Festivals!

Festivals are known around the country in many different forms and formats and different frequencies throught the year.  Some places just have a state fair, others have art festivals, some have festivals in honor of fruits, the solstace or other various things.  Growing up DeWitt we had one festival a year  called the Ox Roast.  Since moving to Chicago I have learned that festivals here take on a whole new meaning.  We have festivals for just about everything.  This weekend I only made it to 3 festivals, yes, 3 festivals just in one weekend.  I only had time for the three festivals because I was busy doing a few other things as well but I really wanted to make it atleast one of the art festivals too.

I started out my weekend when I left work at noon on Friday.  I went downtown to meet up with my old roomie Erin and we went to Adler Planetarium.  I have lived in Chicago for 2.5 years and have never been to the planetarium before and considering it is the oldest in the country I felt it was time to change this.  They were running a special for free admission last week so it was a perfect oppertunity to go.  We took the bus down and it was funny it was 4 locals on the bus and we all had to ask if the bus went out as far as the planetarium.  The bus driver laughed when I pulled the stop cord when we got there because he knew it was our destination.  The planetarium it self was nice.  I had a few mixed reviews depending on exhibits.  The colar system exhibit was very out of date but some of the other ones were very cool and I learned some interesting facts.  I really enjoyed the live astronomer talk which was very imformative and fun.  The history of space discovery and exploration was also very interesting.  They have some really old telescopes on display.

After the planetarium we took the bus back to the loop and parted ways.  I met up with my friend Dani who was in town for the week and weekend and she came to stay at my house.  She had really been wanting good pizza so where else but Pequod's.  After we waited for over an hour to sit (thats pretty standard) we enjoyed lots of great pizza!  We all had lots of desires to go out that night and enjoy the town but exhausttion won out.  I finally watched the Hangover (the original) and went to bed.  Needed to get my rest for the real weekend.

Saturday I woke up and went to boxing and then an abs class before really starting out the day.  Got a group together and headed up to festival 1 of 3 for the weekend.  We started the day out at Midsommarfest in Andersonville.  I really enjoyed this festival and wish I could have stayed longer.  There was some great street vendors and lots of live music.  They had 5 stages.  The only part that I was slightly bummed about was the food.  I really wanted some traditional Swedish food but I could not find it with out leaving the festival and going into a restaurant.  I wish we would have spent longer there before we headed out and went down to Ribfest.

The Puppet Bike in action at Midsommar

Ribfest is very similiar to Taste of Chicago except its only ribs.  Ribfest is a festival as you guessed it, all about ribs.  There were many vendors cooking ribs and while most of them were super good some were not as great.  The price was a bit high as well.  They not only ask for a donation at the gate but then also charge for everything.  It works out to be $2 per rib which is very high.  There were some good freebies though which made things better.  I had the most amazing buffalo chicken wrapped in bacon!  It was a sponser Wright Brand that cooked up this dish and it was free and come off of a truck that looked like a train.  I also had some free wine courtesy of Gnarly Head.  The wines were ok, I don't know if I would buy them myself but it was enjoyable none the less.  I would have to say in my opinion the best ribs there came from The Piggery.  Between Ribfest and Midsommar I had a gyro, gellato, ribs (7), lemonade, beer, deep fried Oreos, and bacon wrapped chicken wings (it was so worth it though).

Wright Brand's giant tailgate semi smoker!!!

Enjoying some free samples!

After Ribfest (the second time, we went back after a drink across the street) we all left with Tyler and went to a bar called Christina's Place which was way far west over on Kedzie at Grace.  It was a fun place but the distance made it less desirable.  I stayed there for a while and listened to some karekoe before a few of us hopped in a cab and went home.  While we were waiting for a cab we witnessed 2 tow trucks go drag racing down Addison.

Sunday started out much more low key than Saturday.  This was Dani's last day in town so we just went and grabbed grilled cheeses' over at Cheesie's Pub.  Dani packed up and headed off to the airport and I went for a run.  After the amount of unhealthy food I eat at Ribfest and Midsommar I needed a good run and the weather was perfect.  I wish I would have gone further than just 6 miles.  After the run I came home and got ready for festival #3.  I met up with some friends and headed over to Party as St. Mike's which is a large block party.  A band called 7th Heaven was playing.  In Chicago there are lots of really good cover bands and these are one of them.  They have a segment called 30 songs in 30 minutes and they are all good sing along songs.  It was really a perfect way to end my Sunday except we didnt quite end there.  None of us had had dinner yet so we walked over to Corcoran's Grill in Old Town for some dinner.  It was nice to just sit down and enjoy spending some time with friends.  The festivals were all fun and all but I didn't get to sit at all.

I wish I could have made it too Well's Street Art Fair, Old Town Art Festival, or Blue's Fest but there just was not time this year.  Perhaps next year!  With festivals just about every weekend in Chicago there is never nothing to do.  Next weekend I am sure will bring more festivals along with it.