• Chow down on brats, potato salad, sauerkraut, smoked sausages, and beer at the 88^th Annual German-American Festival in Lincoln Square. The 43^rd Annual Von Steuben Parade (featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) starts Saturday at 2 p.m. (Sept 5-7)

• You can sample from more than 300 international vintages and watching cooking demos at the Fourth Annual Windy City Wine Festival presented by Binny’s Beverage Depot. (Sept 5-6)

• The Ukrainian Village Fest is an outdoor neighborhood festival with a beer garden, ethnic foods, and raffle prizes. (Sept 6-7)

• Possibly one of the quirkiest events of year, the Red Bull Flugtag at North Avenue Beach features 30 teams steering their homemade flying machines off a 25-foot (7.6 m) ramp… only to fall with a splash into Lake Michigan. This event is very popular, so show up long before the official start time of 1 p.m. (Sept 6)

• Need something soft and cuddly to spend your nights with? Make your own plush toy! Artist Cheryl Pope will show you how at the Museum of Contemporary Art. (Sept 6)

• Wanna be on top? America’s Next Top Model, the popular reality show hosted by Tyra Banks on the CW Television Network, is looking for models ages 18-27 who stand at least 5’7” (170 cm). Bring three photos, and look fierce. (Sept 6)

• Along with more than 50 award-winning Ferraris, the Italian Village Ferrari Festival features an Italian food buffet, live music, beer and wine, and *gasp* Ferrari rides. (Sept 7)

• Calling all chocola-holics! Sample gourmet chocolates from the likes of Ghirardelli, The Chocolate Traveler, Cyndy’s Sweet Treats, and more at the Chicago Luxury Chocolate Salon at the Symphony Center.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Devan., Jeronimo’s Eye

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

If your eyes are always on the skies, take a gander at the Indiana Aviation Museum. There are nine former military aircraft in the museum, and all of them are airworthy and capable of flying (unlike many other museum showpieces). In fact, if you want to experience the thrill of flight yourself, you can! Book an appointment for the experience of a lifetime: a 20-minute flight in one of four vintage warbirds. Reaching speeds of 200 mph (322 kph), these planes are definitely a hot attraction if you are looking for a rush.

From planes to trains, stop by the Beverly Shores Gallery and Museum, which is also a train station on the South Shore line. This landmark offers passengers an interesting look at the history of the town, as well as rotating indoor gallery exhibitions and sculpture exhibits outdoors. If you’re fortunate enough to arrive during an opening reception, you can meet the artist him/herself. Admission is always free, but donations are gratefully appreciated.

The Indiana Dunes themselves are a great place to bring your family if you are a fan of the outdoors. The entire Dunes area has seven different beaches and even a horse trail. With blue water, green trees, and white sand, this Indiana spot can be as relaxing as it is entertaining. Let the kids play in the sand while you listen to the soothing sound of crashing waves.

Finally, after you’ve built your sand castles and basked in the sun, it’s time to cool off with a big splash. At Splash Down Dunes, fun is just a gigantic slide away. This water park offers over a dozen twisting, turning, and thrilling slides and a giant 30,000-square-foot (2800 m²) wave pool. Shoot down the super-fast 68-foot (21 m) steel tower, or take it easy in the quarter-mile Lazy River. Families are welcome to bring their own grills and food, and the Carousel Café is on site in case you forget anything, serving everything from burgers to nachos to ice cream.

So if you’re itching to get outdoors before it gets too cold, then pack up and head for the Indiana border where you’ll find great fun that won’t break the bank.

