Wicker Park Festival

From the parks to the streets, Chicago’s summer festivals are anything but dull. Taking a cue from other neighborhood fests like Do-Division, Wicker Park Fest has been attracting top-notch bands, vendors and neighborhood friends for more than seven years now.

The last weekend in July has been home to Wicker Park fest for the past few years. Until recently, the fest occurred along a couple of blocks on Damen Avenue but since has moved to the intersection of North Avenue and Milwaukee.

From July 31st to August 1st, expect over 40,000 people to flood the streets. Some will even perch themselves atop rooftops and hang themselves outside of windows to catch a glimpse of the chaos below.

Two stages bookend the closed-off street with a third stage, the Central stage, complementing the fest with world-renowned DJ acts. Over 25 indie-centric acts perform per day including both established and unknown bands. Canadian electronic group Junior Boys lit the fest ablaze last year as one of the headliners, and this year another Canadian group, Holy F---, will probably follow suite.

Put on every year by the Wicker Park and Bucktown chamber of Commerce, the community organization helps local businesses thrive during the weekend. Local restaurants supply street food like jalapeño poppers, bbq, cheese fries, free wine samples, sangria and artisans try to sell their crafts.

HelloChicago Tip: The fest is also kid-friendly, offering activities for the little ones throughout the two days. Wicker Park Fest unites the urban community and seriously gives new meaning to “dancing in the streets.”  
 

- by Garin Pirnia, Chicago Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Garin Pirnia

Garin was raised on a healthy diet of MTV and Top 40 radio in the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio, but one day found herself going to college in Los Angeles. After getting a writing degree, she somehow landed in Chicago. She's written about art, music, food and general interest for The Onion AV Club, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Innerview, The Wall Street Journal and AOL's music site Spinner.com.