“Taste” Attendance Up Over Last Year

An estimated 1.5 million people visit annual food festival

"Taste of Chicago" officials are celebrating an increase in attendance this year.

An estimated 1.5 million people visited the five-day festival which wrapped up Sunday, according to numbers released by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

City officials point to a strong musical lineup as one of the reasons for the increased attendance. Seating for four of the headlining shows sold out, and the lawn seating was at or near capacity for artists like Robin Thicke, Jill Scott, fun. and Robert Plant.

Tickets for all five Celebrity Chef du Jour events, featuring a well-known chef providing an upcale culinary experience, also sold out.

City officials say it's too early to tell how the city did financially with the festival. Final numbers will be released at a later date.

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