This Week In Street Fests: Serb Fest, Retro On Roscoe, Northhalsted Market Days, Bud Billiken Parade And More
By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 9, 2013 3:45PM
We're turning into the home stretch of street festival season. Here are a few highlights:
Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic
The nation's largest African American parade signals the end of summer vacation for thousands of black schoolchildren in Chicago. Political and business power brokers and civic organizations participate in this event every year, marching down King Drive to Washington Park for a festive picnic. (10 a.m. Aug. 10. The parade starts at 39th Street and King Drive.)
Northhalsted Market Days 2013
The heart of Chicago's LGBT community will be packed from Belmont to Addison this weekend with enough bare torsos to last you a lifetime. Get your pride swagger on and enjoy two days of musical entertainment including Wilson Phillips, 10,000 Maniacs, Andy Bell of Erasure, and more. (Aug. 10-11. Halsted Street, from Belmont Avenue to Addison Street.)
Serb Fest
Head over to the Far Northwest Side for three days of Serbian food, music, and culture. Get your fill of cevapcici, raznjici, or pljeskavica and take part in a volleyball tournament Aug. 10. (Aug. 9-11, 5701 Redwood Dr.)
Retro on RoscoeThis festival keeps chugging along and is one of the more popular events of the summer. Enjoy three stages full of bands and six full blocks of artisans, antique vendors, food and other merchants. (Aug. 10-11, Noon-10 p.m., Damen Avenue and Roscoe Street.)
Chicago Korean Festival
Now in its 17th year, the Chicago Korean Festival features, food, music, dance, performance and even a kimchi making demo. (Aug. 10-11, Bryn Mawr Avenue and Central Park Avenue)
St. Jerome's Croatian Fest
The oldest continuous festival in Chicago takes place every year at 28th and Princeton in the wunnerful Bridgeport area. We've written about the Velika Gospa before and it's one of those quintessential Chicago experiences everyone must do once. (Aug. 15, Princeton Avenue between 28th and 29th Streets.)