Photo credit: Wikipedia, (c/o Flickr) lapstrake

Indiana Aviation Museum: 4601 Murvihill Road (Valparaiso, IN); 210-548-3123
Adults: $5; seniors and veterans: $4; kids 12 and under are free.
May – October
Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sun: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Other days by appointment only.
http://www.in-am.org/

Beverly Shores Gallery and Museum: 525 Broadway (Beverly Shores, IN); 219-871-0832
April – November
Fri – Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
http://www.bevshrshistsoc.org/museum.html

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: 1100 N Mineral Springs Rd (Porter, IN); 219-926-7561
Click here for various operating hours and seasons
http://www.nps.gov/indu/

Splash Down Dunes Water Park: 150 E US Highway 20 (Porter, IN); 219-929-1181
General Admission: $20; children under 48 inches (122 cm): $15; children under 1 year old: free
May 24 – Aug 10: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Aug 11 – Sept 1: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
http://www.splashdowndunes.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• This weekend marks the 50^th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show. Arrive early and claim your spot at either North Avenue Beach or Oak Street Beach, where you’ll see the Blue Angels, the Golden Knights parachute team, an F-22 Raptor, and much more. (Aug 15-17)

• The third annual North Side Summerfest features live music from over a dozen artists and bands and plenty of food and crafts vendors. (Aug 15-17)

• Attracting thousands of visitors, the Edison Park Fest includes a parade, a dog show, live music, and a beer garden. (Aug 15-17)

• Chase Park introduces The Raven, a two-day festival that will benefit the construction of a new playground. Enjoy live entertainment, food from local restaurants, a marketplace, and kids’ activities. (Aug 16-17)

• Sheffield’s is throwing its very first Blues and Barbecue Fest, a party which includes pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and draft beer. (Aug 16)

• If you like scary movies, you’ll love Terror in the Aisles at the Portage Theater. Fright-flick fans (some in costumes) will show up for this 13-hour movie marathon which features a live charity auction and prizes. (Aug 16-17)

• There are naked people in the museum! Go on a hunt for nudity in paintings and sculptures as part of the Watson Adventures’ Naked at the Museum Scavenger Hunt in the Art Institute of Chicago. (Aug 16)

• Take your dog for a 90-minute, narrated boat tour along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan as part of the Mercury Canine Cruise. Water and treats are provided for the pets, and all pooches much be leashed. (Every Sunday through Sept 28)

• At Navy Pier, the Chicago Turkish World Festival features music, folk dancing, food, cultural presentations, and merchandise from Turkey, Macedonia, Bosnia, and Albania. (Aug 16-17)

Photo credit: City of Chicago, (c/o SXC) Lisa Langell, unbearable lightness

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Two stages of live music entertain thousands of visitors at the Old St. Patrick’s World’s Largest Block Party. Tickets include five drinks (bottled water, soda, wine, beer). (July 18-19)

• The Chicago Short Comedy Video and Film Festival at the Music Box Theatre consists of nearly 35 locally-made films starring Chicagoan actors and comedians. (July 17-18)

• Kate the Great’s Book Emporium, a bookstore with a diverse selection in Edgewater, will be closing its doors next week after three years of business. Give your farewells at The Great Wake of Kate the Great, a casual party with readings by local fiction writers. Pick up used books for only $1-$3. (July 18)

• MidTangent Productions presents their own interesting spin on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. This GLBT version stars local female impersonator Madame X (from the Kit Kat Lounge) at the National Pastime Theater. (ends Aug 3)

• Speaking of Shakespeare, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Funk It Up About Nothin’, an adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing to the rhythm of six hip-hoppers and a live DJ.

• The 7^th annual Summer on Southport includes live music from three stages, beer, wine, arts and crafts, food from local restaurants, and kids’ activities. (July 19-20)

• Hosted by Women’s Health Magazine, Are You Game? features fashion shows, a golf simulator, live music, mechanical bull rides, a climbing wall, and beauty treatments on North Avenue Beach. (July 19)

• The 63^rd Street Summer Festival features a wide variety of music artists specializing in R&B, soul, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. (July 19)

• Dogs and their people can play games together at the 8^th annual Let’s Play Together Wooftop Party (at the Anti-Cruelty Society) which also features a dog masseuse, a pet psychic, and raffle. (July 20)

