Chicago Night Skyline

Chicago Festivals happening in AUGUST 2010.

Plan ahead now for the month of August. Its your last chance to take some vacation time, get out to meet friends at the festivals and hopefully get a little tan without getting burnt to a crisp. The weather is hot and humid now in Chicago, remember your sunscreen, your water bottle and the cash for all of these festivals. Some are free to enter but all of the Chicago festivals have food and drink vendors as well as things for sale depending on the fest. There are more and more festivals listed each summer in Chicago and its near impossible to keep up. Don’t worry about attending every festival, concentrate on the ones near you and with the groups you are a part of. I think sometimes these fests listed can be anything from a huge event like Lollapalooza to a small neighborhood gathering of a dozen or so people, so do some research online before heading out the door. And if the event is in the city, plan ahead extra time for finding parking. Have a great August!

29-Aug. 1: Free! Fiesta del Sol

30-31: Chicago Luxury Ice Cream Festival (yummy)

31-Aug. 1: Free! Gold Coast Art Fair

31-Aug. 1: Lincoln Park Arts and Music Festival

31-Aug. 1: Summer on Southport

31-Aug. 1: Serbfest

31-Aug. 1: Wicker Park Fest

August 1: Belize Day in the Park Free fest.

6-8: Lollapalooza  Concert Series Weekend with Lady Gaga

6-8: Taylor Street Italian Festival

7-8: Free! Crafters Round-up

7-8: New! Festival Cubano

7-8: Northalsted Market Days

7-8: Retro on Roscoe

13-15: Ginza Holiday

13-15: New! Rockin’ on the River Ribfest (yummy)

14-15: Free! Air & Water Show

14-15: Free! Armenian Fest

14-15: Free! Gethsemane Garden Center Art Fair

14-15: Wrigleyville Summerfest

15: Croatian Fest – Free!

20-22: North Side Summerfest

21-22: Caribbean Festival

21-22: Free! Chicago Carifete

21-22: Ukrainian Days Festival 2010 Free!

28-29: Bucktown Arts Fest Free!

28-29: Lake View Music Fest

28-29: Randolph Street Market Festival

28-29: Taste of Greece 2010

A few summers ago I was suprised to see a vintage sailing ship docked on the Chicago River at the point where it joins Lake Michigan that looked like it was from the 1700′s. It was the Tall Ships visiting Chicago and they are back this summer with more sailing excursions to offer local Chicagoans a really unique experience. There is one Tall Ship here now that I have seen floating by our office building downtown but be ready for 20 tall ships to arrive at Navy Pier on August 24-29, 2010. This will be a rare vintage sailing event for Chicago.

The ships have come all the way from Canada, Germany and The Netherlands in addition to the ones from the US. You will be able to tour the Tall Ships that weekend in August while they are at Navy Pier (the local tour boats will give up their docks?) and they have several tours and sailing ticket packages available. To tour the Tall Ships the cost is $15-20. To take a 60-90 minute sailing ride on Lake Michigan it costs from $45-55 and a special trip to be on the Tall Ships as they are in the Parade of Sails it is $189.00 per person. (Navy Pier 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago)

It is a bit expensive but it is a once in a lifetime experience, its not like it is easy to maintain these boats and they aren’t very common anymore. You can get a $2 discount with a specially marked Pepsi can and some tickets are available at neighborhood Dominick’s stores at a 35% discount in advance. Tickets can be purchased online at: websales.omniticket.com/cnp

There will also be nightly fireworks shows the weekend the tall sailing ships visit. If your kids like the Pirates of the Caribbean or just Pirates in general they may really enjoy seeing these old navy ships in action.

It is also good to remember that Navy Pier is also where Chicago Architectural Tours, Sea Dog Tours and Shoreline Sight Seeing tours are docked on a daily basis. So when your relatives come to visit and want to see Chicago or the kids need a summer field trip, these can also be fun affordable tours to take on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Parking is easy, there is an enormous parking garage inside Navy Pier Just turn North of the pier and drive along side, large signs direct traffic in to the parking under the buildings. Expect parking to be around $25.

