First timer at an ale fest, and it was a fun date night (even though my husband doesn't drink beer…read moreand ended up walking around with me and/or sitting by the band all night). The drink ticket price seems pretty reasonable, considering it gets you 20 samples. But the cost for a designated driver pass is a little steep in my opinion ($19). What is that $19 for exactly?? The band? Because it didn't include free soda. They did have free boxed water - but that was for everyone, which was nice. There were a few food vendors, which were just okay. It did the job. Our favorite was Nothing Bundt Cakes. For $20, you got 4 small cakes and a zippered cooler case. They give you a lanyard with a punchcard, and a 4 oz (or 3 oz??) sample glass to take home as a keepsake. You go to each tent, pick your beer, and they fill your glass. Most vendors will mark off one of the 20 spots on your card, to keep track, but a few vendors just gave samples to me without marking my card. They have chairs set up in front of the band, so you can relax in between samples. The country singer did a nice job - he had a few folks out there dancing along. There was a large wooden block "Jenga" game set up for people to play in between sampling. The lines to the port-o-pottys weren't bad. Usually just 1 or 2 people in front of you. Just don't forget to lock the door behind you! Too many people were forgetting and having the doors opened on them (myself included...). :-O There was a pretty large selection of local beers and a few classics (Sam Adams, Guinness, etc.). I tend to lean towards wheat ales, but I didn't find any of those. Unfortunately I don't like IPAs, but I'm starting to like stouts, so it was nice to try a few of those. I'm not sure we'll be back next year. It was just something to try out once. I recommend anyone who likes beer to check it out though!

All in all the Ale Feat was fantastic this year. This is our second year in a row and we are very…read morepleased with the expansion. I would like to see a few more food booths and a better way to display the art so it was more of an event I know they're working on it and they did a really good job transitioning from year to year. We will be back next year!

Look for parking ... Took a half hour…read more Walk to the festival took 15 minutes Stand in line to buy tickets Stand in line to go through security Stand in line at ATM Stand in line for beer tickets Stand in line for beer Stand in line for food Stand in line for bathroom Stand in line for beer Standing sucks ... Let's go home! 15 minute walk back to the car.

We came solely to see the hot air balloons. They did mini rides for people but it's not what I…read moreexpected. They never really left the ground. It was a big fest with a carnival, two stages ( Rock and country), and lots of food and vendors. The short fire works show at 945 was nice too. The area was huge with a pond and little bridge. The food we got was Super nasty. The $15 chicken kabob was all fat and the $9 turkey leg was hard and almost raw. NASTY! !!. We wasted money and threw the food out. Not worth it coming from Chicago. I rather go to a different fest.

Me and my wife go to Veggie Fest every year and a surprise that there is a Yelp page that I just…read morediscovered. The best thing about this event is that it is free! They have complimentary shuttles though they went from school buses to scooters recently. The people here are very friendly and it features a very diverse guest, speakers and vendors that showcase themselves. I do think it's weird that this year they had a vendor that was selling beef tallow products. It didn't seem like something that would fit the mold of veggie fast. The vendors always have great free samples too. Parking could be a bit of a hassle too but overall I like coming here every year. It's generally the same event if you've been here before but overall it's worth checking out if you practice a healthy lifestyle or want to get into one.

2026 this year was at Danada South Park, 2701 Navistar Circle, Lisle, IL 60532…read more They have a very organized website with vendors, demo and speaker schedule. Map, food court and labeled GF. The food court had lots of choices to choose from. Pay $1 for 1 ticket, so we went around to check how many tickets are needed for a drink or a meal. Then we went to purchase our tickets. Free entry, many vendors offered free samples. A few vendors found out came from out of state. So many offered to purchase online for those that sold out of the supplies they brought. Which many did get sold out on Sunday. There are Police on site and staff does bag checks, so very safe. Staff in parking lot to guide you to a parking spot, which made it very very easy and quick to park and leave. There were staff inside picking up garbage. Very organized and clean. Definitely plan to come back next year.

We had so much fun. Plenty of parking near downtown. We parked near red mango and walked by the…read moreriver but didn't need to. We got there about 2 hours after the event began. Lot of people were already fully drenched in colors! the only pet peeve was that we were asked to get tickets first and then stand in a long line to buy colors. I'd've bought colors from home if i knew I'd have to stand in long lines for an hour. The event was free - but not really. great desi music to dance to! next time i'm getting all my friends and bring my colors!

I had never gone to this before, but it was super fun! The food was great and decently-priced for…read morebeing a festival ($2 to $5), the entertainment was fantastic (a live band plus some classical Indian dance groups), not to mention the super fun colors being thrown everywhere. (They sell colors on-site for $2 each, and you get quite a few. We bought one of each color available to split among our group of six people and we had more than enough). When we left we were sufficiently covered from head to toe. It was a bit chilly, but that can't be helped. I'd totally come back again next year. Everyone was so great and welcoming (strangers dancing with you, decorating you with colored powder, etc.). Super fun.

We usually have a good time out here. There's a stage area for the bands to play, and they put out…read morea ton of chairs. Good news is, there's no line at the beer tents and plenty of food. Unfortunately, I had gotten rear ended in the parking garage downtown and they didn't leave a note.

