SENSE OF TASTE
What you should know about this year’s Taste of Chicago
The 37th annualTaste of Chicago startsWednesday in Grant Park.
The Taste, shortened to five days in 2012, celebrates the city’s diversity of food and music. This year, the festival will feature even more cultural programming presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
You can try cuisine options from 34 five- day restaurants, 16 pop- up restaurants and 16 food trucks. Gates open at 11 a. m Wednesday throughFriday, and at 10 a. m. Saturday and Sunday; the festival closes at 9 p. m. every day.
Veteran Taste visitors can try out one of 16 newrestaurants.
Here’s how you can get to the festival and what else you can do— besides eating— when you arrive:
Admission to the festival is free. Tickets for food and beverages are $ 10 per strip of 14 tickets. All vendors will offer signature items, as well as “Taste Of” portions for optimum sampling. If you are planning on drinking, this year you can forgo buying tickets and use your credit card, but not cash.
The Grant Park North and South parking garages are closest, but organizers recommend public transportation. You can take the L to Grant Park from most places in the city; the Adams/ Wabash stop on the Green, Orange, Brown, Pink orPurple Line Express is two blocks away fromthe park. Or, take the Red Line or Blue Line to the Jackson stop, thenwalk east to the park.
Addicted to shows such as “Chopped” and “MasterChef”? See local chefs, such as Corey Rice, a past contestant on “Masterchef,” in their element as part of the Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen. At the Buckingham Fountain Plaza, you can find the chefs sharing cooking tips and tricks from 11: 30 a. m. to 6: 30 p. m. each day.
A new event on Thursday, called “Sabor de Chicago,” will feature the music and food of Chicago’s Latino community, with special appearances such as “Chopped” winner Sister Alicia Torres of Our Lady of the Angels Mission.
There are some kid- friendly events, too. There’s a parade of puppets at 3 p. m. each day. The Stomping Grounds Chicago will present local dancers from12 p. m. to 3: 30 p. m. every day of the festival.
Cuisine meets culture at this year’s festival with the Summer- Dance series Street Art & Graffiti Alley. Join a one- hour lesson with a professional dance instructor followed by two hours of live music, Wednesday through Saturday, 6 p. m. to 9 p. m., and Sunday, 4 p. m. to 7 p. m. For more artsy types, watch live painting demos by local artists.
Performers this year include Alessia Cara, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Passion Pit and many more. For a full lineup and tickets, go to the Tastewebsite.