Division fest. I feel like it's the kick off to summer. Came on a Saturday…read moreafternoon. Got to get a XRT free T-shirt & talk with Marty Lennartz & Chalupa his cute dog. Lots of shopping here. T-shirt, jewelry etc. Great food booths. My favorite Lau Peng You is here with music pumping. Good wood fired pizza this year. Beat kitchen is a regular too. It's always crowded & tight to walk around since businesses are open with patios & clothes racks outside. 2 stages at either end with great live music. Can't go wrong!

Came here at evening with cousin…read more First of all, the address on Google Maps (and Uber) is incorrect. There was nothing happened at this location. Waste of Uber ride. The correct address is: 2000 W Division St Second, this Grand Joke of a street fest is too crowded. Too many people and easy to step on someone's toes, both figuratively and literally. Third, probably the Last Insult or straw that broke the camel's back as it were, but a lot of mean and callous people here. Also it's extremely hard to socialize with any group at length, so it's hard to join a convo that's going on. To give a more concrete example, I went into a shop with an intent to purchase some goods, in strolled in a couple and essentially avoided eye contact with me completely, and made me feel small and insignificant, and pretty bad about myself and self image as it were. Essentially, they treated me badly. That is just one example but you get the gist. I try to review any place honestly, and this is my honest take on it. The vibes of the "festival" didn't agree with me at all. In short, this "Street Fest" was the opposite of fun and was a total disaster. I did not enjoy it one bit, and will likely not be coming back. Nice try, "Street Fest" of Chicago. Should be called "Mean Ridicule Fest". Ridiculous, like a dude in a clown outfit giving you life advice. Total swing and miss!

This stadium was SO clean. I haven't been to an indoor arena in forever and they set the standard…read more I came for a sold out concert. I revived weekly emails about 1 month before the concert, informing me of parking/bag/ticket info, etc. There were plenty of merch stations, food and drink spots, and helpful staff. Bathrooms were clean and chairs were comfy and padded. Chairs and floor were clean. Everything inside looked new. Drink menu looked great and syrups are made in-house at the bar in the 200 level. One drink with tax and tip is about $26 though, so beware. I would gladly return to this arena for another concert.

WNBA ALL STAR WEEKEND WAS GREAT. Staff was great even though bartender in the front of the center…read moreseemed like she didn't wanna to be there at all, everyone else was nice and stock for merch was absolutely insanely sold out. A win is a win. Two cocktails were $32, thought it would be worst tbh.

This year is the 28th Annually African Fest that happens every year in Washington Park on the South…read moreSide of Chicago. African fest is always the weekend before Labor Day. This has been me & the bestie's yearly traditional event to attend each year. There are so many vendors to walk around and be amazed to see handmade paintings,clothing and other African pieces to purchase. Every year its a must that I grab my fav bottle of Mango Butter Oil for $10.00. Its one of the hot seller oils at this fest. Each vendor that sells this oil has it burning throughtout their tent. The smell is amazing. Also, each year there is a celebrity performer for each day that the fest is running. Tonight at 8PM Wyclef Jean will hit the stage to perform. The only issue is that every year the price to enter the fest seems to go up. This year it cost $20.00 to walk thru the gate. Thats a steep price for a fest to just walk away. There are food vendors lined up on the side from jerk chicken, vegan plates, funnel cakes, the list of food goes on and on. Its a great family fun event to get out and enjoy. There are so many vendors to purchase shea butter and soap, oils, head pieces, handmade earrings and other unique pieces you may like to buy. Its just a fun filled day of getting out and enjoying nature and people.

An Awesome Experience, with many unique vendors…read more FOOD: The food selection was incredible. Caribbean fare, African fare, Latin fare. Featuring foods that are very authentic and very aromatic. I had oxtail, which was great. I lot of smoothie and juice stands as well. A few vegan friendly places and vegetarian spots too. VENDORS: vendors sold everything from dolls, to jewelry, to cloth, to makeup, to shoes. Very diverse selection with decent prices. TICKETS: Entrance was $20 at the door, and was cheaper in advance from what I understand. PERFORMANCES: Many talented singers, dancers, musicians and drummers on the main stage.