Schedule:

August 24
(Ticket sales start at Noon)
Parade of Sail
Begins at 4:00 pm

Opening Ceremonies at Navy Pier’s East End Plaza: 5:00 p.m. as the ships make their approach. Festival viewing tickets required.

Tall Ship Viewing
Close of Parade of Sail to 9:00 pm

Fireworks 9:00 pm
August 25-28
10:00 am– 9:00 pm
Festival Grounds open (advance or walk-up ticket purchase required)

Tall Ship Viewing and Tall Ship Dockside Boarding

*Box offices will open at least 1 hour in advance of event opening times

Fireworks 9:00 pm
August 29
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Festival Grounds open (advance or walk-up ticket purchase required)

Tall Ship Viewing and Tall Ship Dockside Boarding

*Box offices will open at least 1 hour in advance of event opening times

Fireworks 9:30 p.m.

The Taste of Chicago starts this weekend and it is going to be a rainy and hot couple of weeks. There are some great music performances planned for free at the Taste of Chicago and there is a new Taste of Chicago iPhone App to help you find the right food within a very crowded festival.

Parking: If you plan to drive in traffic, you can park directly under the event in Millennium Garages for around $23. $5 off coupon here 

Event Dates: Jun 25, 2010 – Jul 4, 2010

Event Hours: 11 am – 9 pm Daily Except Saturday, July 3: 11 am – 7 pm; Sunday, July 4: 11 am – 6 pm Ticket sales end 30 minutes before the Taste of Chicago closes.

Location: Main Entrance Michigan Ave. & Congress Dr. Chicago, IL 60604

Food Tickets: Food and beverages are sold with tickets and the tickets are sold 12 at a time for $8.  Each food vendor has the ticket prices posted on their booth. Over 200 food items are available at the event, and no food item costs more than 12 tickets. Credit Cards are accepted at the ticket booths. An I.D. is required when making a credit card purchase.

Free Music: Rob Thomas is singing on Friday July 2. Lots of others listed here at the end of the post.

Some new changes to this year’s Taste of Chicago are that the restaurants able to  and sell food there have to be located from within Chicago’s city limits. This has turned off a lot of suburban food fans who would have otherwise come out to the Taste of Chicago but since the emphasis is more on city boundaries and not Chicagoland as a whole a lot of suburbanites are planning on staying away. Many of the big well known restaurants and food brands known in Chicago are really located in the surrounding suburbs and they were always included before.

So, that said the mix of restaurants and food will be quite different this year:

• Abundance Bakery 105 East 47th Street Chicago, IL
• Adobo Grill 1601 North Wells Street Chicago, IL
• Bacino’s Pizza of Lincoln Park 2204 North Lincoln Avenue Chicago, IL
• Billy Goat Tavern & Grill 1535 West Madison Avenue (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• BJ’s Market and Bakery 8734 South Stony Island Avenue Chicago, IL
• Bobak Sausage Company 5275 South Archer Avenue (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Carbón 300 West 26th Street Chicago, IL
• C’est Si Bon! 643 East 47th Street Chicago, IL
• Chicago Joe’s 2256 West Irving Park Road Chicago, IL
• Churro Factory2214 South Wolcott Avenue Chicago, IL
• Connie’s Pizza 2373 South Archer Avenue Chicago, IL  (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Cubby Bear 1059 West Addison Street Chicago, IL
• Doreen’s Gourmet Pizza 13201 South Baltimore Avenue Chicago, IL
• Eli’s Cheesecake 6701 West Forest Preserve Drive Chicago, IL
• Franco’s Ristorante 300 West 31st Street Chicago, IL
• Garrett Popcorn Shops(ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• The Grill on the Alley 909 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL
• Guey Lon 3968 North Elston Avenue Chicago, IL
• Harold’s Chicken #71 2109 South Wabash Avenue (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Harry Caray’s33 West Kinzie Street Chicago, IL
• Hashbrowns 731 West Maxwell Street Chicago, IL
• Home Run Inn Pizza 4254 West 31st Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Iyanze 4623 North Broadway Street Chicago, IL
• JR Dessert Bakery 2841 West Howard Street Chicago, IL
• Kasia’s Deli 2101 West Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL
• La Justicia 3901 West 26th Street Chicago, IL
• Lagniappe-Creole Cajun Joynt 1525 West 79th Street Chicago, IL
• Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse 2942 N. Lincoln Avenue Chicago, IL
• Lou Malnati’s Pizza 805 South State Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen 1141 S. Jefferson Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• The Noodle Vietnamese Cuisine2336 S. Wentworth Avenue Chicago, IL
• Oak Street Beach Café 5700 South Cicero Avenue Chicago, IL
• O’Brien’s 1528 North Wells Street Chicago, IL
• Original Rainbow Cone 9233 S. Western Avenue (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Pegasus Restaurant & Taverna130 South Halsted Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Polka Sausage and Deli 8753 Commercial Avenue Chicago, IL
• Reggio’s Pizza1339 S. Halsted Street Chicago, IL
• Ricobene’s 252 W. 26th Street Chicago, IL
• Robinson’s No.1 Ribs 225 S. Canal Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Sabor Latino 3810 West North Avenue Chicago, IL
• Shokolad Pastry and Café 2524 West Chicago Avenue
• Star of Siam 11 E. Illinois Street (ChicagoWeekendFun recommends!)
• Summer Noodle & Rice 1123 West Granville Avenue Chicago, IL
• Tamarind 614 S. Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL
• Timothy O’Toole’s Pub 622 North Fairbanks Court Chicago, IL
• Tuscany 1014 W. Taylor Street Chicago, IL
• Tutto Italiano 501 South. Wells Street Chicago, IL
• Vee Vee’s African Cuisine 6232 North Broadway Street Chicago, IL
• Vermilion 10 West Hubbard Street Chicago, IL
• Vienna Beef/Gold Coast Dog  Chicago, IL