I have been going to the fest for a long time, mostly to see cover bands. They usually get a good…read moreoffering of bands. You do pay a cover to see the bands. Parking can be tight. Check the deck first. Local businesses sponsor the event and money raised goes towards scholarships.

I love this fair. There are so many talented artists displaying their work. It's truly inspiring. I…read moregot so many design ideas from spending a couple of days here. It spans a couple of blocks on Jefferson and takes place annually in Sept. It's really worth it if you enjoy art and want to support artists There's no security checkpoints unlike the last fling. No entry fees. There are no food or drink venders, but there are porta-potties around if you're desperate enough to use one Check it out! The art is beautiful even if you have no plans to purchase

I've still been coming to this fair for years since it's conveniently located for me, but I agree…read morewith my sentiments from the review some years back. This is definitely the more costly art fair in town, but you will find all kinds of interesting paintings, sculptures, jewelry, fiber art, and more to browse. Saw a few unique things, like moving sculptures from found metal objects, and the really cool "Boxed Music" wooden drums (see video)! I've been some years when it has been beastly hot, and it's on the street so it's pretty punishing; this year wasn't too bad but still pretty toasty. Not a lot for small kids to do, though there were a few kid-oriented activity booths I saw. Dick Blick Art Supplies and the Naperville Art League were also present. Overall, always worth a look for something new, but bring the big bucks.

I bought a groupon for this event which said I needed to register it online through a website…read morecalled extremetix. The red print at the top said I had correctly entered my grouoon code and that my credit card would not be charged. Unfortunately the $80 charge showed up on my boyfriend's credit card and I had also paid the $50 for the groupon. I tried calling extremetix and they were not helpful at all. They basically told me "not our problem, take it up with groupon" and that they would not refund me. Then the weather turned rainy. I checked the website and it said the event would be held rain or shine. After spending $130 on tickets to the wine fest I was determined to go and my boyfriend was working the following night, so Friday was our only option. We drove all the way down to Naperville and parked, only to be turned away at the entrance and told the event was cancelled due to rain. I again looked at the website which said it would keep patrons updated and there was no information on its closure. I told them what happened with the ticketing issue and was told there was no one to help me there. Fast forward to today, we were told we could use Friday tickets for today and they were working on what to do for the people who could not attend today. Last I checked, they made the decision they were not granting refunds and the festival was at capacity. So here I am down $130 for 4 tickets (when I only wanted the two for $50) and I didn't even get to go to the wine festival. Stay far away from this place!!!

OK, so I attended the Naperville Wine Festival today, and it was pretty good except for one little…read morething... they had at least one cigar vendor. For me, cigars have no place at a wine festival. None. They smell, and the smell travels and seems to permeate the entire venue. My experience with the tasting is two-fold as well. It seems like the bigger, more established vendors are more interested in taking tickets than getting their wines tasted (and potential buyers) than the small shops. Oh, and the search for the perfect Pinot Grigio is still unfinished, despite my efforts. The Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc is still my favorite white.

This was our first time attending the Dupage Native Plant Sale. It is now held at the Dupage Event…read moreCenter and Fairgrounds. Parking and admission were free. This is a 2 day event selling over 150 different types of native flowers,grasses,shrubs and trees. There were many volunteers around to ask questions and get recommendations. Plants are not restocked daily so best is to go early on the first day. It gets crowded and with so many people pulling wagons and carts,patience is required! They do have a few trays to use but best is to bring your own boxes. Cash,check or credit cards are accepted but I wish the checkout area was in a different location than where the plants were being sold as the lines for checkout were very long. Proceeds benefit the Dupage Forest Preserve.

Amazing! Loved checking out all the 4-H projects! Special shout out to @ikonicglass for an amazing…read moreglass blowing experience!

We went on July 4 hoping to see fireworks and hear Melissa Etheridge and the Stray Cats. It was a…read moreno to the first and partials for the 2nd two. We got an online discount so buying online isn't always a ripoff. I wasn't crazy about the lack of info for the shuttle service. We took the Metra in and read that shuttles came there, but we go off the train and foolishly crossed over, looking for a bus or a sign. After 10 min we got an Uber, THEN realized where the shuttles were; next time they should post signs on where to look for the shuttle. It was great when we arrived, you gotta go to Just North of Memphis for ribs and PEACH BREAD PUDDING. The mac n cheese was ok, so-so, but I never heard of peach bread pudding, it was to LIVE for! They cleared the park around 6 when no lightning was present, and we stood in the HOT gym across the street. Luckily Melissa had barely started, and we were able to stand outside as nothing major happened yet. We went back in, ate more and missed most of Melissa, then around 8 or so it really was lightning and about to rain, and we just managed to hear the Stray Cats do their #1 song 'Stray Cat Strut'. By 9 the whole thing was cancelled, and we sought out the shuttle buses as the rain started. I may go again next year in a car.

