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!

Wow! I had never been to Plainfield Lanes before, but came for my nephew's birthday party this…read moreweekend. I was very pleasantly surprised! Most bowling alleys (if not part of a chain, ie Brunswick), have a dreary vibe to them - dark, dank and unkempt - but not here. We arrived at 1pm for the birthday party, and all of the lanes were already busy. You can tell that this business books a lot of parties - and I can see why! The price per person for parties is fantastic! They have multiple tiers of both children and adult parties, as well as corporate and fundraising events. We had chicken fingers and pizza, and both were better than you'd expect at a bowling alley. The party even had a coordinator; he kept the time very on track, and was very accommodating. I'd definitely recommend Plainfield Lanes as a local outing or party spot!

This was my first time at Twisted Pin, and I was very impressed. The prices are pretty high but as…read morea non-bowler, I am not sure how they rank compared to other places. On the other hand, this place is also a little more high end compared to your old fashion bowling/dive bar places. The location was very easy to find. We used Google Navigation and it lead us directly to the place. If you miss the entrance, it might be a little annoying to backtrack but no big issues. Parking was no issues and it is very big compared to the size of the building. We showed up on a busy Wednesday where it is penny pins so you only pay a penny per pin you knock down. Essentially...the worst you are, the cheaper your game will be. Inside the building is very nice and clean. There are two entrances..one is a "restaurant" and the other is the decent sized arcade and bowling. There is a self serving beer tap. And they do serve food. They do a little star less due to the prices of the food as well. It is better than your traditional bar/bowling food but it is a little more expensive. Also, I do enjoy the service of the self serving beer tap. They had a lot of selections of beer, 1-2 seltzers, 1 cider and ~5 wine selection. Also, they do have a "limit" of ~32 oz where the bartender can allow you or less depending on how you act. I do appreciate that so while you can drink feely, no one is getting drunk. I think we were paying ~.60 cents an oz and it does tell you how much your drink will cost as you are pouring. Also, they do have a small water station will is greatly appreciated. The arcade is decently sized. They do have a lot of selections of games but it is not a place where I would go just for the arcade. The size is good for after bowling or while you are waiting for your lane. Overall, I am very impressed with this location. Food, self serving beer tap, and arcades... I am fan of Twisted Pins and I would be back in the future.

A true new age Woodstock of our time. You meet so many people from all over the country & overseas…read moreto come to celebrate EDC.We were the FIRST EDC CHICAGO group to camp here. The camping experience was awesome. *The mobile showers * Garnier Fructis station ( hair done, free by professional stylist ) * Food Truck (tacos & burgers) * Shuttle bus that ran to walmart 3xs a day) * Fireworks every night @ 10pm * amusement park rides * Craft tent ( made a rave stick & flower head band) * charge tent ( keep cell phones & laptops charged) * water stations to refill bottles and packs & Best of all, there was a warm tent that stayed open 24hrs a day. When the weather got a bit chilly, I ran for shelter to the warm tent. A community grill was on deck & every morning we could cook scrambled eggs, fry sausage & make tea & in the afternoons we would grill burgers & host a bbq before heading to the concert grounds. If someone was too intoxicated to walk back to their tent , EDC volunteers would happily escort us back to our tent via golf cart. There were various music stages to see our favorite EDM artists.The music was epic and I remember being told by a Joilet Police Officer that there were 9,000 911 calls from the Joilet residents from Thursday night to Monday morning of the event. The residents could hear the music from a 20 mile distance & thought that was some type of bombing occurring at the camp site! The scenery was full of fun & laughter. I remember seeing some tent neighbors bring a life size "Connect Four" game to the site. The tent lanes/rows had creative street names such as "Creativity Lane" or FoFo St". I made so many friends here and will be back to EDC Chicago in the years to come!