Photo credit: thera aarnoudse, Wikipedia, Henk L

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• The indoor-outdoor 23^rd annual Irish-American Heritage Festival features live Irish music on five stages, folk dancing, food, arts and crafts vendors, and a raffle for a trip to Ireland. (July 11-13)

• You can browse through wood carvings, paintings, and jewelry from Asia, Africa, and Europe at the Black Thai International Arts and Crafts Fest in the West Loop. (July 9-11, Aug 6-8, Sept 3-5)

• More than 200 painters, sculptors, photographers, street musicians, and other artists from across the country gather at the 17^th annual Chicago Tribune Magnificent Mile Art Festival. (July 11-13)

• The L.A.T.E. Ride is a 25-mile (40 km) trip through Chicago’s downtown and north side neighborhoods in the middle of the night. Show up beforehand for live music, registration, and contests. Helmets required. (July 12-13)

• See more than 30 local bands on three different stages at the 15^th annual Rock around the Block, which also features arts and crafts and street performers. (July 12-13)

• Take in some culture this weekend. The 11^th annual Chicago Folk and Roots Festival provides live music from a variety of international and local talent throughout Welles Park. The event includes dance lessons, arts and crafts, food, beer, and more. No dogs or bikes, please. (July 12-13)

• Play for prizes in Volleywood, a sand volleyball tournament at North Avenue Beach. Or just kick back and watch the action. A party afterward features games, food, and dance music. (July 12)

• The 35^th annual outdoor BenFest features live music, a cash raffle, food vendors, face painting, and more at St. Benedict Parish. (July 11-12)

• Don’t want to go bike-riding in the middle of the night? The 6^th annual Tour de Beverly is a non-competitive 5-, 10-, or 25-mile (8, 16, or 40 km) family-friendly ride open to all levels and passes through historic neighborhoods and wooded areas. Helmets required. (July 13)

Photo credit: (c/o SXC) Luka Rister, Carol Giffen

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Summer’s here and more and more people are visiting Chicago’s beaches along Lake Michigan. Now is a good time to remind everyone that the city will issue $500 tickets to anyone caught smoking on public beaches. Too many people leave their butts in the sand and pollute the water.

According to the Chicago Tribune, cigarette butts take somewhere between 10 and 15 years to turn into a fine powder:

Yet butts don’t biodegrade, they only break down. The distinction is important to environmentalists, who say butts end up as a plastic residue that stays in ecosystems for decades. A substance that biodegrades, by contrast, is usually organic: plant or animal matter neutralized by enzymes or sunlight.

The bottom line: Old cigarette butts only get diluted or buried. They never truly vanish.

The law isn’t anti-smoking; it’s anti-litter. After all, millions of kids play in the sand along the lakefront, and the last thing any of us want is to have them finding pieces of tobacco trash. Unfortunately, the majority of smokers don’t dispose their butts properly in a trash bin, so this ban may be the only way to ensure that the beaches stay clean.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) lapstrake (on vacation)

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Celebrate Puerto Rican culture at the Fiesta Puertorriquenas in Humboldt Park, featuring crafts, food, live music, and dancing. The festival’s high point is the Puerto Rican Day Parade on Saturday along Columbus Drive, from Balbo Drive to Monroe Street. (June 12-15)

• Festa Pasta Vino is an annual celebration of Italian food, family, and culture, featuring authentic cuisine from local restaurants, cooking demonstrations, parades, and live music. (June 12-15)

• Meet paranormal radio show host Edward Shanahan, astrologists, and tarot readers at Weather Mark Tavern’s Friday the 13^th Party. Drink specials include $2.50 Miller drafts. (June 13)

• Night owls can join Mystic Blue every Saturday for their After-Hours Moonlight Cruise. The outing on Lake Michigan includes a DJ, dancing, martinis, and free appetizers. Boarding begins at 12:15 a.m. (ends Aug 30)

