This was my first time at this fest and we had a great time. There was a great selection of…read morevendors who had a wide variety of dogs and most also had a traditional Chicago dog as they should! We were there for 16 Candles and they are just pros at the festival circuit. I loved the Depression Dog from Enzo's, the Rahm and Obama from Chicago Doghouse. The Snoop Dog from flashy was good but I felt they were a little skimpy on the toppings and their lines were very confusing as they made people wait to order. And don't breeze past Taco in a Bag as they have fun takes on dogs! We did not go to the bouncy houses but that are looked awesome! There does need to be more porta pottys. We hit them at 730 on night one and was almost full and no tp! Would also love for there to be hand washing stations especially since hotdogs are eaten with your hands. Signage for having to purchase dog dollars and where to do it need to look different than the rest of the signage so people notice, or have it mentioned an beverage tent signage. I saw so many wait in line order drinks to have to leave them due to no dog dollars (although I also thought "have you never been to a festival before?"). All in all fun event! Glad there was Goode Island Green Line and happy to see the Chicago Dogs baseball team doing marketing there. Hope to be back next year!

This was my first time at the Chicago Hot Dog Festival, and I'm so glad to have checked it out…read more PARKING: It's close to Lincoln Park Zoo, so street parking is pretty much non-existent unless you get lucky. There IS a $20 lot directly across the street. We used Spot Hero to find something cheaper. EVENT: There is a $5 SUGGESTED donation. We didn't. :X Highlights: - Many jumpy/climby houses for the kiddies - Some craft/goods vendors - Live music - Tables w seats/umbrellas AND tall standing tables - FOOD, incl. ice cream, but c'mon: hot dogs. Duh. Aforementioned FOOD: Lines varied Sunday afternoon. The longest wait time was 10 minutes or so. 1/2 size hot dogs are usually $4-5, with fulls $8-10 (except Fatso's $5 Veggie). Bottled water is $2. Tip: as with any fest, bring your own water to cut costs. I had two halves: + Char Dog (Fatso's) - 4/5 flavor, 3/5 value Standard Chicago-style dog but charred. The char taste was great, but the size? An absolute teeny tiny "half." I'd argue the dog was 1/3 size a regular link. + Momona (Chubby Weiner) - 4/5 The dog was wrapped in BACON and topped with pineapple, bleu cheese crumbles, and a drizzle of some sort. Very good. The line backed up easily, though, since the two girls taking orders ignored customers and just meandered for a while. No joke. Very annoying. The only full-sized dog I ate: + Veggie (Fatso's) - 3.5/5 Panko-crusted eggplant, sweet potato, and bell pepper hotdog, Chi-style. It had good flavor, but was total mush to eat. That's not atypical since some veggie burgers can be like that, too, depending on the ingredients used. The amount of mustard and onions they put on overwhelmed the "dog" flavor. It's nice to see veggie options, though - and for only $5! I shared some fries ($4 for a massive portion at Edzo's), water, spent UNDER $20, and left STUFFED. I'm not quite sure how people can drop $50 unless they're spending it on alcohol (it's about $6 per beer) too. OVERALL: Great event to get your encased meats fix!

It's a cute thing for kid and adults alike. The bands were fantastic always love music. The…read morelights are fun to see turned on. It's really a nice time for all and this year was not bad weather

Well worth the hour's wait in the chill. We weren't going to pop on down unless it had stopped…read moreraining, which it did! The crowd was just gathering at Chicago and Michigan Aves. so that "one hour early" was enough to ensure a front row look. Next year, would actually recommend standing at the north side of any intersection since the police and photogs tend to stand at the south side and they may obscure the view. It's pretty unique to see a dark Michigan Avenue at dusk. No lights are on along the Mile....they're awaiting the beginning of the parade which kicks off with Mickey and Minnie lighting up each section as they go. It's a high pitched "ahhhhhh!" from every section of crowd as the lead float progresses and the magic wand is waved over the lights! Other than the "Revenge of the Nutcracker!" (they couldn't get him upright due to the wind - which was gusty) every participant seemed to be proceeding along as planned. The giant Shedd octopus blew bubbles overhead as the Garrett Popcorn flies! Honestly, we left our spot to watch the procession as people screamed and ran after the Garrett's truck. And, Garretts really was tossing out some high quality Chicago mix bags. Worth the chase! Just like at Wrigley, I saw a guy holding an infant stretch out and grab a mid-air bag while never waking the kid! (It was funny to have a "Cubs" visual since that's the last parade I've been to!) It was fantastic to meet the parents of two kids in a marching band from downstate and also to visit with a traveler from Alberta, Canada. The Mag Mile was packed with holiday spirit and I'd recommend this parade if you want a fun way to kick off the holidays. End note: Sponsored by among others, BMO/Harris and Southwest Airlines (the official airlines of the Mag Mile in fact!) Loved the Harris Lion balloon and yes, SWA was tossing peanuts into the crowd. We also nabbed the new Frango mints. The website had great details about parade route, start time etc for your next year reference. PS! Pierrot Gourmet had a festive sidewalk scene for a couple hours post-parade...check it out next year!

