Have been trying to get to this event for a few years now, and now, having been, am regretting not…read moremaking the time for it when I first learned of it. The encampment of volunteer re-eneactors was much bigger than I was expecting, and the quality of the participants was thru the roof. The volunteers are very willing to fill you in on their particular take on history, be it fur-trading, carpentry, candle making, surveying or any other activity you can find there. A few helpful hints: - You have to do a fair amount of walking from the parking lot to the encampment on a grass path - so wear walking shoes and dress appropriately, and, if it's cold, wear layers - you'll be warmed up and stripped down by the time you arrive. - Bring a camera - lots of photo ops, especially if you have kids. If walking is an issue, check out their website for info on special needs parking. - Plan to buy lunch there - the foods available are not what you might expect - bison burgers, fish boil, elk stew and to drink, cider, lemonade and coffee/tea. - Bring your own bottles of water - water is hard to come by in any form - they do not allow bottled water for sale at this event. - Bring some cash for a fun purchase - for example - a hank of hemp fiber, a hollow cow form, a powder horn, old-fashioned candy, trading beads, etc. There is no ATM. :-) - Set aside some time to try the old-time games. - Get there early and leave late. We got there at 11, and had to leave by 3, due to another commitment - we should have gotten there at opening and left at closing - we could have used a lot more time to see everything - we probably only saw about 1/2 of the re-enactors. Would I recommend: Yes yes yes! Would I return: Yes!

If I do not go to this, my year is not complete…read more My History teacher offered extra credit to go to this and ever since I was hooked. You start off walking down this mile long trail as you are surrounded by prairie grass, trees and hills created by the glacier that ran through there long ago. Along the way you can talk to reenactors from the 1670's-1850's in the former Northwest Territory. When you get to the end of the trail it opens into this large open area where there are food stands, more reenactors with job specific stations where they talk about and show you their professions. I always liked the trader skinning the beaver and the Indian talking about how the white man got his daughter but he scalped them. They also have an area where they create a canoe the way the Indians did. Oh and they have food! Get the kettle corn, get a large bag, you will regret it if you don't. They have this giant cauldron and make it there in front of you while you wait forever in line. They have all kinds of jerky (bison, elk, deer, you name it) They have chili, pickles, corn chowder and turkey legs. The overall experience is wonderful and leaves you feeling nostalgic about it leading up to next year's reopening.

Looks like some small town fun! Buy your $5 ticket, grab a spoon, taste some beers, mingle, go for…read morea hayride, have some fun. Some nice classic cars, too. It smells fantastic. Gonna go judge some chilis now, yum! I'm on number 5 of about 10! S'mores a littke later. Yay! Update to follow.

I love the Bristol Renaissance Faire. I've been trying to make a tradition to go at least once…read moreevery summer, and this was my 4th time here. Even this being my 4th time, there's still so much I have yet to do! The activities, games, shopping, and shows are endless. It's open from 10am-7pm, and you really need to spend all day here. The time goes by extremely fast. We arrived at around 12pm and left around 6pm and it felt like we were only there for like an hour. It was raining though, so most of our time was spent seeking cover lol. Usually it is very crowded, but the rain pretty much scared everyone off and there were basically no lines for food which was great for us. I tried a few things I haven't before, including sassafras ($2), corn fritters ($11), and curly fries. We also got an affogato ($10) and a turkey leg ($19)--a must when at the ren faire. All the food is pretty good and I've never been disappointed by anything. There are so many shops selling beautiful and some handmade things. Everything is going to be pricey so plan accordingly. For two people combined, we probably spent around $200-$300 on everything including for tickets and parking. The nice thing is all the shows are free (tips accepted), so if you see multiple shows it's worth it. The ticket prices go up about $4 every year, but you can get a small discount if you buy them from Menards (this year was $44 vs the $48 online price, plus you get the 11% rebate). There are two parking lots. One that is right outside the entrance ($20) and one that is a bit of a walk away but you can save $10. My favorite activities and shows the past few years are definitely archery, vegetable justice (hilarious), the joust to the death, maypole dance, drum jam finale, fire whip show, and the lady with the cat that does tricks. If you stay until the very end, you can watch the queen and everyone parade outside and wave goodbye to you! Hopefully next year I can finally try out one of the wooden carnival rides.

I have been a rennie for more than half my life at this point, so I'm going to be brutally honest…read morehere, and it hurts to say this, but it's no longer worth it to go to Bristol. They have been jacking up prices since COVID, until we are at $48 per adult ticket this year. So a couple is basically out a hundred bucks to get in the gate. This doesn't include parking ($35 for VIP, $20 for preferred, $10 for ADA/disabled, and $10 for general parking), and of course don't forget the cost of food, products from the vendors, and tips for the entertainers. And yes everything in the world has gotten more expensive, but I wouldn't mind it nearly as much if any of the infrastructure was improved, which it has not been for years. How about better sun tarps over the seating areas, improved accessibility of walkways and bridges? Also, some of our favorite acts were performing for one weekend only, so if you can't make it, you're out of luck. Social media has caused a boom in popularity for something that used to be considered quirky and weird. I don't know if jacking up prices is just a way to avoid putting a cap on ticket sales per day? But as it is, they are driving away long-time attendees and thus changing the face of faire. Maybe they don't care; money is money, after all, if that's all you want. But I'll be seeking out some grassroots faires after this year unless something changes, and bid Bristol a sorrowful farewell after years of fond memories.

