This is, without a doubt, my favorite time of the year to be in Chicago. The weather is finally getting better, baseball season is in full swing and it’s the beginning of street festival season. If you are new to the area or haven’t attended one of the many neighborhood festivals, you are in for a big treat.

Food, beer, and fellowship can be had at any of the street fairs, but, I really enjoy the ones that feature one or more stages of local bands. You can pay big bucks and see national headliners on grand stages, or, for a small voluntary donation, you can see regional and local acts do their thing with great enthusiasm and energy. Some of the best shows I have seen here in Chicago have been at the local festivals.

Most recently, I attended the Belmont/ Sheffield Music Festival. As always, there was plenty of food from neighborhood restaurants and the beer flowed freely. I went to see a local band called Mr. Blotto. I had heard about the band from many friends and decided to check them out for myself. I was not disappointed. They are great musicians who can play just about any style of music. They have quite a cult following and if their show last Sunday was any indicator, I have a feeling that following will continue to grow. Their original songs are awesome and they can cover just about any band ‘s songs spot on. They play regular gigs around town (Tuesday’s at Reggie’s) and on July 17th and 18th will have the 10th annual Blottopia Festival at Vasa Park in South Elgin. I highly urge you to check them out!

Another great street fair is the Taste of Lincoln Avenue that takes place July 25th and 26th.The Taste of Lincoln Is one of the larger festivals and all donations go to the Wrightwood Neighbors Association to help support local schools and organizations. It started in 1984 with 10,000 people and has grown to over 50,000 for the two day fest. It was at this festival last year that I first saw the Javelinas.

The Javelinas also play a ton of local gigs and feature a rootsy rock sound. They put on a great live show and are definitely worth your while. In fact, you can see them play next Thursday, June 18 at GildaPalooza, a benefit event for Gilda’s Club (click on flyer to the right for more details).

Stay tuned to PLRG for upcoming fairs and festivals and discover the great bands right in your own backyard. When they make it big you can tell your friends you saw them first.

(Bob Brenly)