Founded in September of 2012, Muddy Monk had a simple vision based on a few loves: people; the…read morecity of Chicago; good beer; and, trail running. So the concept was born that Muddy Monk would design and coordinate trail races replete with aid stations and plenty of volunteers and provide craft beer (following all local rules and regulations) at the end of each trail race. I've had the luxury of running in three of their events (their inaugural Thriller in Schiller, the Frozen 5 Miler, and the Mayday^3 15k) and I'll offer a a few quick points about these guys: Organization: 4.5 out of 5, and getting better each time As with every new concept, there will be growing pains, and Muddy Monk was not exempt from these early learning curves. At the very first Thriller in Schiller, a lot of good work was done up front, and registration/getting to the course itself wasn't an issue. Some of the main concerns that the runners had (and echoed by the organizers after the event) included a shortage of water after the event, and the need for some type of streamlined timing system. As an aside, MM does not use the disposable timing chips that you may find on road races for a # of reasons, some being cost and logistics, but they do employ Race Splitter. The second race I did with them (Frozen Five Miler) was truly a test against nature. The race was set in Poplar Creek Woods (I-90 and Sutton) and it snowed, snowed, snowed the days before with limited snow removal. Combine that with the fact that REI was doing a demo of some type in the same area, and parking was nonexistent at the grove. Here, MM definitely improvised, and had people park at the sports retail center down the road, and sort of came up with a makeshift shuttle system. Did it work? Yes. Was it pretty? Perhaps not, but I have a feeling that if the same thing were to happen again in the same type of weather, they'd be prepared. My most recent race with them was the Mayday^3 15k. Because I had some errands in the area in the morning, I came out two hours prior to race start time, and MM had the operation running smoothly. Volunteers were out helping with registration, the course was already marked, and all of the electronics were working. The organization of this event was spot on and I hope that the upward trend continues. Cost of Races: 4 out of 5 MM's races are reasonable to run from a price perspective, and if you register early enough, a 5 - 8 mile run will set you back about 35 bucks. And you get a t-shirt/hoodie and some type of finisher's award. And snacks/refreshments at the end, along with one craft beer. Race day signup isn't that bad either, as I signed up on the day of the Mayday^3 for the 15k distance and was only set back 40 bucks. I didn't get a finisher's award (pint glass), but I did a shirt. For reference, they are holding a half marathon this summer, and early registration is 55$. I imagine that a good chunk of that goes towards making sure that there are paramedics on site during the whole duration of the race. Technical difficulties of trails: 1 - 5 out of 5 I remember the Thriller in Schiller being a very easy race to run. It was my first ever 5k of any type, and I enjoyed how for all intents and purposes, it was "easy" and I didn't struggle a lot. The Frozen Five Miler, full of slush and snow and ice, was more technical but at least it was mainly straight with very little lateral movement throughout. But oh yes...the Mayday^3, that race was gnarly. The single track was particularly narrow, and oh boy was there a lot of lateral motion to dodge in between trees. Limbs and branches greeted you IN THE FACE if you weren't careful, and there were enough fallen trees that you had either jump over them gracefully, like a gazelle - or if you were tired on the last 5k, come to a standstill, put one leg over, and then slowly put the other leg over. As a general rule, the 5ks I would imagine would be slightly "easier" from a technical perspective, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Fun factor: 5 out of 5 This is where MM shines. There's something a little different, maybe even "off", about trail runners. At the end of the race, we drink a beer and talk about what parts of the course gave gave us the most problems, or compare the amount of mud and cuts that we have. Trail running is just more FUN for me. Selection of beer: 4.5 out of 5 MM and I will just have to split hairs on this one. I personally don't think that Finch's is that good when it comes to competing with the rest of Chicago's microbreweries. This does not mean that I won't drink it, it just means that for a volume to cost comparison, I much prefer Half Acre. But I get it - Finch's is probably easier to get in the 4 varieties that are usually out there, and no one really complains. And I shouldn't either. Moving along... Overall: 5 out of 5 Fun times, fun people, good beer.

Andy C pretty much covered everything so go read his review…read more Muddy Monk puts on A+ events. They are laid back and an absolute blast! The races are well organized and well executed. The courses are extremely well marked. Some of the courses are more technically challenging than others, but they're always a blast to run.

Don't waste your time! Mediocre food at best, simply a grab…read morefor your wallet by a bunch of Dollar Store wannabes. And they have the nerve to charge $10 to walk down two blocks of Belmont St. for what?

This was a good fun festival for 2022. Admission is by an suggested donation amount. Plenty of…read moreburger stands, live music, and drinks. The earlier you get there, the less crowded it is. The lines started to get extremely long by 5-6ish. A few stands took cash or venmo as a form of payment. I tried three different burgers and was amazed by none of them.

Love the street festivals in the summer. My favorite are…read moreMidsommer fest and Retro on Rosco.