I always have the same disclaimers about the food at the Taste of Chicago. Feel free to indulge but these are not foods I recommend eating on a regular basis. About 95% of them are high calorie high fat foods (fried chicken, ribs, sausages, pizza, burgers, sweets) and would be a poor addition to your diet on a weekly basis. The whole purpose of the Taste is for these companies to market to you and then you eat their food more regularly if you like it. Don’t fall into that trap. A day of indulgence is ok, regular weeknight meals are better off being salads in the long run.

** Edited June 24 – Humana Health Insurance Company emailed me to say that they have a program highlighting healthier choices at the Tase of Chicago, likley because I highlighted that there are almost no healthy choices at the Taste. They say that their qualification of entrees for this program are that they are under 450 calories and 500 mg sodium. (no fat limit???) 450 calories? for a sample of food? If someone is on a 1,200 calorie diet, that isn’t really a lot of help. You get a snack for dinner and thats it. Maybe that is what was intended by nature, but people won’t like it. An entire dinner should be under 500 calories (for most shorter women like me) and it still should be satisfying, so samples should be 200 calories or less.

The Taste of Chicago is an indulgence and pretending its anything else is just not very honest. You can look at their menu recommendations at humana.com/tasteofchicago if you are still interested. I understand why companies that are paying for your health coverage want you to make smarter choices, but I think the food companies and restaurants need to partner with them to actually make some healthy and appealing menu options that are available 24/7/365 of else something like this isn’t really going to work.

Taste of Chicago Petrillo Bandshell Free Music Schedule:

• Friday, June 25, 2010 – Rob Base, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Salt-n-Pepa Bell Biv Devoe 5:30 pm
• Saturday, June 26, 2010 – Gavin Rossdale Band From TV (opening act) 5:30 pm
• Sunday, June 27, 2010 – Emily Osment Allstar Weekend (opening act) 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, June 29, 2010 – Los Lobos Los Lonely Boys (co-headliner) 5:30 pm
• Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Mat Kearney Brett Dennen (opening act) 5:30 pm
• Thursday, July 1, 2010 -Trey Songz Teairra Mari (opening act) 5:30 pm
• Friday, July 2, 2010 – Rob Thomas 5:30 pm
• Saturday, July 3, 2010 – Steve Miller Band 3:00 pm
• Sunday, July 4, 2010 – Robert Randolph and The Family Band special guest Carney (opening)

So, we’re off to the Taste and I hope you have a great time and wear comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella!

