Celebrate Chicago's Birthday Tuesday At Daley Plaza

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Mar 3, 2014 5:00PM

Even with all the potholes and mounds of snow Chicago is holding up fairly well as the city reaches its 177th birthday Tuesday, which is also Mardi Gras and always a solid reason for a party.

Which is what will be happening at Daley Plaza from 10:30 a.m. through 7 p.m. with a host of food trucks, booze, paczki, a marching band, DJs and other performances. The festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. with a native drum interpretation of “Happy Birthday” by the American Indian Center of Chicago as a reminder of Chicago’s heritage. That will be followed by children reading entries submitted to an annual essay contest sponsored in partnership with the Friends of DuSable honoring Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable, the city's first official resident.

A Mardi Gras-style parade featuring The Big Shoulders Brass Band & Mystick Krewe of Laff will lead directly to the day-long food truck rally. The food trucks participating in the event include Bridgeport Pasty; Flirty Cupcakes; Gino’s Steaks Truck; Haute and Ready Chicago; Husky Hog BBQ; Jerk; Ms. Tittles Cupcakes; Porkchop; The Cheesie’s Truck; and Windy City Patty Wagon. Delightful Pastries will be selling paczki all day and folks looking for adult refreshments can enjoy beer from Goose Island Beer Co. and wine. Eli's Cheesecake will provide a birthday cake for the city and free goodies for people who share a birthday with Chicago. (Supplies are limited.)