ChicagoSmarts.com Blog

All year round, Chicago is abuzz with great things to do. Summertime, though, really brings the goods. In addition to all the static sights to see and adventures to enjoy, a steady flow of top-notch entertainment keeps the Windy City overflowing with fun. This summer is no exception.

Music Festivals
Dave Matthews Band Caravan
Lakeside – Chicago
Chicago, IL
July 8-10, 2011
Dave Matthews invited a bunch of friends to hit four cities with him this summer and Chicago made the cut. On the bill with DMB are Ray LaMontagne, O.A.R., Amos Lee, Soulive, Ben Folds, Liz Phair, Vieux Farka Toure, Emmylou Harris, David Gray, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gomez, and a bunch of other great acts. This is a must-see show for anyone that loves great music across several genres. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan hits Chicago for a three-day songfest July 8-10.

Vans Warped Tour
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Tinley Park, IL
July 9, 2011
For something completely different than the Caravan, the Vans Warped Tour rocks Tinley Park on July 9. This year’s bill features Paramore, 3OH!3, Lucero, Jack’s Mannequin, A Day to Remember, The Devil Wears Prada, Gym Class Heroes, and a slew of other alt-rockers. Warped largely aims for a younger, edgier crowd, but if you dig the genre and the vibe, jump on in.

Lollapalooza
Hutchinson Field – Grant Park
Chicago, IL
August 5-7, 2011
Splitting the difference, musically speaking, between the DMB Caravan and Warped, Lollapalooza takes over Grant Park for three days in early August. On the slate are Eminem, Foo Fighters, Muse, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes, Deftones, Damian Marley & Nas, The Cars, Ween, and too many more to list. What began as a tour, Lollapalooza only inhabits Chicago each year so, enjoy it for the rest of us! You can even nab a three-day Lollapalooza pass if you want the full monty, as it were.

R&B
Usher & Akon
Allstate Arena
Rosemont, IL
May 20, 2011
Getting the summer started early, Usher and Akon play Rosemont’s Allstate Arena on May 20 as part of Usher’s OMG Tour. The R&B upstart assured everyone earlier this year that, with this tour, “We gon’ set this world on fire — that’s the plan, baby!” Maybe bring a bottle of water along, just in case sparks start to fly.

Rihanna & Cee Lo Green
United Center
Chicago, IL
June 15, 2011
In addition to his performance at Lollapalooza, Cee Lo Green and Rihanna hit Chicago’s United Center in mid-June. When he was asked to partner up for the trek, Green said, “I want to thank Rihanna for inviting me on our version of 50 First Dates, only difference is she’s unforgettable fine. … I look forward to doing my part to make the tour unforgettable for the fans that come out and see us.” With oodles of great tunes between them, Cee Lo and Rihanna will no doubt make some memories together.

Sade & John Legend
United Center
Chicago, IL
August 5-7, 2011
Competing with Lollapalooza on the first weekend in August, the much-anticipated tour pairing Sade and John Legend soothes Chicago’s United Center three nights in a row. Sade hasn’t played in the States in some 10 years, so tickets are hot items across the whole tour.

Country
Kenny Chesney
Toyota Park
Bridgeview, IL
June 9, 2011
Most country music artists play out in Moline where they can draw crowds from deeper into the Heartland. This year, though, Kenny Chesney put Bridgeview on his route so that Chicago-area fans don’t have to trek halfway across the state just to enjoy some country music. Known for his energetic stage shows, Chesney will make it worth everyone’s while for going the distance to see him.

Rascal Flatts
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Tinley Park, IL
June 25, 2011
Bringing it even closer to home, Rascal Flatts hits Tinley Park a couple of weeks later. The harmony-laden country trio has broken all sorts of records in their career. Catch the show to find out why.

Rock
My Morning Jacket
Auditorium Theatre
Chicago, IL
June 17, 2011
Like Cee Lo, these guys are on the Lollapalooza line-up, but My Morning Jacket loves Chicago enough to play a whole other show at the Auditorium Theatre on June 17. Festival slots rarely satisfy die-hard fans anyway, so get your fill at this gig and consider the Lollapalooza set as a bonus.

Eddie Vedder
The Chicago Theatre
Chicago, IL
June 28-29, 2011
As part of his solo tour in support of his new release, Ukulele Songs, Eddie Vedder lands in Chicago for two nights in late June. Glen Hansard of The Swell Season is also on the marquee. A reviewer wrote of a show earlier this year in Perth, “Vedder easily commanded our attention as he plucked away at a range of stringed instruments — guitars, a mandolin, and ukulele — all the while his incredible voice soared across the theatre.” Seems worth the price of admission, no?

The Decemberists
Aragon Ballroom
Chicago, IL
July 25, 2011
Having finally attained the sort of success they deserve, The Decemberists play Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom as part of the tour supporting their 2011 release, The King Is Dead. The effort debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, so this band is H O T. Of their Beacon Theatre show this past January, a critic noted, “the band demonstrated both precise musicianship and a loosey-goosey, relaxed attitude that delighted the sold-out crowd.” Go. Be delighted.

With spring quickly fading, a lot of folks are dusting off their shorts and flip flops, readying themselves for hot fun in the summertime. In Chicago, that means different things to different people. For a lot of them, it’s baseball, baseball, baseball. Still, for others, there’s a whole city to explore and experience.

Some of the top sights in the Windy City are even more glorious under the shimmering summer sun. Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and Lake Michigan certainly have their individual appeals.

Navy Pier boasts a wealth of entertainment for the young and old. It houses the Chicago Children’s Museum, an IMAX theater, a park replete with carnival rides, a beer garden featuring live music, and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass. Various boat rides also launch from the Pier.

Those seeking a maritime adventure can either hop on the speedboats, the Architectural slow cruisers, or the Tall Ships to enjoy the Lake. Ticket prices vary. For the Tall Ships, the range is from about $25 to $65, depending on the boat and the tour. Kids are down in the $20-25 neighborhood.

If you’re at Navy Pier and you prefer to see the city from a different perspective, the summer brings Aeroballoon Chicago back to life with helium-filled balloon rides. Alternately, rent a bike and sight-see from ground level.

When it comes to entertainment, the Ravinia Festival is Chicago’s “sound of summer.” This year’s slate includes The Judds, Robert Plant, k.d. lang, Dave Brubeck, Maroon 5, Jennifer Hudson, Steely Dan, and many more. Classical and classic programs also fill the calendar – from Yo-Yo Ma to Tony Bennett. Even Garrison Keillor brings A Prairie Home Companion to Ravinia on June 25.

Fans of edgier music also have Lollapalooza at the ready in Chicago’s Grant Park August 5-7. The line-up there features Eminem, Muse, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Cee-Lo Green, The Cars, and about a gazillion other bands.

Taste of Chicago, which runs from June 24 to July 3 at the Petrillo Music Shell, brings a whole other flavor to the palette. Latin music, gospel music, world music, Celtic music, country music… it’s all there. Even Broadway show tunes and Natalie Cole are on the agenda.

Lovers of cinema will be pleased to know that the Movies in the Parks series gets underway on June 14 at Belmont Harbor and Montgomery Ward Park (formerly Erie Park). The wide array of offerings includes North by Northwest, The Karate Kid, Airplane!, A League of Their Own, Catfish, The Dark Knight, The Social Network, and a slew of others.

If all of those choices still aren’t enough, there are always sporting events and concerts at the United Center, guided tours, and other myriad things to do both uptown and down. Chicago really does have something for everybody.