• Watch more than 100 local artists work together on a 500-foot (152 m) mural along the lakefront at the Artists of the Wall Festival. The festival also features live music, arts and crafts, and food vendors. This year’s theme is “Winds of Change.” (June 14-15)

• The 59^th Annual Old Town Art Fair is the country’s oldest juried outdoor art fair and features 260 artists displaying paintings, photographs, jewelry, sculptures, and more. Enjoy live music, kids’ activities, food vendors, and a raffle. Rain or shine. (June 14-15)

• Get a variety of international foods from local restaurants, browse arts and crafts, and listen to live music from four stages at the 43^rd Annual Andersonville Midsommarfest. (June 14-15)

• About 150 local men prepare more than 200 dishes at the 19^th Annual Father’s Day Real Men Cook at the South Shore Cultural Center. The event includes kids’ games and live music. Expect everything from barbecue to soul food to desserts. (June 15)

• Enjoy something educational with Dad. Dads get free general admission at the Museum of Science and Industry in honor of Father’s Day. (June 15)

Photo credit: Glorius (c/o Flickr), Real Men Cook

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• The 11^th Annual Chicago Improv Festival takes place at various locations and includes performances by Paul Scheer, Jack McBrayer, and John Lutz. (ends June

• The largest free outdoor blues event in the world, the 25^th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, features local, national, and international entertainment on six stages in Grant Park with more than 90 performances. (ends June

• More than 170 current and classic films will be shown this summer in neighborhood parks throughout the city as part of the Chicago Park District’s Movies in the Parks. This Friday, Daddy Day Camp will show at Columbus Park, and Bee Movie is at Hale Park. Bring your own snacks and blankets. All movies are free and begin at dusk. (ends Aug 30)

• The Salvation Army will be raising hunger awareness at the 70^th Annual Donut Day outside the Thompson Center. Free donuts and coffee will be provided, and local media personalities will make appearances. (June 6)

• Break out the napkins! The 10^th Annual Ribfest in the North Center neighborhood features barbecue dishes from local restaurants, live music, kids’ activities, and more. (June 7-8)

• The Fiesta Back of the Yards is a family-oriented Latino heritage party featuring live music, arts and crafts vendors, pony rides, folk dancers, carnival rides, and more. (June 7-8)

• The 8^th Annual Jeff Fest in Jefferson Park includes arts and crafts vendors, beer and wine vendors, live music, food, and a Sunday fireworks display. (June 6-8)

• Meet authors, attend cooking demonstrations and panel discussions, and browse new and old books of all genres at the largest free literary event in the Midwest. The 24^th Annual Tribune Printers Row Book Fair in the South Loop features more than 200 authors and 150 booksellers and exhibitors. (June 7-8)

• Fans of volleyball will Bump, Set, Spike for St. Jude. Teams of four will be playing beach volleyball at North Avenue Beach to support kids with serious illnesses. Participants receive a T-shirt and door prizes. (June

• More than 250 artists display original paintings, photography, sculpture, and ceramics at the 61^st Annual 57^th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park. (June 7-8)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) ChicagoEye, zorbs, sgt fun

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Smoking is now off limits at beaches and playgrounds in Chicago.

The park district board voted unanimously on Wednesday to pass the ban, which took effect immediately. Police can issue warnings or tickets with a $500 fine to anyone who smokes within 15 feet of a city beach or playground. Susan Sholty, a young mother who visits city playgrounds often with her child, was all for the ban, “especially with a toddler who picks up everything and puts it, a lot of times, in his mouth.”

The board’s goal is to protect non-smokers, especially children, from second-hand smoke. But cigarette butts and filters also damage the environment. Volunteers found 35,000 butts in the sand during a three-hour cleanup of city beaches last month. “One small thing we can do, that is not small for people using the beaches, is to stop using them as ashtrays,” Joel Brammier of the Alliance for Great Lakes said.

Post from: The Chicago Traveler