Thirsty Ears Festival held by ACM is Chicago's only classical music street festival. For two days,…read moretwo blocks of Wilson Street between Hermitage and Ravenswood were closed to traffic, with the main stage featuring stellar ensembles and soloists performing classical music. This year's festival took place on Saturday, August 22, from 2:00-11:00 pm, and Sunday, August 23, from 1:00-9:00 pm, with a different ensemble or soloist featured each hour. This was our first time visiting the street fair, and we were fortunate to have gorgeous weather for an outdoor event. It was perhaps a little too sunny for me -- even with my bucket hat and sunglasses, the sun was still a little too strong on my back when I sat in the front row for half an hour. I joined my husband and daughter after an open studio at Lillstreet Art Center. From there, it was only a six-minute walk to the festival. When I arrived around 4:30 pm, they had already been comfortably sipping beer and enjoying classical music for hours. From 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Lakeshore Rush was performing, and they played beautifully. I especially enjoyed the last few pieces, which were upbeat and lively. The festival offered much more than beer and wine. There were numerous vendor booths, kid-friendly activities, and food trucks on both days. It was wonderful to see people of all ages having a good time while enjoying live classical music in such a relaxed outdoor setting. The suggested $10 entry donation felt very reasonable, especially since the festival was supporting a good cause. We had a lovely time, and I'm glad we finally discovered this unique Chicago event. I would definitely consider coming back next year.

Thirsty Ears Festival has been on my list to visit for a while because it's just a few blocks away…read more This year I finally made it, toddler in tow. A friend and her kiddo came along too. The festival is the brain child of Access Contemporary Music (ACM), the music school on the block, and it's the only classical music party in the city. It's a very small festival, spanning just the block on Wilson between Ravenswood and Hermitage. There's a packed schedule for the two days of the festival, with various musical ensembles and composers performing throughout the day. Of course the music was the main attraction, but there were a couple booths selling some food as well. Alcoholic beverages were available and pizza, and I think possibly another snack but I can't recall. Of course there's also a couple restaurants nearby as well, and the two that are right on this block have a bit of outdoor seating. Most of the booths were local artists selling their work; I saw a booth that made crochet wall hangings, a pottery booth, a local author selling his novels, and more. I was really glad that we happened to be here there when a small choral ensemble was performing. The other musician we hard was a pianist performing when we arrived. The main stage was on the eastern edge of the festival along the Hermitage end, and there were folding chairs set up for people to enjoy the concert. A kid's area and stage was on the Ravenswood end. They had some kids activities like face painting and balloon animals in addition to the musician playing children's music. It was great that they had a children's space since otherwise they might get bored quickly. On the weekend, the parking along Ravenswood is super easy. There's also the Metra, of course, with the Ravenswood stop a block away.

We had a great time at the festival. The Four Star Brass Band (first act of the day) was great…read morefun; FiddleRock is always amazing; and the Gumbo Hurricane was lively and highly enjoyable. It would be nice to have a beer somewhere between IPA and ultra-lite. We went into the bar to get a real beer. A couple interesting vendors, plus the expected promotions. A good time was had by all.

Its not the biggest street fest but it's the unofficial start of summer Memorial Day weekend and…read morethe Belmont Fest is on. Why not? Admission is a donation of $5 per person. Bands on both end and your usual street fest fare of shopping and food. I did enjoy the mangorita. My nephew and my wife also like the footlong corn dog. I do miss the entertainment from the show from Berlin before like 2 years ago. I hope they bring it back

Thursday Night Out has always been a blast. My kids love to go because it's safe for them to move…read morearound and find their own food. The event sells food tickets. There are 4 tix in a book. Each book costs 25$ . You get a menu of all the places participating in the event. Mostly places on Lake st and Marion st. There is a different band each week. Great live music. I usually get there early. The event starts at 5pm. I get there early to grab a table for my family. If you get there later bring your own chairs. It does get super crowded and people won't stop asking "are you using this chair? Can I take this chair?". Good luck with that. It's the only part I don't enjoy. My family gets up to go find their dinner and at least 5 people will come to ask about the chair. Other than that. It's a fun Summer fest. It goes on from the first week of June to the end of August, only on Thursday nights.

