Friday, July 11, 2008

Summer in the city doesn't get any better than in Chicago. This beachfront city takes summer fun seriously, with outdoor films, festivals, incredible cuisine, parades and fireworks over Lake Michigan.

The 28th Annual Taste of Chicago (June 27-July 6) offers something for everyone. Admission is free and the concerts feature well-known performers, such as Joss Stone and Stevie Wonder, as well as local and regional acts. There are also cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs and wine experts, as well as a Family Village with activities and entertainment for kids. Although admission is free, you do have to pay for food and drinks. Purchases are made by ticket only. Tickets are sold in strips of 11 for $7. Large items are generally 9-10 tickets, side portions 6-7 tickets, soft drinks 4 tickets. All daily restaurants offer a small "Taste" portion for 2-3 tickets -- a great way to sample a large variety of all the food available. The Taste of Chicago also features spectacular fireworks on July 3, with a performance by the Grant Park Orchestra.

If you miss the holiday fireworks, don't fret. Chicago offers a free fireworks display weekly, set to live music at the Navy Pier (Wednesdays and Saturdays). Several cruise lines and tours make special trips on Lake Michigan to coincide with the fireworks.

Take a trip to the stars at Far Out Fridays at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum. This monthly event includes hands-on activities, telescope viewings of the planets and the moon, unlimited Sky and StarRider Theater shows and lectures by astronomers and authors (Price: $5-$20). Enjoy a film under the stars for free at the 9th Annual Chicago Outdoor Film Festival (July 15-August 26/Tuesdays) or the Chicago Park District's "Movies in the Parks" which features both classics (such as "The Birds" and "Ghostbusters") and new films (such as "Bee Movie" and "The Great Debaters").

Shedd Aquarium jazzes it up on Thursday evenings (June 19 through Aug. 28 except Aug. 14) with Jazzin' at the Shedd ($10 admission) at an after-hours mixer featuring live music. Food and drinks are available for purchase. West Chicago celebrates its railroad heritage with a weekend of fund for the whole family at West Chicago Railroad Days (July 10-13) in Reed-Keppler Park. Events are free and include a carnival, live music, sporting events, kids' activities, food and drink vendors, a parade, and fireworks. Performers include Molly Hatchet and Mickey Dolenz ("Hey, Hey for the Monkees").

One of the top art festivals in the country takes place in Chicago in July (July 11-13), when Pioneer Court becomes an outdoor art gallery, with more than 200 sculptors, painters, potters, glass-workers, jewelers and photographers displaying their work at the Chicago Tribune Magnificent Mile Art Festival. If your idea of art includes a beautiful garden (and garden sculptures), take the Bucktown GardenWalk (July 12 and 13), where over 100 area gardens are open for tours, plus a trolley ride and a post-party at Club Lucky on Sunday.

The Pitchfork Music Festival (July 18-20 in Union Park) is a three-day event showcasing over 40 of independent music's best bands and artists on three stages (Single Day passes $30; Saturday and Sunday two-day passes $50; Three-day passes are $65; children under 10 free when accompanied by an adult). The 2008 festival features Public Enemy, Mission of Burma, Animal Collective, Jarvis Cocker, Atlas Sound, Jay Reatard, King Khan and His Shrines, The Ruby Suns, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International and Fleet Foxes, among others.

No need to fly overseas for a Venetian experience. The 51st Annual Venetian Night (July 26) is modeled after the boat parades in Venice, Italy, and features about 30 boats decked out with lights and decorations forming a parade along the shore of Lake Michigan between the Shedd Aquarium (Roosevelt Road) and the Chicago Yacht Club (Monroe Street). After the parade, the city puts on a spectacular fireworks display at Monroe Harbor, accompanied by music provided by local radio station WXRT (93.1).

Lollapalooza 2008 (August 1-3 in Chicago's Grant Park) is a three-day music festival with pricier tickets (Advance three-day passes $190, while supplies last; Regular ticket price of $205) and big-name acts. The 120-plus acts on the 2008 bill are lead by Radiohead - on the first stop of the second leg of their U.S. tour - Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, and Chicago natives Kanye West and Wilco. The three-day Festival will showcase a diverse array of talent from across the globe, including The Raconteurs, Love and Rockets, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Broken Social Scene, Flogging Molly, Mark Ronson, Cat Power, and Lupe Fiasco.

Join the millions of people who head to the shores of Lake Michigan for the oldest and largest free show of its kind, the 50th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show (August 15-17). The 2008 show features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the Aero Shell Aerobatic Team, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team, the Lima Lima Flight Team, Sean Tucker & Team Oracle, and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights. On the water side, the Shell Extreme Water Show entertains the crowd with some of the world's finest wave riders cruising along the waves of Lake Michigan.

Latin artists from around the world entertain at the free Chicago Latin Music Festival (August 23-24) in Grant Park. The festival features Latin artists, food, and culture.

Jazz is on the menu at the 30th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival (August 28-31) in Millennium Park and Grant Park. The 2008 festival features Saxophone greats Sonny Rollins and Ornette Coleman as headliners. In addition, several leading jazz composers have been commissioned to create works to celebrate the 30th anniversary: trumpeter Dave Douglas, pianist Vijay Iyer and bandleaders Gerald Wilson and T.S. Galloway. Events in Millennium Park and Grant Park are free (admission charged for the Aug. 26 gala concert and the Aug. 27 club tour).

In a city like Chicago, the outdoor fun continues into September and October. Gourmands and gourmet cooks will want to head to Millennium Park for the new festival, Chicago Gourmet (September 26-28, 2008). Tickets aren't cheap ($130-$150; $250 for all-weekend pass; prices for special events vary), but attendees can sample the newest and best wines, foods, and wares; watch celebrity chefs demonstrate their passion for food during live demonstrations; and learn about today's most interesting epicurean trends in the festival's seminar series.

October is Chicago's Artists' Month celebration, and the 11th Annual Chicago Art Open at the Merchandise Mart features drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, textiles and more by nearly 300 emerging and established artists.

If you're headed to the city on the shores of Lake Michigan, CRSHotels.com has the perfect Chicago hotel for you. Choose the boutique Whitehall Hotel, the Sutton Place Hotel, or the Inn of Chicago Magnificent Mile. Enjoy the historic Ambassador East Hotel, the W Chicago City Center, the Raffaello Hotel, the Italian-style Amalfi Hotel, or the Seneca Hotel & Suites. Stay conveniently near the airport at the Sheraton Gateway Suites Chicago O'Hare Airport. Or choose the Belden-Stratford, the Talbott Hotel Chicago or The Allerton Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile.
 

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