If you plan on coming downtown to Chicago for any of this weekend’s events beware that the Wacker Drive Construction project is starting to close streets and re-route traffic. The Chicago Department of Transportation sent out this email today. Be careful to make note of the changes at the Chicago Wacker Drive Construction website also. Have a great weekend!

Wacker Drive Construction Update:

The City of Chicago has informed BOMA/Chicago that the first contract of the Wacker Drive Reconstruction project, the Congress Interchange, has been awarded and work is scheduled to begin shortly. 
 
Beside the additional construction vehicles and work, you will notice a new traffic configuration beginning this Thursday night into Friday morning.  The impact to traffic is the closure of Franklin from Harrison to Van Buren as well as the ramp from I-290 to Franklin.  This closure will go into effect by 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 18, 2010.
 
As previously stated the Wacker Driver Reconstruction project involves four contracts:
1. Congress interchange
2. North viaduct structure (Randolph to Monroe)
3. South viaduct structure (Monroe to Congress)
4. Lower-level utility work
 
The private utility work has been on-going throughout the Lower Wacker project limits and in conjunction with the public utility work scheduled to begin in the next few weeks.  The viaduct work is scheduled to begin in January 2011 and be completed by the end of 2012. 
 
For more information on that project or the Wacker project, visit the Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project web site: www.wackerdrive.org.

(Information provided by Chicago Department of Transportation.)

From May 1 through October 31st each year Chicago has a vibrant range of fresh locally grown produce available at the weekly farmer’s markets across the city of Chicago.  This is a great way to get better quality produce and foods that are fresher because they are grown locally and sometimes also organically. These outdoor markets are great because they pop up near you every week and make it convienient to shop for fruits and vegetables.

The importance of buying and eating locally grown foods has become more apparent as ecological/green concerns continue to grow about our environment. If you are interested in finding one of the Chicago Farmer’s Markets the list and links are below from the Explore Chicago City Government Site.

Downtown Chicago Farmer’s Markets List:

Tuesdays

Thursdays

Neighborhood Farmer’s Markets

Tuesdays

• Lincoln Square - Jun 8, 2010 – Oct 26, 2010  312-744-3315
• Museum of Contemporary Art/Streeterville - June 8, 2010 – Oct 26, 2010  312-744-3315

Wednesdays

• Pullman - June 23, 2010 – Oct 13, 2010  312-744-3315  Free Admission
• South Shore – Jun 9, 2010 – Oct 27, 2010   312-744-3315   Free Admission

Thursdays

• Hyde Park - Jun 3, 2010 – Oct 28, 2010  312-744-3315  Free Admission
• Uptown - Jun 24, 2010 – Oct 14, 2010   312-744-3315   Free Admission

Saturdays

• Austin – Jun 23, 2010 – Oct 13, 2010  312-744-3315  Free Admission
• Bridgeport (New) - June 12, 2010 – Oct 16, 2010  312-744-3315
• Division Street - May 15, 2010 – Oct 30, 2010   312-744-3315   Free Admission
• Lincoln Park - May 15, 2010 – Oct 30, 2010   312-744-3315  Free Admission
• Northcenter
• Printer’s Row Park
• Southport Green Market

Sundays

• Beverly - May 16, 2010 – Oct 24, 2010   312-744-3315   Free Admission
• Erie Street
• Wicker Park & Bucktown - Jun 6, 2010 – Oct 24, 2010  312-744-3315  Free Admission

I saw the signs in the window for The Purp ple Pig opening on Michigan Avenue months ago (and their giant Time Out Chicago Ad plastered in the window staring into my building’s offices) and all I could tell from across the street was that it looked new and trendy. I was curious about The Purple Pig’s  new restaurant downtown because we have few places to go on Michigan Avenue for lunch/dinner and we get soooo tired of the same thing all the time. The Purple Pig restaurant would be a welcome change with a gourmet twist for lunch.

I finally went to have lunch there a few weeks ago with one of my friends and was pleasantly surprised. We were not initially sure how to get to the restaurant location because it is not directly on Michigan Avenue, but down a walkway on the west side of Michigan Ave on the South side of a building next to a Bank of America branch somewhat over the intersection of Lower Michigan and Illinois Street. Lately they have left the walkway gate open so you can get there via this sidewalk that is above Illinois Street and off Michigan Avenue. They say the address is 500 N Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611, ((312) 464-1744) but you would never know it from actually walking down Michigan Avenue.

