Why Chicago Summers are Awesome

By Anna Gogala

August 09, 2010

 

Chicago is known as the windy city and has long and very cold winters. Despite the frigid winter weather, the summers are usually sunny and hot. Chicago’s beautiful summers allow for many attractions to be offered. In this short text, I will introduce some of the activities to those who want to explore and experience the city.

 

Chicago offers diverse cultural events for people to explore during their free time. The summer season starts at the end of June with the annual event called “Taste of Chicago.”  During this event, Chicago restaurants set up booths along the street and offer guests a taste of their best foods.

 

From August 6 to the 8, the Lollapalooza concert series comes to Grant Park in Chicago. This event hosts many popular musical artists who play on one of six stages along Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive.

 

Just a week later, on August 14 and 15, is the Chicago Air and Water Show. This is the largest free show across the United States. The U.S Navy Blue Angels and the U.S Army Parachute Team Golden Knights will headline by flying their military aircraft in tight formations and performing dizzying spins and drops in front of a crowd of spectators gathered on Lake Michigan’s shore.

 

September 4 and 5 is Chicago’s 32nd annual Jazz Festival. This is the longest running of the city’s lakefront music events. It promotes awareness and appreciation for all forms of jazz through quality live music performances.  This concert is located at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Chicago’s cultural center. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the location of many free live music concerts throughout the entire summer.

 

Ravinia, though located in the suburb of Highland Park, is considered Chicago’s “Sound of Summer” offering diverse musical arts such as: symphony, jazz, pop, opera, dance, theatre and more. Go to their website at www.ravinia.org to check upcoming shows and ticket prices.   

 

If you like to explore places without participating in a special event, you can take a ride to Downtown Chicago and see the sights. The most popular place to rest is the Millennium Park with its Crown Fountain, “The Bean” sculpture, the nice Lurie Garden, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

 

For a beautiful view of the city, you can go to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower or the 94th floor of the John Hancock Observatory.  Other popular places to see a great view of the city are at the top of the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel and an architectural river cruise where you can see the impressive skyscrapers.

 

For those who like to spend their free time expanding their knowledge, the city offers a plethora of museums and galleries. The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium are the most popular, but there are also places like the Nature Museum, Chicago Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art, and many others. If you are afraid of the ticket costs you can visit one of the many branches of the Chicago Public Library that allow you to sign up and borrow a pass to visit the museums for free.  Most Chicago museums offer some days each month when you can get in for free. Check the website of the museum you’re interested in for more details.

 

If you somehow get tired of the city, you can go to the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. It’s a perfect place for people who love nature and like to rest surrounded by the beauty of many different plants and flowers. The garden offers special weekend programs that include Farmers’ Markets and cooking demonstrations given by talented chefs from the Chicago area.

 

When discussing summer activities in Chicago it is important to mention Lake Michigan. If you like to swim and spend time outside, you can choose one of the beaches along the lake’s shore in both the city and the suburbs to enjoy the sun.

 

Chicago offers many diverse summer activities making it a very interesting place to live and visit. With activities almost every weekend, it should be difficult for anyone to be bored. There is an abundance of information available on the internet that will provide the details to all the events and activities I have mentioned, plus ones I have not spoken about. It is a wonderful resource that will encourage you to enjoy the city for everything it has to offer.

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