It is festival time in Chicago. Summer is almost upon us and where there is warm weather, there are great times.
Celtic Fest
Dates: May 8, 2010 - May 9, 2010
Hours: 11 am - 9 pm
Location: Millennium Park; N. Michigan Ave. & E. Randolph St.
Admission: FREE
Kicking off the season is the 14th Annual Celtic Festival. Usually held in Chicago's famed Grant Park, the festival gets a new home this year in Millennium Park.
The inaugural Celtic Fest Chicago took place September 21-22, 1997 on Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard in Grant Park. Its lofty goal was to educate the public on Celtic music and culture from the 7 Celtic nations. Those nations are Ireland; Scotland; Isle of Man; Cornwall; Wales; Galicia, Spain; and Brittany, France. Headliners the first year included John McDermott, La Bottine Souriante, Altan, Leahy and Carlos Nunez.
The festival was unique in that it highlighted different Celtic instruments such as the Harp and the Uilleann Pipe, which is the Irish bagpipe worked by pumping air into it with an elbow.
Celtic dancing has been a big part of the festival since it began. Local dance schools showcase their students on their own separate stage. Fest goers were introduced to ceili dancing and eagerly participated.
The bagpipe parades through festival grounds have been a tradition at the event since the beginning. The general public is invited to parade along with the pipers.
Some new Celtic Fest traditions have been added this year including a Men in Kilts Leg Contest and an upgraded children’s area featuring musical performances.
Cinco De Mayo Festival
Dates & Hours: May 7 : 6 p.m. - 11 p.m.
May 8 : 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.
May 9 : 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Location: Pilsen/Heart of Chicago/Little Village; 26th Street and Kostner Avenue
Admission: Free
A celebration of South-of-the-border culture that's enjoyed worldwide, Cinco de Mayo (or "5th of May") commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This, and Mexican Independence Day (celebrated in September in the Little Village neighborhood's "Festival de La Villita"), are two of the biggest celebrations of Mexican culture in the Midwest. In the case of Cinco de Mayo, it has become a global festivity.
This inaugural three-day festival (which is also held in the Little Village neighborhood, to many is the heart of Chicago's Mexican community), is long overdue! It will feature plenty of live music, food, arts & crafts, activities for families and children and much more. The bottomline? Little Village's Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates Hispanic families and community with a joyous flair!
For more information and directions please contact our concierge desk.
No comments:
Post a Comment