100 DAYS OF SUMMER…read more From late May through August, Oak Park's 'Thursday Night Out' is a lovely street festival. I've lived in the area for nearly 5 years now, but it wasn't until Nichole C moved in that I bothered going to this summertime event. It takes place on Marion St between Lake & the train tracks, beginning around Memorial Day and going until just before Labor Day. Tickets come in panels of 4 for $20 (which equates to $5/ticket), something that apparently has gotten more expensive in the last few years. Not all items are worth your time, but a few are a decent value like the calamari from Mancini's and California roll from Sushi House. Although there's a tent selling alcohol, I'd recommend buying a six pack from Target or bottle of wine from Trader Joe's. Thursday Night Out is a widely-accepted BYOB event, and that's a very good thing. Some folks even bring candles! There's plastic chairs and tables set up but arrive super early to stake those spots out. You'll likely need to bring a few folding chairs unless you don't mind eating food on a curb. Crowd is mostly families but lots of younger couples, too. Live music plays from 5-8pm; we've heard everything from hippy dippy folk rock to rasta man reggae, even some soft jazz (which lulled me into an inebriated 6pm nap). Typically two different bands play each week, and it's always good stuff. Unfortunately, it really bothers me that for as big of a turnout as TNO generates, there's no port-o-potties in sight. Couple this with a strict "no public restrooms" policy for the participating businesses, so break the seal and you could be outta luck. * TL;DR * Live music, generous BYOB policy, excellent people watching.....and nowhere to relieve yourself. You have to use a food voucher to buy something at one of the participating restaurants and then use the restroom, this is your only "legal" option. Personally, I suggest finding a nice alley or secluded corner of a nearby parking garage to pee in/on (important note: this only applies to men. Ladies, I have no idea how y'all do your thing). Seriously though, ANY outdoor event of this size should have portable shitters. Thursday Night Out is still lots of fun, just watch your beverage consumption and tell your bladder to plan accordingly.

It's been a few years since I've been to the market and I was really happy it wasn't too crowded…read morelast time I was here. I feel like that makes a huge difference on the experience one has. My favorite part of this market is all the beautiful, unique items they sell. I feel like I always find the best gifts from here! I love getting to see people's unique talents and handmade goods. This year, I got a beautiful wooden ornament for my dog, a nativity lamp (gift), stein (gift), and, of course, one of their yearly mugs for myself to add to my mug collection. The biggest downside for me is the food. The food is soo expensive and the quality does not live up to what it could be. I typically skip the food now, but will get a nice cup co cocoa when the weather is cold.

Wonderful Christmas market! I had the pleasure of living in Germany for a year and I love the…read moremarkets and the Chicago one in the loop does it right. The nostalgia!! I've been a few times at night, and also on a Saturday morning for a tour before the market opened, which was such a treat to be there before the rush. We got to sample things from some vendors and really got a chance to see what was there. Fantastic food! They have a nice variety of things, such as döner wraps, various sausages, potato pancakes, raclette (my favorite), currywürst, pretzels, and more. Even some plant based sausage options you. And wonderful bakery treats and desserts too. Hot chocolate, cider, glühwein, soda, and other refreshments. You can get your drinks in the holiday commemorative mugs. New design every year. You can get a lot of Christmas shopping done here too. I bought lots of alpaca items to keep me warm this winter. Hand painted and pewter ornaments from Germany. So many authentic German foods, gifts, embroidery, woodwork, and more, these vendors are the real deal. I recommend going during the week because the weekends are packed. Open every day from 11am-8pm. It's so special! Don't miss it!

Of all the great things about living in Chicago, this definitely on my top ten list. What? A…read moregorgeous stage designed by world-class architect, Frank Gehry with world class musicians playing music on beautiful summer evenings for . . . FREE?! Yes, and you can BYO wine. It does not get better than this. Farewell, Ravinia - you are too complicated and expensive. My urban culture haven is free, stylish and easy to get to. I went to see Penderecki himself conducting his Concerto Grosso No. 1 for 3 Cellos and Orchestra. Three cellists, one super sexy Israeli cellist. Gorgeous music and gorgeous eye candy. Penderecki was one of the 20th century composers that was NOT torturous to listen to wayy back when I was studying all that. And to see the man himself conducting his work. Surely the Ultimate Penderecki Experience. Me sittin' in the audience drinkin' my cheap bottle o' Pinot Grigio out of a super stylish paper cup and basking in an aura of utter civility. The other selection was Beethoven's Eroica, Symphony No. 3, another favorite.

The Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park is used for a lot of music events. My favorite is the…read moreGrant Park Orchestra. Where else can you hear an orchestra of this caliber for free? Many of the seats are paid, but there are also plenty of free ones. if the program is classical, free seats usually aren't a problem... if it's contemporary, the free seats fill up fast. When this happens, your alternative is to sit on the lawn. There are dozens of inexpensive restaurants in the area, and many have take-out. So lots of people have a picnic on the lawn while they're listening to the music. You can bring any outside food and drink, including wine and beer. I stopped going to the movies in the park because so many people talk and use their smartphones (difficult to concentrate on a movie when there are dozens of phone screens lit up in front of you). Until lately, this wasn't a problem with classical concerts, but not any more. (Check out the three women sitting directly in front of us.) So when the phones start lighting up, I close my eyes and just listen.

As a current Evanstonian, I have a love/hate relationship with this event. I love it because for a…read morefew hours on one Sunday in September, they shut down historic Ridge Avenue from Howard to Church Street. Round trip, this fun ride is roughly 3 miles. The Good: Ridge Avenue offers tree lined streets with a number of massive homes and structures dating from the 1800's. The quiet and picturesque ride makes for a pleasant experience. It's very family oriented and I saw parents with children in tow on bike trailers, big wheels, tandem bikes, tricycles, razor scooters, you name it. Adults rode on standard mountain or road bikes with a few on recumbents and I saw one participant on a Penny-farthing! Overall, it was pretty neat to see the spectrum of bicycles on parade. Motorized bicycles and skateboards are not allowed. There are a number of things/activities to do. Along the route is a bike decorating station for children. The Wheel and Sprocket tent offers free tire inflation, bike reflectors, and helmets (when available). If you need hydration, there is a tent offering free bottled water. If you need a liquid sweet treat, the NorthShore University Health System truck offers lemonade and hot chocolate. After an hour or so of riding, hunger can set in. Food trucks/tents are lined up ready to feed cyclists and spectators for a fee at Ridgeville Park. The Bad and the Ugly: I didn't notice this as much in 2018 but this year, there were a lot of cars accidentally pulling onto Ridge Avenue during this event. It was frustrating to watch despite signage, traffic barricades, police officers and volunteer staff present. On several occasions, I found police and staff yelling at cars to get off this side of the road. There were 3 near misses with bikes colliding with cars because motorists failed to heed the signs and blockades. Watching all this happen while looking out for my own safety was trying. As much as I love Bike the Ridge, the organizers for this event need to bump up the date because the weather is consistently shitty. I've done Bike the Ridge two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) and each time it was cold (mainly in the 30's) and rainy. No one likes to bike in that weather and the turn out in the last two years took a hit because of it. With that aside and some changes, Bike the Ridge can be a fun experience for all ages.

great event. south Evanston's 4th of July only more fun. School of Rock, Food Trucks, non compete…read morebike riding, best time ever.

I had such a fun time at the Printers Row Lit Fest. With so much going on in the city on Sunday as…read morewell as the weekend in general, I feel like it was such a great turnout. From the different authors at different stages as well as to even some booths having author signing.. I do think that there could've been more promo for as well as a better map system.

Most fabulous free event organized by the city of Chicago featuring many new and established…read morewriters . I love this literature fest and such an awesome experience for young kids and budding writers. Highly recommend!

The festival was fun. There were alot of vendors to choose from. Everyone was friendly. The…read morestaff kept everyone in check. Definitely had fun!

The musical talent at this event is outstanding. I attended Saturday which was the second day of…read morethe event. Jack White did not disappoint. He was outstanding live. Also enjoyed James and The Beach Boys. They do a great job setting up the stages so they don't interfere with other band's performances. They fall short with the food, water station, and bathrooms. Please keep in mind if you plan on attending this event in the future, it is an outdoor event and you will feel the full effect of the weather.