Spring Festival & Market Guide
By Lauren Wulf
With the winter we've had here in Chicago, we have a lot to look forward to this spring. The kick off of festival/market season is just one of many! Here's a round up of a few festivals starting April-May around town.
Randolph Street
April 26-27, 2014
Plumber's Hall
1350 West Randolph (Between Ada & Ogden)
Chicago, IL
www.randolphstreetmarket.com
The Randolph Street Market Festival kicks off their April show, April 26-27th. Randolph Street is home to the Chicago Antique Market, Indie Designer Market, Modern Vintage Chicago and the Holiday Market. This European-style, indoor-outdoor urban antique market in the historic West Loop neighborhood features 200 select purveyors of high quality, amazingly priced "finds", offering unlimited creative inspiration and hours of fun. Shoppers can find furnishings, vintage clothing, jewelry, collectibles and more.
Market Highlights:
• Complimentary furniture delivery within downtown Chicago
• Shopping refund vouchers for admission by vendors: Each voucher is for $5 off and the vendors should reduce the purchase price by $5 on items valued $25 or more. Note that not all vendors are able to honor the voucher due to their profit margins and customer should ask vendor if they accept the voucher before they shop in their booth.
• Lower advance ticket price! $8 general online / $3 student online
• Kids under 12, always free
• NEW Early Shopping Saturdays - Outdoors at 8am and Indoors at 9am/ 100% of proceeds going to Chicago House charity. $25 at the door / $20 online advance
Modern Vintage Chicago
May 2-4, 2014
Plumber's Hall
1350 West Randolph (Between Ada & Ogden)
Chicago, IL
www.randolphstreetmarket.com
Vintage dealers from NYC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Texas, along with local dealers such as J. Brett Benson and Silver Moon, will feature men's and women's clothing, estate and costume jewelry, handbags, shoes, hats, belts, scarves, vanities, textiles, vintage fashion magazines, patterns, and notions from the Mid-Century, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Victorian, and '60s & '70s eras. Designer finds come from the legendary houses of Hermes, Vivienne Westwood, Pucci, Dior, and others.
Indie designers feature wearable adornments including apparel, jewelry & gemstones, and other fashionable accessories. Featured designers have included: Agga B, Double Stitch, Asia B. Jewelry, Lisa Strecker, Axis of Evelyn, LUCIUS Fine Jewelry, Axis of Evelyn, Bobbi Kahn Design, Ladysmith Jewelry Studio, Paoo Jewelry and Happy Katt.
Mayfest
May 29-June 1, 2014
3100 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL
www.mayfestchicago.com
This May, you can expect the same food, fun, entertainment, and cultural activities that have made Mayfest Chicago one of the city's favorite festivals.
The annual German festival features German foods, live music, maypole dance and other traditional German presentations. My personal favorites are the giant beers and pretzels!
Located in Lincoln Square, Mayfest is the traditional German celebration of the coming of Spring. This year, Chicago will have much to celebrate!
Millennium Park Music Series
May 29-July 3, 2014 (Thursdays)
Millennium Park
Chicago, IL
www.millenniumpark.org
Kick off the Spring/Summer music festivals in Millennium Park every Thursday from May 29-July 3rd. The free music will be taking place at Millennium Park all summer long starting with the cutting-edge indie rock and pop music series Downtown Sound, followed by Loops and Variations, a series of six concerts that mix new music with electronica and closing out the summer is the acclaimed Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz series, which showcases jazz with a distinctively Chicago flavor.
Do-Division Street Fest and Sidewalk Sale
May 30 - June 1, 2014
Division St from Ashland to Leavitt
Chicago, IL
www.do-divisionstreetfest.com
The annual Do-Division Street Fest & Sidewalk Sale will ring in Spring/Summer's neighborhood festival season. This signature Chicago street fest pits great shopping, live music and family entertainment together under the summer sun. Spanning a lengthy 10-city blocks, this year's bash features the Family Fun Fest, a Do-Fashion section, a multi-block sidewalk sale, and great food, crafts and artisans - highlighted by some of the best live music of fest season (band lineups TBA). Music critics and fans alike typically rate the lineup among the best of the music fest season - and at only a fraction of the price ($5 donation).
Lauren Wulf, CBS Chicago
Lauren Wulf writes about living in Chicago on a budget on her website, A Poor Girl's Guide Chicago.
