Summer in Chicago means that weekend street festivals will be popping up all over the city. Some are more worth your time than others. Here are my highlights for this weekend.
Chicago Blues Fest, Friday through Sunday
Blues Fest is a free event in downtown’s Grant Park, featuring three days of blues and food. Highlights include the Sanctified Grumblers on Friday (4:45 pm at the Pepsi Front Porch stage), Saturday’s tribue to Pinetop Perkins (4:45 pm at the Pepsi Front Porch stage), and Shemekia Copeland on Sunday (6:00 pm at the Petrillo Music Shell).Â
Ribfest, Friday through Sunday
Ribfest kicks off this weekend in the Northcenter area, at Lincoln and Irving Park. You go for the ribs, I’ll go for the music. Highlights include sets on Friday by My Gold Mask (7:00 pm) and Jukebox the Ghost (9:00 pm) at the south stage, and The Legendary Shack Shakers (7:45 pm) at the north stage. Sunday includes sets from Pinto and the Bean (1:30), Bailiff (4:00), The Ettes (6:30) and Tapes ‘n Tapes (9:00) at the south stage.
Old Town Art Fair, Saturday and Sunday
The Old Town area (Lincoln and Wisconsin) welcomes the art fair this weekend, featuring booths from over 200 artists of all mediums. In addition to food and art, check out the music stage at Orleans and Wisconsin for sets from acts including Musikanto (2:00 pm Saturday), Sanctified Grumblers (12:30 pm Sunday), and Cloudbirds (5:00 pm Sunday). Admission is a suggested $7 donation.Â
Andersonville Midsommarfest, Saturday and Sunday
Get in touch with your inner Swede and head up to Andersonville at Clark and Foster for the annual Midsommarfest. The big highlight for me of the festival is a set by Robbie Fulks and Nora O’Connor on Sunday at 8:00 on the Sommerdale stage.  Admission is $5.