The Chicago Traveler

• The African Festival of the Arts is Chicago’s largest neighborhood festival, featuring three music stages, ethnic cuisine, and more than 300 vendors selling everything from fine art to skin care products. Presentations include book discussions and dance workshops. (Aug 29 – Sept 1)
• The 30th annual Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s longest-running lakefront music festival and features local, national, and international performers on several stages. (Aug 28-31)
• Get your fill of pierogi, Polish sausage, and sauerkraut at the Taste of Polonia, where you can listen to live bands play everything from rock to polka. (Aug 29 – Sept …read more

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• The 11th annual Taste of Randolph Street stretches from Peoria Street to Racine Avenue and features food from local restaurants, a wine garden, chef demos, and art vendors. (June 20-22)
• At the Daley Plaza, the Thai Festival Chicago 2008 presents dance performances, Thai boxing demonstrations, food, fashion, and more. (June 19-20)
• Watch the Chicago White Sox take on the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in the Crosstown Classic. (June 27-29)
• Beverly Arts Center dance instructor Chris Nasadowski hosts Bringin’ It from the Streets III, a showcase of amateur and professional tap, hip-hop, and modern dance troupes. (June 20)
• Tracy …read more

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On Wednesday night, the Chicago Cubs became the second major-league team with 10,000 victories. And their opponents, the Colorado Rockies, certainly didn’t make it easy for them.
It took the Cubs ten innings to defeat the Rockies, coming back in the ninth on a two-run homer and then a two-out RBI single from Ryan Theriot. The exciting game was the Cubs’ sixth straight victory this season and was the franchise’s 10,000th win. Only the New York Giants have more with 10,192 (as of Wednesday).
Of course, most of this year’s team had no idea about the milestone, nor did they seem very …read more

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Many kids have faked an illness in order to stay home from school. That, however, would never work for me. My parents’ theory seemed to be: “Can you walk? Can you breathe? Then you’re going to school.” One famous fictional teenager gets away with it and decides that he’s not going to waste his day off school by staying home; he’s going to have an all-out adventure in downtown Chicago. Of course, I’m talking about Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 1986

Directed by:
John Hughes

Produced by:
John Hughes
Tom Jacobson

Starring:
Matthew Broderick
Alan Ruck
Mia Sara
Jeffrey Jones
Jennifer Grey

Distributed by:
Paramount Pictures

All Movie Guide
IMDb
Amazon.com

This 1986 comedy follows …read more

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The Illinois Bureau of Tourism asked the state’s residents and visitors to nominate their favorite destinations in Illinois. In May of 2007, seven of these were selected as the Seven Wonders of Illinois.

• Chicago: Wrigley Field. The atmosphere, neighborhood, and fans put this stadium in a league of its own. It’s not just a ballpark; it’s an experience.
• Chicagoland: The Baha’I House of Worship. This unforgettable sight is beautiful both inside and out. Its intricate construction took nearly 30 years to complete.
• Northern: Starved Rock State Park. Visitors can witness firsthand the results of Mother Nature’s power: 18 canyons framed …read more

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Yesterday was Opening Day for Major League Baseball, so it is only appropriate to dedicate a post to Chicago’s one and only Wrigley Field. It is one of Chicago’s most recognized landmarks and is one of the few remaining ballparks without a dome, with real grass, and without a large-screen television. And while a few of the seats are less than ideal (the infamous “nosebleeds” and seats behind structural supports), the majority of fans have a great view of their “loveable losers.”
With nearly 100 years of history, where do I even begin? Wrigley Field was originally built in 1914 as …read more

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Today marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Chicago legend Harry Caray. He was the iconic radio and television announcer for the Chicago Cubs.

Holy Cow!
Harry Caray trained himself to use this expression to avoid any chance of using profanity on the air.

Harry Caray, born Harry Carabina, began his baseball career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1945. His personality and charm not only earned him plenty of radio fans, but he also became quite influential amongst the team personnel itself. In 1969 however, he was unexpectedly fired. Of course, there are several suspected theories as to why, everything from …read more

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The Chicago Athletic Association Building and Annex are excellent examples of early-20th-century progressive architectural trends. They housed the city’s upscale athletic, dining, and social club. Founded in 1890 by Marshall Field, Henry Ives Cobb, Cyrus McCormick, A. G. Spalding, and others, the CAA was a not-for-profit organization providing a setting for athletic, business, and social endeavors. In 1915, when member William Wrigley bought the Chicago Cubs, the team adopted the CAA logo.
Update (2008-06-17): I gathered the above information about the Cubs’ and CAA logo from their own website. However, evidence has been presented which contradicts this information. According to …read more

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The leaves have been falling along with the temperatures here, and that means one thing to many Chicagoans: football. Soldier Field on Lake Shore Drive is home to “Da Bears” and has a bit of an odd look to it… and a just as equally odd history to go with it.

Completed in 1924, Municipal Grant Park Stadium was built as a public, multipurpose sports venue and was modeled after the Parthenon, matching the adjacent Field Museum’s Greco-Roman design. One year later, the name was changed to honor American military personnel that fought in World War I.
Soldier Field was the site …read more

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Living on the north side of Chicago, I can tell you that there are more than enough places to buy Chicago Cubs souvenirs and memorabilia. But where do you go if you’re a Chicago White Sox fan?

Three blocks away from the White Sox’ home, U.S. Cellular Field, is Grandstand. Established in 1989, this family-owned business is the place to go for every White Sox product imaginable. The hats on display go from floor to ceiling. Current and former professional athletes come to check out the impressive selection of field gear, collectibles, autographs, sports apparel, souvenirs, memorabilia, and vintage reproduction jerseys …read more

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