So, after locating The Purple Pig (which can be tricky) we settled in to enjoy some lunch. The restaurant is small but the space is still large enough to accomodate 3 large groups and several small groups at the same time. The decor looks Swedish or Norwegian with a detailed tile motif around the kitchen/bar area balanced with a lot of natural wood. It bridges the gap between modern and rustic in a way.

We sat down and found they had the largest wine glasses we had ever seen on the table. We weren’t going to make it a drinking lunch, so those went away. We looked over the menu which is comprised of single items rather than a lunch or dinner planned out with several things together. They advised ordering two because they were both small. (?) We chose a beet dish and the gourmet grilled cheese. We waited a while and the beets came first with the cheese and pistachios giving them a rich contrasting flavor that I did not expect. The grilled cheese was larger than we were told, (2 medium size sandwiches on crusty bread grilled like a panini) and they were awesome. I don’t remember the three cheeses used in the sandwiches but they were the fancy gourmet cheese you would never think of putting on a grilled cheese and it was absolutely stunning. We ended up being more full than we expected but who is going to leave something that good on the plate?

One thing is clear, The Purple Pig is a restaurant built around a type of dining style where everything is very rich and flavorful (wine, cheese and select gourmet meats mostly) and somewhat pricey. You get your value in the intense flavors and quality of the foods, not in large quantities. If you are looking for a big dinner this is not the place for you. They were accommodating to our requests though, explaining a menu of items we weren’t sure about and when we asked for something to dip the grilled cheese sandwiches in they produced a very good red sauce. Again it worked wonderfully.

I don’t doubt that the food will always be excellent quality and have rich complicated flavors that you don’t expect at The Purple Pig, but most average (touristy) people are probably going to be a bit surprised if they wander in off Michigan Avenue looking for lunch or dinner. It is very yuppie and a place you go specifically to be different. That said if I’m looking for a more upscale lunch I will go back, provided I can get some more amazing Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They are open until 11 pm on weekdays and until 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Hello Kitty and some friends at a past parade

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and along with some turkey and stuffing, the yearly tradition is to watch or go see the Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade downtown. Not everyone can make it downtown to see the parade in person but if you can, dress warm and come early to get a good spot to see all the floats and performers. This year the parade is sponsored by McDonalds so expect to see a lot of McDonalds Thanksgiving Day parade mentions. Maybe they will be giving out some of their yummy coffee drinks at the parade? We can only hope!

The details for seeing the parade are:

McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade
Thursday November 26, 2009 from 8-11am CST
Downtown Chicago (along State Street from Congress to Randolph) 60611

This year’s McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Chicago will include giant inflatable balloons, some of the nation’s top marching bands, and the best performances from cultures around the world. The parade takes place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2009 from 8 to 11 am CST along State Street, from Congress to Randolph.

This holiday tradition kicks off with “Zing Zang Zoom,” a lively performance from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The parade will be led by Honorary Grand Marshal Ronald McDonald® and includes performances from the acrobatic USA Baton Twirling Team, the Jesse White Tumblers, the Mobile Azalea Trail Maids and Hromovystia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.

This year’s parade also features marching bands from all over the country, including Castlewood High School (Castlewood, SD), Northwest Rankin Cougar Band (Flowood, MS) and Lancaster High School (Lancaster, OH). Chicagoland’s best high school bands will also be appearing at the parade, including the Marist High School Marching Redhawks and the Providence Catholic Marching Celtics.

The McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade also includes giant inflatable balloons, beautiful cultural performance groups and “Mr. Jolly Holiday” Santa Claus. Teddy Turkey, Chicago’s favorite turkey, will be there as well to spread smiles and holiday spirit to children of all ages.

The Thanksgiving Parade was originally called the Christmas Caravan in the 1930’s, and was created to help lift the spirits of residents suffering though the Great Depression. With today’s economic uncertainty, the McDonald’s® Thanksgiving Parade hopes to entertain and brighten the holidays for everyone watching.