My visit to Shiloh House (the name of the historical society's building) was nothing short of…read morespectacular. The house is so loving presented, and the woman receiving my visit has deep ties to the community as well as a very sweet nature. She shared as much information as I had time for, which was an awful lot. Fans lightly hummed to keep the air flowing, and classical music played on the second of three floors to keep the visit inviting. There is something for most people here: beautiful furniture, pictures of the early settlers, artifacts from the early industries, gorgeous woodwork and a lovely staircase, and stories that can last for hours. Zion seems like such an overlooked spot in Illinois, but it's at least worth a visit to support the house (a donation of $7 is requested) and bask in its magic.

We booked Simmons Auditorium in May 2015 with Allison for our wedding reception Saturday, May 28,…read more2016 and we were very pleased with the location and it did not disappoint. Cindy the event coordinator that started in January 2016 was great! We were disappointed that one of our vendors told us about the staff change at the Kemper Center and that Allison was no longer there as of November 2015. As the bride, I did not hear directly from anyone at the Kemper Center about the staff change. As a professional courtesy, at the very least they would reach out to their clients that have events booked when there is a staff change, but they didn't. Lucky for the "powers that be" Cindy is wonderful and wow'd us! She is super friendly and knowledgeable about weddings and events and all around great to work with. From the first phone call to the goodbye hug at 11:45pm on the night of our reception Cindy was so helpful, professional, accommodating and amazing. She went above and beyond with helping us with the plans for our reception. Cindy explained everything and made sure we understood all our options for drinks and liquor services. The day/night of the event the entire staff was incredible and the venue was clean and perfectly set up! The staff was super efficient and effective! The AC was cranking out and everyone had an amazing time!! The entire staff at the Kemper Center was amazing as well. James was particularly helpful and definitely provided extraordinary customer service at the reception. He went above and beyond in terms of service and all around was simply great! The grounds were lovely and it was a picture perfect day to take lots of photos. We loved every moment. The only slight disappointment was the fountain was not on so we didn't take any pictures around it otherwise it was a splendid day that we will cherish for many years to come!!!

We had used Founder's Hall for our wedding reception March 2020. The room was great and worked…read moreperfectly for our event, but when it came to communication last before the event, they were on the slower side to respond and answer questions, however all questions got answered. When it came to the event the hosts were extremely kind and so helpful when needed. They are quite pricey, but worth it. They were accommodating when and where possible. I do recommend them for future events to those who are looking.

UpRooted is a nice restaurant, old school Supper Club vibe with a salad cart and plating that may…read moresometimes be reminiscent of the 1970's but food execution has always been good if occasionally a bit under-seasoned. And virtually NOBODY offers Beef Wellington anymore but you can get it here, always a treat for me. I've primarily eaten in the bar area which is large and nice, and has a fairly big/separate gaming space which is less busy than most places nearby since this is a higher end restaurant more than gaming bar. Service has always been professional and there is ample parking, definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Came for a birthday dinner. It wasn't too busy and service was great. Their old fashioned was…read moregood but not mixed up at all. You tasted everything warm on a big ice cube. No balance. Other than that a great evening. Sausage flatbread was hot and delicious. I had the lamb shank. Way too much food but it was done so well. Kudos. Their steak and chicken dishes were also a hit. The little desert cups are cute and so yummy. Very nice evening and good service.

I love Genesee Theater!…read more This smaller vintage theater has charm and elegance inside and out. The large chandeliers are gorgeous. The staff scanning tickets and the ushers are warm and welcoming. They were very helpful. All seats offer a great view. The first two rows cause you to loop up at the stage so I would recommend at least a few isles back. The shows they offer are diverse and plentiful. The more popular shows create a bit of traffic. There is street parking and a nearby parking garage.

Still Enjoying the Genesee Theatre First of all, we…read moreabsolutely love seeing concerts at the Genesee. It's a smaller, intimate venue where there really isn't a bad seat in the house. Parking couldn't be easier -- affordable parking is located literally about 50 feet from the entrance and it's only $10, which makes the whole experience even better. We paid under $100 for two Orchestra Row T seats, and since our row was empty, we moved to the middle for a better view. The show featured a full orchestra, lead singer David Jacobson, and two female vocalists. The first half highlighted Neil's softer songs, while the second half brought the energy with his bigger hits. For the price, it was a fun and enjoyable evening. We now attend at least 3 -4 events per year here!

Love this festival…read more Pros: -Free to attend. -Lighted pumpkins wall for festive Autumn Instagram pics. -I live around the area, 10 mins away, know it well so it's easy for me to score street parking but they have free shuttles via Fort Sheridan reserve parking. -Great bands on at least a couple of different stages. -Lots of food trucks, lines run from no wait to 20 min wait. It's also located on the Highwood restaurant & bar strip. Plenty of food options & you could easily score a bar seat to take a break. -Safe crowd & police presence around. -It is right at the Metra stop should you decide to leave your car behind.

It's a must see event for fall! Endless pumpkins to…read morecelebrate the beginning of the season with many activities for families in the heart of Highwood! There's many restaurants near by to explore while enjoying the arrival of pumpkins.