La Palma by Chef Antonia is the best Puerto Rican food around! Always fresh and delicious authentic…read morePuerto Rican steak Pasteles plantains goat you name it they got it

If you weren't at the spot, I don't know what you were doing. Every year, the Puerto Rican Fest…read morebrings it! First things first about the Fest, it's free. That's right. No matter where you happen upon the Park to enter into a boricua wonderland, you won't have to pay a penny for the privilege of having some world class fun. You hear that, Art Fairs and Neighborhood fests??!! Here at the FP, there are no jack booted Chads and Trixies shaking folks down for a $20 'donation' just to enter the 'free' festival aka public streets and walkways [but what a great scam that is; wish I'd have thought of it]. If you're not a fabulous jet-setter like Vamsi or Preet (mm-hmm, that's right; I called you out for going to Puerto Rico and not taking me), this might be the next best thing. I like to enter the Park/Fest at North & California. I walk south down California, past the shirt, corn and other vendors and then cut up into the Park at the first closed gate. This route will also let you gaze into one of the many water ways of Humboldt Park and marvel at its beauty. Walk past the big rig trucks and you'll come upon the midway. Remember when you were a kid and went to the state fair? Well, all the awesome rides of your youth are here for you to enjoy: haunted house, tilt-a-whirl, bumper cars, etc. But watch out: there are plenty of youngsters and families about and, apparently, it's bad form to push the little kids out of the way so you can cut in line. Who knew? You need tickets to ride the ride, but there are plenty of booths that will trade your money for tickets. After you've thrown up from the rides (or been escorted out of line by the CPD, potato potatoe), play some carnival games (whack a mole, ring toss, dart throw, that water-gun-horse-game that makes no sense and a host of others) or get some grub! Games are everyday. Corn pancakes with melted cheese inside only comes once a year. There's so much food! Rice, pork, sweet plantains, pinchos (pronounce the "p"; otherwise it'll sound like you asked for a bicho which will get you either a slap or a date), empanadillas, pinonoes, alcapurrias and other fried deliciousness. As tempting as it will be to get food at the first booth you see, don't. Window shop, compare prices and go for the places with the longest lines. Some people walk and eat. Um, no. I need a seat. You can try to blend in with the bingo-playing grandmas (prime real estate with a tarp, chairs and everything) but they tend to side-eye you if you aren't playing. There are plenty of grassy tree lounges or benches. I don't do dirt, so I rec. the bench. Be aware that they are hot and you will burn your culo. Be prepared. Has all that food left you thirsty? If so, grab a hollowed-out pineapple filled with pina colada. They look great and are re-fillable. They're also huge (around $8). I heard that this is an alcohol-free event, but I also heard someone got a $10 strawberry daquiri that was 60% rum, 35% ice and 5% strawberries. I also heard this person fell down after drinking half of it. No, I don't have a bruise. While you sip your fruity beverage, tour the various booths. Register to vote, buy a quality knock-off (no Fendis out of trunks at this Fest), get some body oils, various Puerto Rican flag clothing or people watch. I saw a little kid with a tricked out tricycle that played, no, BUMPED, music and had a chrome box on the back. But for the witnesses, I would have jacked him for it. It was really nice. Still anxious for more? Good. The event producers are on top of their game and they have a ton of corporate sponsors. That means money for great music acts, quality sound systems, corporate tents (the Wrigley tent has Wii games to play, flavored oxygen to breathe and cooling centers) and various contests. My favorite contest is the reggaeton dance-for-concert-tickets contest which always devolves to an ass-shaking competition. It's awesome. There's plenty of popping, dropping, toe touching, wiggling, shaking, stripping and floor humping - and those are the men; seriously. But male contestants have to leave their shirts on. "There are kids in the audience." I've never stayed to see the night concerts. Invariably, I am sunburned, tipsy and in the early throes of a food coma. From what I hear, the night concerts are a lot of fun...but the frolicking family atmosphere of the day is replaced by the tomfoolery of teens and young adults. Since I am a brownstone stoop away from beating those self-same youngsters with a cane, I leave before dark. But the really good reggaeton, bachata, etc. acts are at night so...choose wisely according to interest. Forget what you heard about how 'scary' HP is and get to the Fest. It's so much fun. For a week, everyone is Puerto Rican. Get your flag, attach it to your car, cruise the circuit, honk your horn and viva boricua/Puerto Rico.

Charged an illegal fee for entry. Turned people away for…read morerefusing said illegal fee. Lied to city official about said fee.

This new 'festival' was fantastic and a great success in my opinion! Two live bands (16 Candles…read morebeing the one I caught) in the same corridor as the Sunday Farmers Market (from Morse to Lunt). + Free admission + Cheap drinks at sponsoring Glenwood + Composed crowd - I don't have to deal with all the drunk suburb tweens puking on the street during Pride... Okrrrr. - Long lines for the bathroom (Glenwood) or porta-potty. I heard there were around 2,000 that came to the festival, not bad for a 6 hour window after the parade. Hope they bring this back next year! Wish they would extend the area a bit though - perhaps open up the northbound side of Glenwood Ave for another stage/band, or maybe down Morse Ave (like during the Arts Fest).

