Beneath skyscrapers built by New York City robber barons, lawless mobsters and corrupt city officials ruled the streets in the City of Big Shoulders. Once the site of such bloody events as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and the 1968 police riots , today Chicago is a pleasant place to witness events that are more friendly in nature.
Chicago is at the center of the United States, if not geographically, then certainly commercially and culturally. As America espoused the notion of being a grand “Melting Pot”, so Chicago now flaunts it’s own dynamic mosaic of cultures by hosting members of all nations who decide to make the United States home.
From the old Irish families that can still be seen in the South Side, to the Koreans of Lawrence Street on the North Side, people of every national origin can be found in Chicago. Visitors from almost anywhere will easily find a neighborhood that has the voices and tastes them of home.
This broad spectrum of cultures brings flavor to the Windy City in more than just the figurative sense. Chicago is teeming with ethnic restaurants that are staffed by some of the best cooks and finest chefs in the world. Anyone deciding to try all of them is taking on a task worthy of any Olympian god. For the less daring, there is an alternative.
The Taste of Chicago is a favorite for both visitors and locals alike. This festival brings to a central location many of the area food establishments. Among other cuisines, one can try Thai food, Cajun cooking, Moroccan food, and of course, Chicago’s ever-present Greek fare. From alligator meat to zucchini, it’s at “The Taste”.
For those not gastronomically inclined, Chicago is host to other large scale events. In Chi-Town there’s always something going on.
Although not the birthplace of blues music, Chicago is considered the home of the blues. In the 1920’s and 1930’s many blues men and women left the Mississippi delta region for Chicago. Here they not only found a thriving black community, but also many venues willing to showcase and even record blues music.
Still a focal point for blues music, Chicago hosts the annual Chicago Blues Festival. Perhaps the most popular event in Chicago, the blues festival attracts the greatest blues acts from around the world. Visitors to the festival will find free shows playing all over the city, and those that aren’t free are well worth the cover charge.
These are just two of many festivals that fill the events calendar of Chicago. For information on other festivals, and general information about visiting Chicago, visit the City of Chicago web site at http://www.chicago.il.org/ Go here to book a room in the City of Big Shoulders.