It was more like a neighborhood block party with some carnival rides and games than it was a…read moreOktoberfest. Spent about an hour there since it was just me and my husband and had done everything. The beer wasn't too expensive and they did have some good music. Not really the Oktoberfest German experience you would really want.

The Berwyn Oktoberfest is a blast! Sure, it's not a real Oktoberfest, it is more of a HUGE block…read moreparty like the other reviewer said, but what makes it great is that there are so many local restaurants and vendors. This is a true community festival that has retained its character. The music acts are also great and they have ample seating and security for the event. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the event, especially from the Mayor and his presence. They had a great 80s band last year that really got the crowd going! Look forward to this festival every year as a 30 something year old.

What a wonderful way to spend the day! This local festival has been running for more than a decade…read moreand it is such a gem! Fantastic food, desserts, coffees, smoothies, juices... Tons of family activities including petting zoo, inflatables, tons of jewelry and one of a kind souvenirs from Egypt. Great music, atmosphere and wonderful people make me come back every year!

The Taste of Egypt is my favorite little festival. Friendly people, savory foods, baklava,…read moretheology, camel rides, Middle Eastern music playing in the background. What's not to like? This year I enjoyed a delicious plate of marinated, grilled chicken with pita, tzatziki, rice, salad and a mango nectar soda. I could have eaten chicken and tzatziki all day! Also available were kufta, falafel, hummus & pita, stuffed grape leaves, and macaroni bechamel. For dessert I had two of the I-don't-know-how-many variations of baklava. Homemade baklava. So delicious! We then took a tour of the church from a well-prepared and engaging guide. Though we had taken the tour once before, I learned additional facts and traditions this time. If you are interested in architecture, iconography, or comparative religions you must not miss the church tour. Be sure to grab a copy of the pamphlet 'Egypt and The Copts' in the narthex (just inside the doors) of the church. We also attended a lecture by a knowledgeable presenter on the history of Christianity in Egypt. A few of us lingered afterward to discuss (Christian) church history and theology. Students and fans of comparative religions or theology will really enjoy this lecture. It's a great refresher on the history of Christianity in general. In addition, there are books for sale in the bazaar (Nefertiti's Treasures) about Egypt and about the Coptic faith. Now if tours and lectures aren't your thing, you can skip all that and take a camel ride. Yes, a camel ride! How often can you do this in the Western Suburbs? It's quite fun! You can ride alone or with others. This is not just for the kids. Both children and adults enjoy the camel rides. This year my husband and I rode the camel together. If you'd like, you can have your photo taken while on the camel. 4x6 or 8x10. It's a great souvenir of the day. I think the Taste of Egypt is a great fest for anyone. It's very family friendly -- not only can the kids ride a camel, but there's a petting zoo, a moon jump (bouncy house kind of thing) and some creative activities -- but adults without kids (like us) have a great time too. Hope to see you there next year!

Chicago is a summer of festivals and I love exploring each and every one. We saw a Groupon for…read morePorky's rib fest and decided to give it a shot! At $15 for two adult entrance tickets and free parking, it was pretty reasonable for festival pricing. As you do at a rib fest, we ordered a bunch of ribs from the following places: - Rasta Joe's: The best out of the bunch. The ribs were cooked perfectly and the sauce was great, with a hint of Caribbean flair. The portion size was also quite generous as we received 6(!) ribs for the 1:3 size that cost $10. This is what I expected a half slab to be. We were extremely happy with this! - Chicago BBQ: Decent. The ribs are quite fatty and fall or the bone. I would equate this to like Barnellis ribs. They're tender and BBQ-ey but nothing extraordinary. I would eat them again though. At $8 for 3 ribs, I'd go for Rasta's. - Texas Lightning: Ew. Ew. Ew. Complete regret for this one. So glad we got a sampler because I think I would have shed a tear if we bought a full slab. High expectations for the Texans but they failed to deliver. The ribs were extremely dry, flaky, and flavorless. It was like someone microwaved a slab of ribs and drizzled some sauce over it. The Jamaican Pork at Rasta's was pretty good too! Good spices. We would definitely give Rasta's an A++ for their ribs. The carnival itself looked fun but also very expensive. Overall, it was a decent event with live music and booze.

