The Windy City of Chicago offers a broad selection of attractions for travellers of all types and ages, from beautiful architecture, lip-smacking offerings of food and drink and loads of sports events. Every year, it also holds a number of exciting festivals to celebrate food, drink, music, films and more.
Perhaps Chicago’s most famous festival is Lollapalooza, a massive music event which spans the genres of alt-rock, heavy metal, rock, hip hop, punk and more, and hosts more than 150,000 people every year. If you’re a music fan of any description, it’ll have something tuneful to fill your ears, and previous artists have included the likes of Eminem, Muse, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Arcade Fire, Pearl Jam, The Killers, The National and a whole lot more. If they’re a big name, you’ll find them here. It’s one of the biggest and most prestigious music festivals in the whole of the states and it comes with good vibes and a chilled-out atmosphere.
Chicago Underground Film Festival is a rather more leftfield affair, and showcases a range of alternative cinema, including short films, independent films, documentaries, foreign cinema and more. The event also screens shocking and controversial films for those who like something provocative. If you’re keen to discover strange, unusual and interesting cinema, this is the event for you, with a firm focus on celebrating the artistic and aesthetic aspects of filmmaking and screening radical and challenging content.
Chicago also plays host to loads of big parades throughout the year, including the St Patrick’s Day Parade, Chicago Gay Pride Parade, and the Chinese New Year Parade. All of these offer floats, bands, entertainment, food and drinks, with a variety of themed happenings depending on the particular event.
Chicago’s biggest festival is Taste of Chicago, a tastebud-tingling smorgasbord of foods and drinks from around the world. In what is probably the biggest outdoor food festival in the whole of the states, you can get your lips around plenty of tasty morsels and meals, from gourmet banquets to street food and everything in between. There are also cookery demonstrations, top chefs, samples, restaurants and food booths, with music and other entertainment for those looking to give their bellies a break.