Chicago

38th Annual Taste of Chicago Kicks Off in Grant Park

Foodies, rejoice - it's Taste of Chicago time once again. 

The iconic annual festival kicks off Wednesday, bringing plenty of food, drinks and music to the city's Grant Park. 

Running from July 11-15, this marks the 38th year the Taste of Chicago will bring hundreds of menu items from around the city for festivalgoers to sample. 

Here's what you need to know if you're planning to attend:

Date, Time, Location

Date: July 11-15, 2018

Place: Grant Park (Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr.) Chicago, IL 60602

Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11am-9pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10am-9pm

Ticket sales end at 8:30 p.m. [[487826901, C]]

Admission

Entering the festival is free but food and beverage tickets will need to be purchased. Those will be sold in strips of 14 tickets for $10.

Street Closures

The following streets will be closed during the Taste of Chicago through Monday, July 16 at 4 p.m.:

  • Columbus, from Monroe to Balbo and from Balbo to Roosevelt (Balbo remains open to traffic)
  • Jackson, from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive
  • Congress, from Columbus to Congress Parkway semi-circle

Transportation

CTA: From the elevated lines: exit at Adams/Wabash. From the subway: exit at Jackson and walk several blocks east. For travel information, visit www.transitchicago.com

Parking: Park near Grant Park and enjoy the nation's premier outdoor food festival, Taste of Chicago 2017! Garage locations are Grant Park North Garage at 25 N. Michigan Ave., Grant Park South Garage at 325 S. Michigan Ave., and Millennium Park Garage and Millennium Lakeside Garage located at 5 S. Columbus Drive. More info here

Biking: Bike parking is available on the perimeter of Grant and Millennium Parks. Visit the Chicago Bicycle Program for maps, safety, and other information. [[481526441, C]]

Headliners and Performance Schedule

Petrillo Music Shell

Wednesday, July 11, 5:30 p.m.

Martha Redbone Roots Project

Brandi Carlile

Thursday, July 12, 5:30 p.m.

La Santa Cecilia

Juanes

Friday, July 13, 5:30 p.m.

Madame Gandhi

Black Star

Saturday, July 14, 4:30 p.m.

Half Gringa

Le Butcherettes

The Flaming Lips

Sunday, July 15, 4:30 p.m.

The Boy Illinois

BJ the Chicago Kid

George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic

Bud Light Stage

(subject to change)

Wednesday, July 11

Noon–1 p.m. Raii and Whitney (R&B)

1:20–2:20 p.m. You Are Here (Rock)

2:40–3:40 p.m. NDPNDNT (Hip Hop)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

4–5 p.m. Kiara Lanier (Alt/R&B)

5:20–6:20 p.m. Archie Powell & The Exports (Rock)

6:20–7:20 p.m. DJ Mike P

Thursday, July 12

Noon–1 p.m. Co-still (Hip Hop)

1:20–2:20 p.m. Lester Rey (Contemporary Latin)

2:40–3:40 p.m. Aniba Hotep & the Sol Collective (Soul/R&B)

4–5 p.m. Dave Weld (Blues)

5:20–6:20 p.m. Marina City (Rock)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

6:20–7:30 p.m. DJ Mike P

Friday, July 13

Noon–1 p.m. Black Bear Combo (Balkan Brass Band)

1:20–2:20 p.m. Friday Pilots Club (Rock)

2:40–3:40 p.m. Beats y Bateria (Global Electronic)

4–5 p.m. Matt Muse (Hip Hop)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

5:20–6:20 p.m. MASN (Pop/R&B)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

6:20–7:30 p.m. DJ Mike P

Saturday, July 14

11–11:40 a.m. DJ Mike P

Noon–1 p.m. CASE (Pop)

1:20–2:20 p.m. Kingfatz (Hip Hop)

2:40–3:40 p.m. Fee Lion (Electro/Pop)

4–5 p.m. Emann & Jojo (Hip Hop)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

5:20–6:20 p.m. Bianca Shaw (R&B/Hip Hop)

6:20–7:30 p.m. DJ Mike P

Sunday, July 15

11–11:40 a.m. DJ Mike P

Noon–1 p.m. Young DRA (Hip Hop)

1:20–2:20 p.m. The Claudettes (Indie Blues)

2:40–3:40 p.m. Adam Ness (Alt R&B)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

4–5 p.m. Emily Blue (Pop)–ChicagoMade A&R Auditions Winner

5:20–6:20 p.m. Sa’Rayah (Soul/R&B)

6:20–7:30 p.m. DJ Mike P [[478186723, C]]

Food Vendors

A total of 73 vendors will participate in the event, including 38 five-day vendors, 22 pop-up restaurants, and 13 food trucks, according to the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Here is a list of the new restaurants that will be participating in the event:

Aloha Wagon

Arun’s Thai Restaurant

Aunty Joy’s Jamaican Kitchen

Bee Nana LLC

bettyBOT Shop

BITES

Blackwood BBQ

CheSa’s Gluten

Chiya Chai Café

Classic Cobbler

Esperanza’s Kitchen Delights

Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize

Get Off the Couch Catering

Grill City

Josephine’s Cookin’

Lawrence’s Fish

Output Lounge & Sports Bar

Papa Luke’s Gravy Balls

Premier Rollin BBQ

So Forking Great

Sun Wah Barbecue Restaurant

These Wingz?

Turtle’s Bar & Grill

Wood Fire Counter

Yum Dum

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