Early Morning, April 4 (or actually July) Gay guys sing out…read morein the Chicagoland Sky Equal at last, it took all our lives But they could not take our Pride! In the name of love Parade in the name of love Being in Chicago for the Pride Parade was a real experience. It messes with traffic and messes with homophobic people of which there are plenty - especially in the rich suburbs of Chicagoland but I'll tell you what. This is one of the best Pride festivals and parades that you'll ever see. Some of the cops were making questionable statements about some of the people marching, which wasn't much fun to listen to. The whole area of town where they March is a very LGBTQ-friendly area to begin with and one of the coolest parts of town. It's a place where I hang out a lot anyway when I'm in Chicago. The third great city of the US makes a real effort and the buildings downtown are adorned with the rainbow flags and even though the already awful traffic of the weekend is made more awful, it's well worth coming in and checking it out for yourself. We loved every second. I didn't like that all the gay clubs around here closed really early or were not even open on the night of the parade and as I said, some of the cops that were hanging around after the parade was over were making unfortunate remarks and being a little bit stereotypical. BOSE is pretty stereo typical too. But in a good way.

June is nothing without Pride! I love celebrating and enjoying the marvelous performers. I have…read moreheard always wanted to explore Chicago's Pride festivities. I am glad I had the opportunity to check out the festival the week before the parade and concert. I enjoyed seeing all the people celebrating with joy and supporting local LGBTQA+ artists. There were great performers in 3 different stages at each side of the street. The festival was free with a $15 donation option. One can enter and exit as pleased as long as they kepy the sticker we receive upon entering. This was a family friendly event, so it was great to see families and little ones enjoying the festivities. The only draw backs were that the festival was a bit overcrowded and wished there were room to walk around and chances to sit and relax. We couldn't find many places and at times saw individuals with physical disabilities struggle getting around the crowd. Overall, It was a fun event to explore. I look forward to next year's festivities and catching the parade!

Evanston holds a lot of events throughout the year and with so many of them happening in the…read moresummer, there are many options to choose from. I've gone to a number of them over the years and find Custer Fair to be a top summer destination in the city. During our walk down Main street, Chicago, Washington, and Custer Avenues (this fair covers 4 streets) a few notable things I saw were vendors selling air plants hung from glass containers, vintage Chicago posters, handcrafted jewelry, a caricature artist, cool hand crafted toys for kids and, if you wanted to relax from all the walking, there was a booth that charged for chair massage. The food stalls had a good mix which included typical carnival fair like funnel cakes and corndogs. They also had a Taqueria stall, local craft beer, Pina colada stand, Texas bbq, Gyros, and Soba noodles. With all the savory food and tempting refreshments abound, the real hero on a hot 90 degree day was the lemonade stand. Every refreshing cup of lemonade had a whole half lemon in it. I was able to double my servings of lemonade by squeezing the half lemon and adding water and sugar when I got home afterwards. Bonus! Consider yourself lucky if you've scored a parking spot around the neighborhood. You will need to arrive an hour prior to opening to find a space. Your best bet is to take public transport by taking the Purple line train and get off on the Main Street station. It takes you right there. Pro Tip: Most stalls are cash only establishments with a few taking credit/debit cards. If you forget to bring cash, there is a Chase bank less than a block and a half across from the Main street purple line stop south on Chicago Avenue.

I had the honor to work at one of the food vendors this year. In fact, it was my first time…read moreexploring the "Custer Fair" in Evanston. I was quite impressed by the number and the variety of merchants that participated. I guess the time has changed and we are becoming a cashless society. Many vendors were able to accept credit cards (with a surcharge fee). Nevertheless, the trusty green bucks still would still get you all-inclusive access! There was at least one (1) PNC bank ATM outside the CTA Main Purple Line station for visitors' convenience. The sound quality for the music lineups was decent. Fortunately, our area wasn't bombarded with an excessive volume while the concerts were in session. The tent we set up was near the center stage, and thankfully, we didn't have to "shout" to the customers to ask for their orders. As always, most ladies can have a difficult time getting used to the porta potties. Here's my recommendation: be patient and reserve some energy by going to the nearest grocery/Liquor stores, such as WholeFoods, Target, Trader Joe's, and Binny's to use their facilities. They are not located feet away from the festival, but within walkable distances.

One of the best of the best summer weekend festivals around Chicago. Hungry - choose from around 25…read morelocal vendors; thirsty - no problem; games and rides for the kids - voila!; Music - nearly non-stop - vendors with clothing, crafts, jewelry, toys, beauty items, candles - enjoy. See you next year!

I have not been to Taste of Elmwood for decades and it has not changed. It had several food…read morevendors, at reasonable prices. Everything from Italian, Mexican and American. To purchase alcoholic drinks you are required to get carded and a wristband, regardless of age. Cocktails were good, but a bit pricey for the size. There were music events throughout the fest.

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!