Peaceapalooza, a new Chicago summer festival, provides fun, safe outlet for kids
CHICAGO (CBS) – While Chicago is known for its summer festivals, there's a new festival this year with a different purpose.
Jessica Rose and her husband, Jonathan, brought their daughters to Oakwood Beach on Friday to attend the first-ever Peaceapalooza Music and Family Festival. The fest was designed to give youngsters something positive to do while on Chicago's lakefront.
"It allows them to come to the beach, listen to some music they like, eat some great food and just enjoy one another on a hot summer day," said Rose.
Many residents have complained there are limited activities for teenagers during the summer. So Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) decided it was time to change the narrative.
"We have to be able to use our young people, to power them to tell their friends that enough is enough, which is why today is certainly a big start to end the violence in the City of Chicago," Robinson said.
The free festival comes on the heels of a series of violent incidents at the city's beaches. During the Fourth of July weekend, police and park district security increased their presence at the nearby 31st Street Beach. Bag screenings are still in effect at that beach after several shootings, yet Friday's family festival was mostly organized by young people who were also there to showcase their talents.
"I'm grateful this is an opportunity for them to be themselves but for other youths to see, you don't have to be out here doing all this extra stuff, you can go out and have fun, regular fun and call it a day," said Jonathan Wallace, who attended the festival.
An estimated 5,000 people registered for Peaceapalooza at a South Side beach, yet the effort to combat violence stretches citywide also included the West Side.
That's where the 15th Police District hosted its Take Back the Block event in Austin where community leaders, non-violence organizations and politicians gathered to demand accountability.
"All of us are out here today working to build a safer, stronger Chicago, but we all know we have to do more," said Mayor Brandon Johnson, who attended the event.