The Taste of Randolph was one of the earliest street festivals to break out of booking lame-o cover bands and local crowd-pleasers in favor of bringing in world class talent. We remember seeing Spoon play there in the early aughts with a handful of other folks who were into them and a whole bunch of yuppies scratching their heads. A couple years later My Morning Jacket played to a sightly larger if no more comprehending crowd. Last year Superchunk played and gave one of the best performances we've ever seen from them. more ›

Whether you call Logan Square home or just visit for its many bars, restaurants and venues, you can support the ‘hood by attending the third annual "I Love Logan Square" party. Proceeds from this event go to the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, which undertakes the task of uniting neighbors, businesses, schools, and area organizations to establish a stronger, safer community. And unlike fundraisers fueled by expensive dinners or uppity galas, this one takes the form of a casual night of entertainment, neighborly mingling and dancing. more ›

As Fest Season 2010 continues to roll through the streets of Chicago, many smaller outdoor street festivals tend to get lost in the shuffle. Chicagoist is recommending the second annual Metronome Celebration in trendy Logan Square this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13. more ›

Nobody can say that they don't know how to party in Lincoln Square. The first of two beerfests hosted in the neighborhood went full-steam this weekend: Mayfest (or as the Germans prefer, Maifest). The event was billed as a celebration of the neighborhood's Germanic culturural roots with an array of appropriate food items (we are particularly fond of the pretzels, pickled herring sandwiches and thuringer sausages...mmmm....) and a shocking number of people sporting lederhosen (what do you do with leather shorts and suspenders for the rest of the year people?), but the vast majority of the event's crowd made their way to the area to stand around on the blocked-off street and chug beer from massive plastic beer steins. Despite the immense amount of Hofbrauhaus and PBR consumed, Mayfest wass a surprisingly family-friendly event with strollers maneuvering easily through the throngs. Saturday's crowd was comfortable due to the threat of rain, though in previous years the event has grown to quite the mob scene. more ›

The sun is shining, the heat waves have begun and summer festival season is right around the corner. It’s almost time to block off the streets enjoy good food and live music with a few thousand strangers. Next weekend (June 5 and 6) is one of the season’s first street fests, the newly expanded Do-Division. The fest will stretch across ten blocks of Division between Ashland and Leavitt, lining the street with local vendors and boutiques and two separate stages for non-stop musical performances. more ›

Street festival music offerings have been looking unusually bleak this season, with even tried and true block parties letting us down. Sorry Wicker Park Fest and Do-Division ... you each have a few bright spots but as a whole you leave us cold. more ›

Head on over to Lakeview this weekend for the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, held between Belmont and Roscoe on N. Broadway. This year, 140 juried artists ply their paintings, sculptures, and other original wares, while bands representing styles ranging from reggae to flamenco keep your eardrums happy. Free. more ›

What's more fun than the Gay Pride Parade? Northalsted Market Days! This weekend the party lands between Belmont and Addison on Halsted. Numerous stages, merch stalls, party people, babies in buggies, dudes with tails made of peacock feathers, hipsters, alt-bros, Trixies and their Chads, DJs, dancers, and little old ladies looking for a good time choke the six block stretch from the early morning into the evening. It's the street fest to end all street fests and we never, ever miss it. This year you'll probably find us hanging around the Roscoe stage where the bands include Hey Champ, Carey Ott, and Scotland Yard Gospel Choir. Here's a taste of what you can expect from Hey Champ. more ›

We have to admit we're a bit caught off-guard by an email we just got from the Empty Bottle: more ›