For people wanting a closer look and seat to see the action, a limited number of VIP Experience packages are available at the parade’s website: chicagofestivals.org. These special packages include amenities including VIP Seats, a light continental breakfast and much more.

WGN Channel 9 in Chicago will air the parade on television live and in high definition from 8 to 11 a.m CST on Thursday, November. 26. WGN America will also broadcast the parade nationally, establishing it as one of only three parades in the country to be covered live, in its entirety, on a national television broadcast.

The jets are buzzing by the high rise office building I work in downtown and I am reminded that the Chicago Air and Water Show is this weekend! Every year the City of Chicago is generous in providing this entertaining weekend event free for everyone. But if you want good seats, get out early on the lakefront to see the best views of the Chicago Air and Water Show. (before 8 am) Take a picnic and an umbrella for some shade and spend your day outside enjoying the lakefront in Chicago and the show of amazing airplanes and talent.

If you are coming in from the suburbs for the Chicago Air and Water Show I recommend taking an early METRA train into the city and then taking a bus or cab to the beach rather than driving. The parking is expensive and hard to find. If you know someone who works in a high-rise building like me, you might get an even better view there than on the ground.

The vital stats are listed below as are the performers and airplanes featured in this year’s show. Have a great weekend!

Dates: Aug 15, 2009 – Aug 16, 2009
Hours: 10 am – 4 pm
This year the Air & Water portions are now combined into one continuous show.
Location: North Avenue Beach at 1600 North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, IL 60610
Admission: FREE!
Website: For additional information please visit, cityofchicago.org/specialevents
Accessibility: North Ave. Beach’s Lake Shore Dr. northbound entrance ramp
Accessible Beach Walk: The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities tent is located approximately 50 meters northwest of the North Avenue Beach Boat House, along the bicycle path.

The Chicago Air & Water Show 2009 Performers are:
Air Show Headliners
• U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
• U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights
• U.S. Navy Parachute Team Leap Frogs
Civilian Aircraft
• Aeroshell Aerobatic Team
• Lime Lima Flight Team (from Naperville!)
• Chicago Fire Department Air/Sea Rescue
• Sean D. Tucker & Team Oracle Red Bi-Plane
• The Firebirds Delta Team F-16s
• Ed Hamill – Air Force Reserve Bi-Plane
• Red Bull Mig 17 (Russian Cold War Era Jet)
• Red Bull Helicopter Pilot – Chuck Aaron
• P-51 Mustang (Vintage WWII Fighter)
• Chicago Fire Department Air/Sea Rescue
Military Aircraft
• C-130 cargo plane
• F-15 Fighter
• F-16 Fighter
• A-10 Demo
• B-1B Bomber
• Apache Helicopter
• BlackHawk Helicopter
• KC-135
• KC-10
• C-17
• U.S. Coast Guard Air/Sea Rescue

Announcer: Herb Hunter

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruises and Toursare one of the top attractions I recommend for tourists and locals alike when visiting downtown Chicago in the summer.  It offers a chance to see Chicago from a different perspective and is relatively cheap for entertainment. It is a great stay-cation activity this summer, and it is a local activity that is fun, relatively cheap and kid/family friendly. I hope everyone is enjoying the mild weather and the time off from work. I will post more frequently in the coming weeks after the big day has passed this Saturday.

chicago architecture river tours

Here are my recommendations for summer fun in Chicago:

1. The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise – This is a very popular Chicago River boat tour because Chicago is known for the great mid century and art deco architecture downtown. This Chicago River Cruise lasts about one and a half hours and costs $28 per person. The views of Chicago from the Chicago River are different than anywhere else in the city downtown. Looking up at the buildings that line the river is almost like walking back in history. The hosts of the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Tours always have the background, dates and interesting stories about these buildings you see.

They give you the background and history on why the buildings are as they are today and what companies and purposes they had back in the day that is entertaining even if you are a local tourist. A lot has changed in Chicago over the decades, but the architecture is one of the few things that stays the same. This tour tells you the history of why things are they way they are and who built this great city. Look to the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s web sitefor tickets, tour dates and times and what events are happening in conjunction with the tours coming up this month. architecture.org The starting point for the tour is on the corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue downtown near the loop. Check out the tour this summer, they run until November when the boats stop running for the winter.