Only came onna Sunday this year. When I arrived it was a little after a bunch of rain and intense…read moreweather. It was humid. Saw Emily Blue sing some songs, got a drink from a cocktail stand. I heart the Whistler!! I left for a few hours and came back just before Speedy Ortiz took the stage. They rocked!! Was kinda flabbergasted when I learned they'd be performing at a neighborhood festival they're kinda a big deal!! Thought the sound when they performed could have been better. Something with the mixing and volume. It was too loud for me. Enjoyed the fest though.

A new/revised tradition…read more This used to be the Milwaukee Arts Festival but was switched up a bit this year. It is now centered around the grassy strip in Logan Square by the Illinois Centennial Monument. https://www.facebook.com/LoganSquareArtsFest This was a nice festival as it caters to all. Music stages were located on the west and east sides of Milwaukee. The main stage closest to the monument. All of the food vendors lined the street and the art/shopping points were lined across the park grass. In and out was controlled and a $5 donation was requested. I personally liked this set up and think it does more for those attending. The monument area provides plenty of fun space for kids to play and parents to sit and enjoy the music.

Park Manor is taking community engagement to a whole new level in the most thoughtful and…read moreprofessional way. From its in-house Level 1 Cicerone and in-house sommelier to its commitment to showcasing Black-owned wine, beer, and spirits brands, every detail reflects a passion for education, culture, and excellence. The wines they serve from Black-owned brands are exceptional. A special shoutout to the owners, Charlotte and Jacari. They are two of the most welcoming and inviting people you'll ever meet. Their warmth and positive energy resonate throughout the entire lounge and create an atmosphere that makes everyone feel at home. I will definitely be back and highly recommend Park Manor to anyone looking for an outstanding experience.

I have been opting for the south side to celebrate/matronize LGBTQ+ businesses, and my party told…read moreme this place is not only black owned but affiliated with and hosts LGBTQ+ themes. We reserved a time on a Friday in the Tasting room, in June, Pride month. We arrived just about on time, to a few parties not a mob. The front room had a lively group, but we were shown to the back. We passed a couple of 'private' rooms surrounded by curtains with a party present there. Sounds like a fun place to hang out when you have a small group and want privacy. We were taken to the back, which was empty, and seated. The seating is tricky back there, with a cushioned bench against the wall, and vinyl chairs to sit in. It is comfortable but reaching the odd, low to the ground tables was awkward for my party. the wait was longish as maybe there was only 1 waitress available, but we were given water and a menu. There is a separate bar back there but we had to order wine through the waitress. There was some..interesting music playing rather loudly. Lots of hip/hop and rap, which I am fine with most of the time. I KNOW it was a Friday night but this is supposed to be a wine bar, not a nightclub. Finally we ordered a flight each, me for house wines, my party for premium, and 2 dips. We wanted to avoid too much dairy. I was ok with my wine, but a flight usu is 4 of something, not just 3, see my pic. The waitress was patient, professional and informative. The dips were delicious, and then we ordered charcuterie. I'd love to try the 'fatbreads' but we were doing low-carb that night! We ordered a full glass of one of the wines we tasted. At the end, the bill was $151! for the 2 of us! Yikes! I have been to wine clubs such as Cooper's Hawk where I would have had to get a 90 Minute Tasting and dinner to spend that much! The bathroom was nicely decorated and clean, and there are 2, all-gender, one at a time deals. I did not ask them to turn the music down as I don't want the staff to think I am 80 years old! I would go back to try the Fatbread and a glass of wine; the old pics on the wall and decorations are nice, but the prices are kind of high, and the music/atmosphere is too clubby.

Watched & Juliet here and the theater is truly stunning. The beautiful gold carvings and details…read morethroughout the theater make it such a fun place to see a show, and the seats were great. My only complaint is that I wish there were bathrooms on every level instead of only on the bottom and third floors. Besides that, it was a great experience!

This is the largest of the many theatres around downtown that I've been to. I'm pretty sure it has…read morea lot more seats than the nederlander, Chicago theatre, CIBC, etc. From the main downtown area it's not too bad to get to, ~ a 15 minute walk. Because the theatre seats so many, some of the seats have a pretty skewed view. E.g. front balcony left side and right side almost require you to be always turned to one side to see most of the stage. The number of staff is also not enough to keep track of phone usage and talking, and I observed a lot of both during a recent show. On the plus side, the stage itself is nice and there are some beautiful paintings around the theatre. Overall, though, I think the seating options and etiquette at the other theatres has been much better, and I'd prefer watching shows at them instead.