Like most professional event organizers, Star Events has the connections and experience to help…read morestruggling volunteer-based organizations put on major events; they understand the industry and give the sense that, despite the chaos that ensues with any event behind the scenes, they have you covered. Unfortunately, Star Events has too many internal issues to list here; mainly, business "leaders" John and Michelle have a tendency to hire a mouthpiece (typically named Jessie) to serve as their "everything is fine" smokescreen while they figure out ways to tighten their grip on community events. This "Jessie" role turns over frequently, sometimes resorting to another, without this namesake, who is equally ineffective. The harsh truth is that events are unruly, and no matter the money you've paid an organizer, they never really have control. So, the management process becomes one of seeking power and glory; enter John and Michelle (this is when they normally get involved in the process) because their personal self-interest is Star Events priority. If you are a community-based organization seeking to improve your relationship with your community through your event, do not hire Star Events; your proceeds are going to interests outside your community with no vision from these "leaders" on how to make it a community-sustained event that grows engagement and philanthropy. If you are seeking relief from the stress of event planning, do not hire Star Events; your worries compound when they cut off contact because of internal turnover or make false promises based on "20,000 years of combined experience." Lastly, if you are seeking a good strategic partner, do not hire Star Events; they only want to use your event to take ownership of it and all the events in your community so the proceeds can all go to--you guessed it--John and Michelle. If you DO hire Star Events even after this warning, I wish you luck because you are in for the ride of your event-planning life!

It was a beautiful day for an art fair. Located in the middle of a neighborhood there were over 100…read moreartists showcasing a variety of prints, jewelry, pottery, mixed media , woodworking and much more. There was a variety of food trucks, entertainment, a dog parade and and beer tent. It is a wonderful event to enjoy time outside . It is different than many art fairs because it it very neighborhood focused.

For starters, I love art festivals. I have never been to this fest, and one of my favorite artists…read morewas going to be in attendance so I had to make my stop and I don't regret it. So much to pick from and see. I covered most of the artists area, the volunteers I encountered during my visit made it a even better experience. Thank you Bucktown Arts Festival, till we meet again.

We went to the Bucktown Art Festival on Saturday, August 23. This art festival has been around for…read moreover 30 years! Of course, it was an ugly gray and gloomy day in Chicago with hard rain coming down from time to time. A typical muggy and uncomfortable summer day, but this did not stop us from checking out the Bucktown Art Festival. There were over 275 Artists, Photographers, Pottery Makers, Jewelry Artisans, Arts & Craft artists displaying their pieces at this huge art festival. It had been years since we had been to this art festival, and now I know why. The Art Festival itself is a very, very large event. It is truly an inspirational event. Due to how large it has become over the years one day is not enough to see all of the exhibits at this art festival. Also, the vibe has definitely changed. The Artists and/or Artisans used to be so much more welcoming and/or friendly. Not anymore. Since it was a rainy, gray and gloomy day, some of the tents were zipped up while a few artists had packed up and closed up shop all together. There were several vendors selling food, but we didn't grab a bite here. The musicians were fantastic and we stood holding our umbrellas listening to the music for a while, because the band was incredibly outstanding (wish I knew the name of the band but I cannot recall). At any rate, we enjoyed walking around and viewing all the interesting, creative pieces of art despite the crappy rainy day. I am a fan of the Bucktown Art Festival. I appreciate when an Artist puts up a short bio of his or her background and his or her art pieces. I like to read about their background and where they received their education and/or training. They should make it mandatory and request that each Artist display a short bio, however, I only saw two short biographies posted. I was a bit disappointed. I asked a few questions, because I was interested in learning more about specific pieces of art that I really, really liked and was seriously considering purchasing. However, these Artists didn't seem to want to be bothered with questions. When I entered the tent to view the pieces that I was interested in purchasing I didn't receive a "Hello" or "Hi, how are you today?" In fact, there was minimal interaction and eye contact, which I thought was weird. Nevertheless, we dodged huge puddles of water, and saw lots of mud in the park area where additional artists were displaying their pieces. It was nice to get out on a Saturday afternoon and walk around for about 2-hours. After a while, we worked up an appetite and headed over to Palador on Western Avenue for some fantastic Cuban cuisine. That was really the highlight of our afternoon. I recommend this art festival to people seeking to invest in some serious art pieces. Everything that I really, really liked was over $1,000 or higher. I went to the Bucktown Art Festival with the intention of making a purchase. I like to think of art as an "investment" and not a "luxury" item. Yeah, we are the people with disposable income, and no kids so we have money to invest in art as well as antique pieces. In the end, we didn't make one single purchase. The unfriendly and disinterested vibe that I got from these Artists was the reason I didn't make that $2,000 purchase.

I believe this is the festival's fifth yr per the website. There is no doubt there is an incredible…read moreselection of all types of dumplings available for purchase. Examples include empanadas, pork sticklers, and perogi, so you get representation from all countries/cultures. We went about an hour into opening time & it ran 30 minutes to an hour just to queue to buy tickets to exchange for food and to purchase food. So a combined wait for an hour for a start is just too much... Tip: Buy what you can upfront, get there before the festival opens.

Our first Taco Fest in Chicago! It was a blast. Loved the vibe and the live bands. Lot of options…read moreto get your taco fix on! There are 2-3 bar stations. Saturday night was great. I'll take a stroll and see what else I can enjoy on Sunday.

As most festival events are, you go for the experience but expect some lines. I liked the variety…read moreof taco options! By the time we got to the drinks they were out of a lot of the options. The Indian food tacos were somewhat small but affordable. I liked the chicken tikka taco better than the Chana masala; it had more flavor and stayed together better. The Chana masala taco really fell apart. They had good flavor though and a fun twist on a traditional taco! I like to go to events like this to explore different neighborhoods and it's a fun event to go to with a group of people! I tend to think the food is always better at the actual restaurant though.