Chicago Blues Festival 2008 by lanet and phil via Flickr.

The Chicago Blues Festival showcases the music Chicago is known for. If you are a fan of the Blues Brothers or maybe have seen BB King on commercials you may think you know something about the Blues. The thing is there is an entire world of Blues Music in Chicago with an incredible depth of talent just waiting to be discovered. the Chicago Blues Festival is a way for the general public to come discover these musicians, singers and talented artists perform their work. This speing on June 12, 13 and 14th Grant Park will be alivewith the sound of Blues, Soul and Jazz intermixing and providing some great entertainment to the city of Chicago. It is a living art form that is not to be missed.

Black Blues Guitar by Mr Noded via Flickr

It’s no surprise that Chicago Blues Festival is the largest blues festival in the world since Chicago is the largest of the cities known for Blues Music. What you may not know if that the Chicago Blues Festival the largest of Chicago’s Music Festivals. The festival lasts three days and contains six stages of performers. It’s pretty incredible that the Mayor’s Office of Special Events says that more than 640,000 blues fans attend the event and prove that Chicago is the “Blues Capital of the World.”

And did we mention it is FREE to the public?

Crowd at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2008. By Lanet and Phil va Flickr

The Chicago Blues Festival attracts big name mainstream performers who like to collaborate with local Blues singers and musicians including Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor.

This year if you are looking to attend the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Parkit will have performers live on 6 stages from 12 noon to 9:30 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. From the looks of teh schedule it should be a great weekend for music. (if the weather cooperates)

And did we mention it is FREE to the public?  (oh, we did)

Location: Grant Park at Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr. in Chicago, IL 60604  

Admission is FREE but, Food and Drinks tickets are sold in quantities of 12 for $8. (most food/drinks are a bit pricey, but the festival being free makes up for it)

There is also a city site with a lot of history about the Chicago Blues Festival available at explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_blues_festival.html.

The stop motion photography of the Chicago River being Dyed Green on St Patrick’s Day 2009 is from of Anthony Stewart Photography and runs about 30 seconds and then will stop. Press replay to see it again.

The Downtown Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 12:00 noon, Saturday March 13th. This year like in many years the Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade is not held on the actual holiday in order to make it more convenient to attend. (it’s also a fun free thing to do for the holiday) The parade will be held starting at Balbo and Columbus and runs north on Columbus to Monroe. You can get more details at ChicagoStPatsParade.com.

Taking Public Transportation to the Chicago St Patrick’s Day Parade is strongly encouraged since parking is scarce and expensive. Any of the EL loop lines are accessible, get off at the train at Randolph, Madison or Adams and walk east to Columbus. If you are coming in from a Metra line to Union Station, the walk is much further, and you will probably want to take a bus or cab from the station to Columbus. Plus it will most likely be cold, so walking 10 blocks or so isn’t fun when it is that cold. If you are lucky to be coming in to Millennium Station, exit on Lake Street and walk 2 blocks east to Columbus.

Dyeing the Chicago River also happens downtown at 10:45 am: Saturday March 13th. You can see the green river dyeing process from the East side of the Chicago River bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. This is a new location due to construction taking place this year. There is all kinds of mystical folklore about leprechauns that surrounds the dyeing of the river but basically the local Journeymen Plumbers use 40 gallons of vegetable dye to change the color of the river for a few hours in celebration and spirit of St Patrick’s Day and Irish Traditions. It is enjoyed by everyone and quite a sight to see in person. Stay downtown for the Parade at Noon.

There is also a 2010 Naperville St Patrick’s Day parade on the same day in the SW suburbs. The west suburban residents will be able to celebrate their Irish heritage in the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13. The 2010 Naperville St Patrick’s Day parade kicks off at 10 am from Naperville North High School, located at 899 N. Mill Street. The parade moves south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, south on Main Street and west on Water Street to the Municipal Center. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is hosted by the West Suburban Irish group. All residents are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item at the parade to benefit the Loaves and Fishes Community Food Pantry Charity.

