Chicago street festivals too congested (Naperville: how much, neighborhood, live in)

[3goodmonths]

There are many things wrong with Chicago street festivals, how much fun is it being pent up in a tight crowd like pigs in the stock yards. I have also noticed that a lot of the street festivals seem the same could this be because they are concentrating more on profit that on the experience. I have one good idea to keep me going to a couple street festivals a year.

How about more sitting areas between vendors after lengthening the space of the street festival.

Does anyone else have issues with street festivals? I have only lived in the city for 6 years after moving from suburbs so I am more use to something spread out like Naperville rib fest.


I guess I will stay on subject and not mention the poor quality of a majority of food.

[biggunsmallbrains]

Well, it's true that most of these street fests are similar but there are so many to choose from that it just depends on you and what you enjoy. There's huge ones like the taste of Chicago. There's small ones like Argyle night market. And there's everything in between. But it seems a bit antithetical to street fests to say they're too crowded. That's kind of the definition of a festival to begin with.

Talking about crowded, Napervilles rib fest is super crowded and sprawling. As for the food, some of it was good, lots of it was very mediocre. Welcome to the world of street fests. If you prefer good food without crowds Chicago has plenty of wonderful restaurants.

[yakman]

Nothing is as bad as the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza at peak times.

[TBideon]

They should really spread out the festivals, say May 1 through October 1. There are just far too man on the same day.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by TBideon

They should really spread out the festivals, say May 1 through October 1. There are just far too man on the same day.

The majority of the street festivals aren't intended to be attended by the entire city, they're intended for people in the immediate neighborhood. There's really no reason to spread those out.

[3goodmonths]

I agree the festivals should not be attended for entire city. i live in northcenter and I feel rib fest it to congested i think people come from all over the city. If there is something I like I would think about going to another nieghborhood like roscoe village burger fest. BUt because of the congestion I do not go to too many I rather just go to the actual restauraunt and try the food.

[pureistheword]

I have been to a few this year, the only one that really seemed far too crowded was Ribfest as noted (also was really too hot out). The one in Andersonville last weekend was nice

[Windy5555]

I went to Do Division this year and found it way too crowded to enjoy. I chalked it up to getting old and cranky.

[NealIRC]

Crowded at night, but not crowded in the pre-sunset days.

Also, some of these run Thursday-Sunday, so come on Thursdays and Fridays after 4 when it opens. Saturdays and Sundays opens at noon.

[Bardot]

They're mostly tacky and overrated anyway. You do know you can get ribs and hot dogs any day of the year in this city, right? Every Chicago festival I've been to sells cheap tchotchkes, carnival food, and half the booths are corporate ads/sponsors.