EDC Road to Vegas!…read more(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/electric-daisy-carnival-chicago-joliet?select=CwZSgSBMXVnpjwcyKmxmlw#CS5NLUN3SAavuMjeJ1-l6w) Parking: easy breezy. No traffic in and not much on the way out. Security check points (3): not as tough as I told it would be. One time the security girl asked if I had anything in my pockets I said no and she just let me walk by.... I also had on rugged boots that could of a fit a million things in them and nobody checked. Oh and I also had opened chapstick and their website clearly states NO open chapsticks, but I was a bad ass and got it in, haha. I've never been to the Speedway before so I was in for a surprise. As soon as we entered the pit was filled with laser shows (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/electric-daisy-carnival-chicago-joliet?select=CwZSgSBMXVnpjwcyKmxmlw#t4DFOnHGs2X4w0FS0mnxSA), carnival rides, and pretty daisy. We can't control the weather and it was less than ideal esp. Friday night where temps drop to low 40s, but the DJs rocked EDC Chicago! I danced all night, every night, for three nights straight! It's a pretty close call for which night was my favorite: Saturday or Sunday. Saturday night Armin was amazinggggggggggg! His set is so good that I listen to it while working out! As for Sunday it might of been muddy and rainy, but the rain brings all the crazies out! Definitely a memorable one! Plenty of port-o-potties and food stations, also if it was raining you can buy a poncho at the general store and they opened up the garages. Endless supply of free water at the water stations and plenty of beer sellers. Definitely a fun experience and from experienced EDC Las Vegas peeps EDC Chicago is a big tease and I'm quite alright with that because it is the "road to Vegas" and it's definitely building my anticipation! See you in a few weeks EDC Vegas!

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 have been going to Corn Fest every year for the past 10 years. It has everything that you would…read moreexpect of a country town festival. Friday and Saturday night are especially entertaining. Three band stages + great fair food + many bars that allow drinking on the street + great people and old friends = The best county fair I've been to.

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!

DOUBLE PLAY DAY This…read moreno-frills ballpark is fine for catching a game even though a handful of things are lacking. Downtown Joliet is home to Duly Health & Care Field, a small stadium that seats a mere 6,016 fans.  It was built in 2002 and renovated in 2018; the Joliet Slammers (née Joliet Jackhammers) of the Frontier League have called this place home for the last 24 years. The field itself is artificial turf, which I'm not a fan of, and I seriously doubt players prefer this to how real grass plays and feels.  Dimensions to the outfield wall are similar to the major leagues: 348ft to deep left, 400ft to straightaway center, 327ft to the right field foul pole. I came here on 5/20/26 for a 10am Wednesday morning game, a rarity for professional baseball.  This early start coincided with 'Education Day' and featured plenty of screaming school children in attendance.  Our group reserved a suite, and it was smaller than we expected. The food was basic though nonetheless appreciated.  In my mind, I'd envisioned a hearty breakfast spread for a 10am start, but in reality it was much simpler: hot dogs w/sauerkraut and toppings, chicken poppers, pasta salad, chips, cookies, and soft drinks.  Around the 3rd inning, they brought out cheese, pepperoni, and sausage pizzas. There was a bar just down the corridor on the suite level and I enjoyed a couple bloody mary's before switching to the bartender's cocktail-du-jour, a moonshine punch made with a hefty pour of booze.  After I tipped him, he asked me to leave a good word with management at least ~three~ times, which came off as pushy (and awkward). Some ballparks have majestic views, unfortunately Duly Health & Care Field is not among them.  Beyond right field is old Joliet Central high school (ick), past center field is a parking lot, and a fire station can be seen outside left field.  The overall landscape was that of a concrete jungle and I was not impressed. Ecolab is one of the Slammers' major sponsors (there's a large ad under the scoreboard, on the outfield wall, and on the back of their printed schedule), so I was stunned to see that the soap dispensers in the bathroom were....not ours!  Excuse me??  How dare you cheat on us!  "Uhhh honey, I can explain, you see, I still love you but uh, the other guys offered me a better deal on wholesale pricing!"   * TL;DR * It's not the major leagues (or even the minors), but at the end of the day you're still seeing a pro baseball game, and that's cool. Duly Health & Care Field is very modest in its capacity and amenities.  It's a smaller park with smaller-scale operations, so adjust your expectations accordingly (for comparison, the Kane County Cougars play in Geneva, IL at a venue that seats 11K people, nearly twice that of here). Food service was adequate and staff were relatively friendly, however the aesthetics leave a lot to be desired.  This is a perfectly serviceable ballpark, nothing more.

This is such a unique and small stadium!…read more Parking is free if you choose the right lot. This stadium technically doesn't have its own parking lot. However all of the parking meters are free after 5pm. There is also a large lot next to the train station that is free after 5pm. The sign will say "$8". However in fine print it will say that it's only that price until 5pm. This stadium is a beautiful and small stadium. Every seat has a great view! We did notice that for most of the game the first baseline was in the sun. So if you're looking for shade pick a seat on the 3rd base side. For most of the game it was sunny due to the game starting at 6pm. Definitely check their instagram before arriving. They will sometimes post special deals for the game. When I went they had $2 hot dogs. This stadium has a very small gift shop but truly has so many wonderful things in it. Overall such a great experience and amazing stadium!

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.