Another long overdue review: It was my 2nd year in a row going here and I came back determined to…read moretry the ribs I remember liking so much last time! Me, my cousin, niece and nephew went here on a Thursday around 7pm. Chicago BBQ company: we tried their Beef brisket, Pulled pork, Cornbread and Half slab ribs(unfortunately it wasn't fall-off-the-bone like at Ribfest Chicago, beef brisket seems like pulled pork) Uncle Bob's: we tried 1/2 slab ribs, Pulled pork, Beef brisket, and Cornbread( didn't measure up to Chicago BBQ company) Howling coyote: we tried 1/2 slab rib dinner(they claimed their ribs are more tender than a mother's love! It was tender but Chicago BBQ had more flavor) Rasta joes: tried their 1/2 slab ribs and Jalapeno cheese cornbread (had flavor like Chicago BBQ but not as tender as howling coyote) Porky chicks BBQ: we tried the Big porky- had most meat and very tender and they gave generous portions, sauces were good too!

This is a yearly event every September on Ogden Ave which is also Route 66. Participants show off a…read morewide variety of cars from rusty old pick-ups to original 57 Chevy's to low riders. If you like cars, it's definitely worth the trip at least once. There were some awesome rides!

Very nice art fair with lots of unique jewelry, paintings, pottery, woodwork, stained glass and…read moremore. On a hot June day it was blessedly shady in Burlington Park, and still pleasurable to roam and browse despite the weather. But damn, this fair makes Naperville and Geneva's art fairs look cheap! So budget accordingly... I still managed to find a cool porcelain vase for my tiny ceramics collection for $20. Worth checking out next year if you are near Hinsdale!

Before I had a chance to buy something, I had already spent $20 on parking and admission. Maybe…read morethey couldn't find suitable grounds to set up the fest, but such a small fest seemed to be too pricey...even before you had a chance to spend money on food. The food seemed to be limited to a handful of popular Polish dishes. The entertainment was rather flat. The Perla tall boy beers tasted like a Miller or Bud. Overall, I expected more Polish cultural influence, rather it felt like a normal Chicago neighborhood fest with just a plethora of deep fried pierogi stands.

This is now the Pierogi Fest now and not the Southside Polish Fest…read more Well all I can say, as a first generation Polish American, is that I was highly disappointed with this fest. I came here with my girlfriend expecting a Polish surrounding and there was none. So let's review a few things here. 1st - There were no Polish people here like I was expecting. This was a very Americanized fest. I came here for culture. Chicago has the 2nd most population of Polish immigrants well over a million and all I heard was English spoken. 2nd - The food here was actually not bad, but not a lot of vendors. I had the Polish plate from Alex Deli and Grill. The sausage, pierogi, potato pancakes, and stuffed cabbage were amazing!!! 3rd - I was always an Okocim beer drinker, but they were not there. The only Polish beer there was Perli. And I was actually impressed! I bought a 4 pack of it on my way back home. I heard the Taste of Polonia at the Copernicus Center in Chicago is a lot better and Polish Authentic. I will definitely be there in September.

This is a curated Farmers Market. No Avon, no Tupperware, no crafts etc. There is intentionality in…read morehaving an even variety of vendors selling local, sustainable, good food. There are also quirky events each week and live, low-key music. Also has the best fresh roasted coffee anywhere.

The market has gone down hill in my opinion... there is limited space for vendors, but we're still…read morefed repeat booths at one market. Additionally, many vendors, including the village/market, use AI advertising and branding. Why should I spend my time at your booth if you can't spend time doing actual marketing?