jennifer / May 3, 2004 4:45 PM

pardon my dorkiness, but day one of this year's lollapalooza is lookin' pretty good.

emily / May 3, 2004 4:46 PM

The Old Town Arts Fair in June. We went last year when we were broke, and now that we're not as broke I hope to get me some arts and crafts. And freshly made kettle korn...MMmmmmmm

anne / May 3, 2004 5:07 PM

I got all giddy already about the Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park, but now that I'm employed and can't sit out all afternoon and save my friends great seats, it might not be as much of the grand summertime experience that I remember.....it's still free though.

Benjy / May 3, 2004 5:22 PM

So hard to choose with all the great outdoor festivals in this town! Taste of Chicago or the Old Town Art Fair, I guess.

Eamon / May 3, 2004 5:30 PM

I hate festivals. Too many loud, sweaty, annoying people to enjoy whatever it was the party was supposed to celebrate in the first place. I go wherever big events aren't.

A lex / May 3, 2004 5:37 PM

Printer's Row Book Fair. I loves me some books! Last year I got to chat with Steve Almond, see Sonia Sanchez, meet Garret Freymann-Weyr and buy tons of books.

Joe / May 3, 2004 5:41 PM

The Wood-Maddux-Prior-Clement-Zambrano Summertime Strikeout Festival.

All we need is Prior.

sandor / May 3, 2004 6:32 PM

Ravinia. Didn't go nearly as often as I should have last year.

amyc / May 3, 2004 8:45 PM

It's not really a festival, I guess, but I never miss the Dyke March.

vinny / May 3, 2004 9:58 PM

Sweaty guy on rollerblades fest!!

daruma / May 3, 2004 10:10 PM

Hasted Street Market Days! It's the best!

'That Ian' / May 4, 2004 8:37 AM

Light Up Atlanta 2004. Sweaty rednecks piling into downtown Atlanta -- mmm....

Brenda / May 4, 2004 9:02 AM

Any fest that attracts boys in kilts.

Which, I guess, puts Halsted Market Days at the top of the list.

mmm.... kilts...

robin.. / May 4, 2004 9:51 AM

grant park movie nites.

oh, and any parade that ends with people accidentally walking through the not-yet-addressed horseshit on the street.

Gary LaPointe / May 4, 2004 11:11 AM

Lilith Fair!

Andrew / May 4, 2004 11:53 AM

I'm not looking forward to any one in particular, but I do enjoy, for some reason, wandering through the nearly identical street fests of the various neighborhoods. Why is it the same crappy food, same sunglasses and cheesy paintings etc. are at every one of these things? There must be a circuit.

lacey / May 4, 2004 12:12 PM

This sounds kind of nerdy I guess--and I won't even be in town for it this year--but I love our Baha'i National Center staff picnics on the 4th of July. They take place on the lawn of the house across the street from the House of Worship up in Wilmette (the original architect's house of the HOW), and we get an up-front view of the Wilmette fireworks. It's really an awesome spectacle!

Carly / May 4, 2004 12:52 PM

I look forward to the MCA's Summer Solstice every year. But to be honest, I have no idea why. If you get there past 10, you have to wait in a long ass line. They stop serving alcohol at midnight and then you just sort of sit around outside like a big party for as long as possible, because the whole "cool" appeal is that it's overnight. I can't make it past 3 am.

I'm also looking forward to movies in the park...this year I'm hoping to make at least ONE.

Shylo / May 4, 2004 1:09 PM

Why do street fairs sort of suck? Two reasons: the ubiquity of 1) Mr. Blotto and 2) Underwater People.

Suzanne / May 4, 2004 1:33 PM

Looking forward to the Old Town School o' Folk Music's Folk and Roots Festival- yup I'm gonna volunteer at that one.
Also, dancing in grant park. Nuthin says summer like dancin outside to great live music.

Pete / May 4, 2004 2:43 PM

Ravinia for Ben Folds, plus Printer's Row Book Fair. No "meat product on a stick" events, please.

davin / May 4, 2004 4:26 PM

it is good to see mentions of ravinia as it is my place of employment.

i think ben folds and rufus is going to be an excellent concert.. also check out some of the classical events, like mahler 8, or the monteverdi vespers.. also the night with renee fleming. all highly recomendable.

Naz / May 4, 2004 5:24 PM

Carly - they don't have the Summer Solstice anymore. I posted about it last year and two people who worked there replied - they didn't do it last year and have no plans to do it anymore. A shame really because they were fun.

armaghetto / May 4, 2004 9:35 PM

Lollapalooza sounds good, just because PJ Harvey is scheduled to be there. The Andersonville Midsummer fest was neato last year. I could walk around my neighborhood drinking beer and they had DOGGIES there!

Carly / May 4, 2004 9:51 PM

Naz, I'm bummed to hear that...as much as I was sometimes mystified as to why I thought it was so great, I still went.

Too bad.

Ramsin / May 4, 2004 9:52 PM

My block party. Although I got food poisoning at it two years ago. But still.

Roni / May 5, 2004 8:45 AM

Printers Row
Halsted Market Days
Pride Parade

Clicks / May 5, 2004 11:56 AM

Ravina, I go every chance I get.
Printers Row Book Fair.
Halsted Market Days.

Craig / May 5, 2004 11:56 AM

Unrelated: That northsider vs southsiders clip on the front page is not only lame and amateur flash work, but it also promotes ignorant Chicago stereotypes. Let's stick to semi-sophisticated satire...

goovie / May 5, 2004 2:58 PM

folk and roots fest, definitely. also, the american music festival at fitzgeralds, and the greater rockwell organization's block party.

i don't dig the random street fests that much (word to the person who mentioned mr. blotto, tho one of the dudes in underwater people is my guitar teacher right now, and he's pretty cool), but the lincoln park fest had some great music acts last year.

the only one i'm really dreading is mayfest in lincoln square, because it's all very well for people to get drunk and throw up and make lots of noise if they like, but i wish they didn't have to do it just two blocks away from my house. :)