If you are a bit of a food fanatic and enjoy a great day out, don’t miss the ever popular annual Taste of Chicago festival from July 10 – 14, 2013. This is not only Chicago’s biggest event but is now the largest food festival in the world bringing together more than 3 million visitors of different nationalities from the United States and around the globe.
The venue for the Taste of Chicago is the beautiful, lakeside Grant Park in downtown Chicago, next to Monroe harbor where the Chicago skyline provides a stunning backdrop. This 319 acre park has hosted the event since 1980, when it was a low key food festival, right through to present day. In its 33 years, the Taste has just gotten bigger and better. In 2013 over 70 restaurateurs will be offering a wide range of tempting and delicious fare from traditional Chicago cuisine to ethnically influenced dishes which can be found throughout the Windy City.
If you want to be traditional, stick with Chicago-style pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, ribs or giant turkey legs. On the other hand, throw caution to the wind and dine out on Italian beef, Polish sausage or a delicious goat biryani – an Asian rice dish made with goat meat and a variety of cheeky spices.
Chicago’s top gourmet restaurants will also be present giving you the opportunity to taste their goods. In fact with over 300 dishes you may worry that your taste buds will be overloaded. But have no fear – the vendors will sell small taster dishes to whet your appetite before you settle on one dish and make a true meal of it.
The Taste of Chicago 2013 is not all about food. There is a wide variety of entertainment all day long including cooking demonstrations by top chefs at the Dominick’s Cooking Corner. The kids will never be bored with so many things to see and do – take them to the kids’ activity area to burn off a little energy before you gather together to eat your meal and watch some free live music. These performances take place on various stages where local and regional acts are invited to perform. Additionally, the evening concerts at the Petrillo Music Shell usually feature internationally known acts – in the past Moby, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and Kenny Rogers have all graced the stage. For 2013 keep an eye out for the announcement of the Taste of Chicago concert lineup in mid-April.
Other facts:
Entrance Price: Admission to the festival is free although tickets for the music entertainment in front of the Petrillo Music Shell are likely to be around $25. You can also enjoy the performances from the nearby lawn, with capacity for 30,000 spectators, for free.
Food Purchase: Stallholders don’t accept cash. You must purchase ‘taste tickets’ which are sold in blocks of 12 for $8. You’ll need 2-3 tickets for a taster portion, 4 tickets for a soft drink and larger meals will set you back around 9-10 tickets.
The Taste of Chicago is a great day out with plenty of food and plenty of entertainment. Check out the 2013 Taste of Chicago on an empty stomach – you won’t be disappointed.