Taste Of Chicago Kicks Off Today In Grant Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Everyone knows Chicago is the best city to get pizza, hot dogs, Italian beef, and just about any food in general. Starting today, you don't have to go far to sample all your favorites in one place.
The Taste of Chicago opens today at 11 a.m. in Grant Park, featuring 41 restaurants and 17 food trucks through Sunday.
Five different pop-up vendors also will be featured each day.
Admission is free, but you need to buy tickets to purchase food and beverages. Tickets for food and beverages can be purchased in strips of 14 tickets for $10.
Chicago Restaurants
This year's food lineup includes 37 new restaurants and food trucks.
The festival will feature 41 Chicago-based food vendors and 17 food trucks.
Some of the new eateries participating include:
• Da Pizza Dude
• Gordo's Homemade Ice Cream Bars
• Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
• Lao Sze Chuan
• Ms. Tittle's Cupcakes
• Pink Taco
• The Slab Bar-B-Que
• Yvolina's Tamales
The festival also features perennial favorites like Lou Malnati's, Buona Beef, and Eli's Cheesecake. A crowd favorite, "The Original Rainbow Cone" will return with Chicago's rainbow ice cream.
Food Trucks
There will be 17 Chicago food trucks parked at the festival. Some of participating trucks include:
• Beavers Coffee +Donuts
• La Cocinita
• Pink Flamingo Food Truck
• Harold's Chicken
• Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp
Music
The festival also will feature musical performances each day at the Petrillo Music Shell. Headliners include performances by Courtney Barnett, Bomba Estéreo, Cultura Profética, De La Soul, The Strumbellas and Lovelytheband.
Concert tickets cost $25 for general admission and $50 for premium seating. Lawn seating is free.
The Concert Schedule Includes:
• July 10- Courtney Barnett and Sunflower Bean
• July 11- Bomba Estéreo and Cultura Profética
• July 12- De La Soul, Taylor Bennett
• July 13- Strumbellas, Lovelytheband, Joywave
• July 14- India.Arie, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal
The Goose Island Stage, located on the south end of park, offers free performances all fives days of the festival. The free performances range from hip hop and rock to soul and Blues.
A full performance schedule for both stages and concert tickets are available at tasteofchicago.us.
Family Activities
The family-friendly Taste of Chicago Playground offers a Ferris Wheel and inflatables for kids. Ride tickets must be purchased on site.