1 Wine on the Fox (Oswego) Independent, local winemakers provide the sips, and local musicians provide the tunes, for this sixteenth annual get-together-to-drink-together on the Fox River. (May 7-8)
2 Chocolate Fest (Long Grove) Have a good breakfast, then spend the rest of the day shoving chocolate down your piehole at this family-friendly event featuring street vendors and live music. (May 20-22)
3 National Restaurant Association Show (McCormick Place) This is the big show for anyone in the food and drink industry, with vendors showing off the latest technology and providing a taste of innovative new foods; if you’re in the biz (or want to be), then you want to be here. (May 21-24)
4 Rhubarb Festival (Kankakee) It’s the time of year for rhubarb… and the 32nd annual Rhubarb Festival features live entertainment, a classic car display and… a pie-eating contest. (May 22)
5 Mole de Mayo (Pilsen) Local chefs go mole-a-mole to determine who makes the most delicious version of the classic Mexican sauce, plus two stages of live entertainment and, of course, there will be lucha libre. (May 27-29)
Dining and Drinking Editor for Newcity, David also writes a weekly food column for Wednesday Journal in Oak Park and is a frequent contributor of food/drink and travel pieces to the Chicago Tribune, Plate Magazine and other publications. David has also contributed chapters to several books, including Street Food Around the World, Street Food, and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. Contact: dhammond@newcity.com
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Dining & Drinking Top 5: July 2022 Because summer’s here and the time is right for festing in the streets, this July there are a lot of food and music parties happening in Chicago neighborhoods and parks. Get outside and play. Go on!
Dining & Drinking Top 5: April 2022 Chicago is coming back with many restaurants, bars and other venues starting to do something close to business-as-usual. In celebration of the world reopening, there are a lot of drink-forward get-togethers in April.
Dining and Drinking Top 5: August 2022 Food and drink events are coming on strong in August. Is this the last big blowout month before the invasion of Monkey Pox? Could be. So just to be on the safe side, go outside and have a good time while you can.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: October 2022 Sometimes it seems we’re living in a very fearful place, so why not take both a breather and trip to one of the following Chicago food/drink events in October. Maybe, if just for a moment, you’ll feel some respite from what seems impending doom.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: September 2022 September—the last gasp of summer—is a fine time for food and drink events. Before winter befalls us, the next pandemic, or some other damn thing, let’s all make the heroic effort to eat, drink and be merry.