And last but not least, there is the ever popular South Side Irish Parade is canceled for this year. They actually mention on their website at southsideirishparade.org that instead there is a South Side Irish Family Fest instead on Saturday March 13th. The family fest as well as the St Patrick’s Day Parade is a celebration of Irish heritage in the Beverly-Morgan Park community on the South Side of Chicago. The family fest will be much different than the Parade. It features a best Irish Sodabread contest and a Best Dresed Dog contest. Check out southsideirishparade.org for the full schedule. Many of us hope that things are calmer there this year and yet still festive.

The official parade route map downtown in Chicago – click to enlarge the image:

It is that time of year again, Tax Preparation Season in Chicago. (it can ruin many weekends before April 15th) You get through Christmas and the Super Bowl and very quietly your 1099′s sneak up on you when you aren’t looking. Tax Preparation in Chicago can be just as challenging as any other location in the US and it is a lot harder to make the trek out to an accountant when it is below zero here.

The tax season is a different process for everyone. Whether you use a paper form 1040 EZ, an online form, TurboTax, H&R Block TaxCut, go to a tax preparing service like Jackson Hewitt or H&R Block or have your own personal accountant, there are deductions your should know about.

Personally I got to use the energy credit for new energy star windows last year which was thrilling considering how much they cost up front. I also started using TurboTax a few years ago and have enjoyed doing my taxes online with their Q & A format. I actually don’t dread doing my taxes anymore thanks to TurboTax.

I actually think the ads that say an accountant will find you thousands of dollars in refunds is a bit misleading. The people who own businesses and have complicated situations may find more deductions with H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt, but someone single and uncomplicated like me does just fine with an online tax preparation program.

Here are some tips and resources to help you through the tax season in Chicago for 2008 in 2009. I do need to state that I am not a tax professional by any means, but through some research I was able to find these tips that I wanted to share.

This is a helpful list of green tax credits you can claim in 2009.

$150 for some Energy Star furnaces/boilers
$200 for all Energy Star windows
$300 for some Energy Star heat pumps and central AC
$500 for insulation and sealing that meets model building code
$3,150 for the purchase of a hybrid car or SUV

Also, the federal limit in tax credits for home improvements is $500. More information on state tax credits can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency.

This is also a list of common income tax deductions that are often missed:

1. State sales taxes as a deductions.This only applies if you live in a state without income tax like Oregon but work in a state that does have it like Washington. Keep track of these expenses during the year by saving receipts or logging them in Excel.
2. Reinvested dividends. This is more of a tax break since those dividends never got taxed. Bonus!
3. Out-of-pocket deductible charitable contributions. This includes mileage driven for charity and cash donations.
4. Deductible Student loan interest paid by parents. Since the IRS treats student loan repayments by parents as a gift to their child, students that aren’t claimed as dependents can actually deduct up to $2,500 of the loan interest paid by their parents.
5. Moving expense to take your first job. As long as you move more than 50 miles, you can deduct the cost of getting yourself and your stuff to the new locale. You can even deduct mileage.
6. Military reservists travel expenses. Members of the National Guard or military reserve can deduct travel expenses related to drills or meetings as long as they travel over 100 miles and are away overnight. The deduction covers the cost of lodging plus half the cost of your meals. You can also deduct mileage, parking fees, and tolls.
7. Child-care credits. If you pay someone to take care of your kids such that you can work, you might qualify for a tax credit. Note that this is true even if you claim your childcare-related expenses through a tax-favored reimbursement account at work because such accounts are capped at $5,000 while expenses up to $6,000 can qualify for the credit.
8. Estate tax on income in respect of a decedent. You can get an income-tax deduction for the amount of estate tax paid on an IRA the you inherit from someone else.
9. Any State tax you paid last spring. If you owed state taxes when you filed your 2007 return, you can deduct that amount along with the state income taxes that were withheld during 2008.
10. Deductible Mortgage Refinancing points. Any points that you pay when you refinance can be deducted (on a monthly basis) over the life of the new loan. Moreover, all unamortized mortgage points left over from prior years are deducted all at once if you end up refinancing your mortgage in any particular year.
11. Jury pay paid to employer. Some employers continue to pay their employees’ full salary when they’re on jury duty, but require that the employees turn over their jury pay. Since the IRS views this as taxable income, you need to be sure to deduct it. If you don’t, you’ll end up paying double taxes on a portion of your income.