I came here for the first time on July 6th and had such a fun time! The weather was actually not…read morescorching hot for once, so I was able to fully enjoy what Ribfest had to offer without melting away in the heat. Parking: While there are many paid parking options, there is free parking out there if you don't mind a walk! Considering the fact that I was there for the food, I didn't mind walking it off. Saves me the cash! Tickets: Don't buy tickets online. I knew people who bought online and paid way too much. Because this Ribfest had quite a few event cancellations due to weather, they slashed ticket prices HARD. My boyfriend and I paid $10 for the two of us. Much better than paying $30+ per person! Buy tickets at the door for sure. Food: Omg the ribs were amazing. I highly recommend Texas Outlaw, which was hands-down the best rib offering around. They also made an awesome mac and cheese! I also tried ribs from Johnson's and Memphis but they were nowhere near as good. My only complaint about the ribs is that you are blindly purchasing them. I wish they would put together a little guide about the different restaurants there to help people decide which ribs to try. Since it's pretty easy to get overwhelmed with food and spending here, I recommend ordering the smallest amount of ribs from a booth and splitting that with a buddy. You'll cover more ground this way and will be able to try out more of the rib options without feeling like death. There's plenty of additional food out there aside from ribs. Dippin' dots were a refreshing sweet treat! Bands: I didn't really care about any of the entertainment--I was just there for the ribs. With that being said, the band offered nice background music. No complaints here. Seating: While eating, it's nice to get a seat. They offer lots of communal seating under a tent right next to where the band plays. Getting a seat was not an issue for me at any point. However, people do bring lawn chairs to just plop down anywhere. I think that's a good idea for sure. Sponsors: There are several alleys of sponsors set up at booths. Northwestern had a life-sized Operation game which was a ton of fun, and Arthur Murray dance studio gave out postcards for a free dance lesson. There were quite a few other fun freebies--including the BRILLIANT person who was giving away water, which saved me some cash instead of having me buy it at the food tents--but beware of all the weird home improvement tents. Those people were super pushy and epitomize a hard sell. FYI--Interestingly, I also randomly saw Gov Bruce Rauner here. He told me to enjoy the ribs, which I did, lol. Entertainment: There are lots of carnival rides for which you can purchase tickets, but I think they are a waste of money. There is an entire section of family-friendly and FREE activities to do. This includes a petting zoo, magic show, and plenty more fun giveaways. All in all, I had a wonderful time and am so glad that I went! I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime. This is a perfect summer event and the best summer festival in the 'burbs.

VOUCHER VEXATION The…read moreTaste of Bolingbrook is a great way to enjoy local businesses, but they need to revisit their ticketing scheme for 2026. This annual event is free to the public and takes place at the Bolingbrook Promenade towards the end of May. There's a decent variety of vendors although some are repeats (places serving the same thing) and some are ripoffs. I didn't see any public bathrooms, so we just used Macy's. The food & drink tickets themselves were a GIGANTIC 4" x 8". Who designed these, held the stack of proofs and honestly thought it was a reasonable size?? Bear in mind, a typical "keep this stub" raffle ticket measures 1" x 2", so what they gave people were SIXTEEN TIMES bigger than necessary. There were a handful of non-food vendors, like Ivy Hall (spin the wheel for bonus loyalty points), a 3D printing shop, Bolingbrook Garden Club, and several home remodeling companies. We really appreciated the sensory oasis, which gave our little guy an opportunity to color and relax for a bit. The lumpia (tiny crispy egg rolls, 4 for $4) from Riceby were tasty, as were the onigiri (we got pork belly adobo and beef bulgogi for $7/ea). I settled for mediocre sliders from Star Cinema Grill (2 for $9), no way I was waiting half an hour for Uncle Booker's BBQ or street tacos. A lot of people were confused that vendors were ticket only; naturally, lines to buy tickets stretched two dozen deep. My wife waited 20 minutes for a lobster roll from the Maine Lobster food truck, and it wasn't all that delicious, nor did it come with chips or a side (plus it was $25 fu%!#g dollars!) Beer was disappointing. A Miller Lite was $7 and we assumed we'd be getting 16oz tallboys......nope, 12oz cans. I rarely drink just one beer but at that size and price (coupled with the fact I didn't want to burn up precious tickets) it was a one-and-done brewski for me. * TL;DR * This was an otherwise nice event hampered by long lines, questionable prices and oddly oversized tickets. Don't get me wrong, this is a solid way to kill a few hours on a Saturday in early summer, I just wish food & drink were a little more affordable and the vouchers a little more ergonomic. I also disliked that food and alcohol shared the same tickets, so at some point it came down to "do I spend my last 7 tickets on a shitty beer or an undercooked slider?" Long waits at nearly every vendor discouraged me from trying things I wanted to sample. The tickets were FAR too large to fit into pockets, so unless you brought a backpack you were awkwardly holding onto them the entire time. The live music was nice, though. Unless things change for the better, we might pass on next year's Taste of Bolingbrook.

Decent little festival held at the Bolingbrook promenade. Kinda annoying that you have to get…read moretickets. Cash is king as card charges a convenience fee. (And I heard from a friend that attended later in the day it changed to cash only). I sampled some sliders from Ted's and ice cream nachos from the creamery. The vendors and food are spread out. Bathrooms in decent shape for a crowded event!