Play Locally: Bristol Ren Faire Opens, DMB Caravan, Old Town School Folk Festival, West Fest And More

This is one of those crazy weekends where I wish my basement experiments with cloning myself were more successful!    The fantastic options for this weekend are too numerous to mention.   We'll try to chime back in with further updates and we'll have photo filled recaps of our adventures, but for the moment we'll just hit the big ones.

Bristol Renaissance Faire-Opening Weekend.  Click HERE for our photo filled adventures from last summer at ye olde ren faire.   This is one of our all time favorite, greatly anticipated annual adventures.

The Bristol Renaissance Faire, which will open for its 24th season on Saturday, July 9, welcomes more than 200,000 guests each summer with an unparalleled collective entertainment experience, including 16th Century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music, and one-of-a-kind encounters with a colorful cast of period characters. Located just west of I-94’s Russell Road exit, near Kenosha, Wis., this year’s Faire will run for nine weekends, through Labor Day Monday, Sep. 5. For additional information, log on to www.renfair.com or call (847) 395-7773.

OPENING WEEKEND  

BOX OFFICE SPECIAL  

KIDS FREE!   

Valid ages 12 & Under 

ONE ADULT TICKET - $15  

Regular Adult Ticket Price: $19.95  

ONLY AVAILABLE at the Box Office using our downloadable coupon! 

You can also buy discount tickets at Walgreens and check on line for discount coupons, no fee printable advanced tickets, hours and more.

Old Town School Folk Festival-

The 14th ANNUAL
CHICAGO FOLK & ROOTS FESTIVAL
SATURDAY JULY 9th & SUNDAY JULY 10th

Noon to 10:00pm in WELLES PARK 4400 North Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Sunnyside in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood

Admission: $10 suggested donation for adults / $5 suggested donation for seniors and children Chicago Folk & Roots Festival is sponsored by WXRT.

We've been devoted fans of the folk fest since way BC--before children.    Click HERE for our photo filled recap of last year's luck 13 fest.   It's great to find a family friendly fest that makes that transition between foot loose and free, music lovin' adult to toddler toting family just about seamless.   Just because you've now got a babe on your back or a snarky tween in tow, doesn't mean you can't hear some of the best folk music in the world and find something for everyone to enjoy.    

There are tasty food choices and reasonable booths full of sustainable, green, world benefitting and unique items.    Leave your dogs and large coolers at home.   Otherwise, umbrellas, lawn chairs, hippy toys like poi balls-diablo-juggling balls-instruments-devil sticks-frisbees-hackie sacks, food and drinks are all welcome.

July 9th & 10th
Wells Park at Lincoln & Montrose

For more information, contact the Old Town School of Folk Music:

oldtownschool.org
chicagofolkandroots.org
773.728.6000

Lineup subject to change - Rain or Shine - All Ages Welcome

Main Stage Artists

It s that time again! Round up your friends, grab your kids, pack a blanket and sunscreen, and wear some comfortable shoes. Grab a spot on the fine grass of Welles Park and set up camp for the long haul because you re not going to want to miss a minute of this year s 14th Annual Chicago Folk & Roots Festival!

All year long at Old Town School of Folk Music we focus on educating, learning, honoring, and presenting American and International artistic traditions and styles. Folk & Roots is our opportunity to give that some commitment some fresh air and fun in the sun.

Quintessential Texas blues rocker, DELBERT MCCLINTON, will close Saturday night s MAIN STAGE. Other luminaries on Saturday include Louisiana s favorite Cajun sons LOST BAYOU RAMBLERS, the Austin's rockabilly queen ROSIE FLORES, and New Orleans brass band sensation, GLEN DAVID ANDREWS. Sunday night s MAIN STAGE will find us swaying to the sounds of the new Sahara with Tuareg guitar great BOMBINO, grooving to Congolese rumba-meets-hip hop and soul with BALOJI, and finishing the Fest on our feet with the sounds of salsa and Latin jazz wih MARACA!

Folk & Roots is not simply about the Main Stage music. Be sure to bring your offspring, nieces, nephews and neighbors by our KIDS TENT. Shimmy and shake with us at our very popular and eclectic DANCE TENT. Come watch our talented faculty strut their stuff on the STAFF STAGE then show off yourself at the open jams and sing-a-longs at the GAZEBO. Of course Lincoln Avenue will also be lined with a diverse sampling of Chicago's finest food vendors offering a vast array of tasty multi-cultural delights.

Saturday, July 9th
9th Annual Midwest Invitational Fiddle Contest - 12:30pm
The Schticklers - 1:40pm
Aloha Lives - 2:10pm
Los Condenados Huastecos - 2:40pm
Mountain Heart - 3:15pm
Glen David Andrews - 4:30pm
Lost Bayou Ramblers - 5:45pm
Rosie Flores & Friends - 7:00pm
Delbert McClinton - 8:30pm

Sunday, July 10th
Wiggleworms - 12:00pm
Special Music By Special People - 12:45pm
Megitza Quartet - 1:20pm
Grupo Rebolú - 2:05pm
Bombino - 3:05pm
The Abyssinians - 4:05pm
BélO - 5:05pm
Soul Sonic Sirkus - 6:10pm
Baloji - 7:15pm
Maraca - 8:30pm

You'll notice loads of ChiIL Mama's past features and favorites on the Kids' Tent stage, too.   Here's the line up along with a few of our must see picks.

Saturday, July 9th

• 12:00p | Wiggleworms in the Park with Kara
• 12:45p | Storytelling with Shanta
• 1:30p | Julie Helenius
• 2:15p | The Midnight Circus (Chicago mama, Julie Greenberg, heads up this quirky, cool circus.)
• 3:00p | Mini Hip-Hop with Lyn
• 3:45p | Rhythm Circle with Manny and Carlos
• 4:30p | The Dreamtree Shakers (ChiIL Mama's interviewed the band and featured them a number of times on our free ticket Tuesdays and Win a Disc Wednesdays.   Check 'em out.   They're excellent!     Check out ChiIL Mama's Vimeo link to the right for our Dreamtree Interview.    We have loads of their live, show footage coming soon.)

Sunday, July 10th

• 12:00p | Go the the Main Stage for Wiggleworms!
• 12:50p | Wiggleworms in the Park in Spanish with Hamlet
• 1:25p | Young Stracke All-Stars--These awesome kids have what it takes.   We love to see bands where the musicians don't just play for kids--they ARE kids.   We're featuring bands where the musicians are under 18 all month here at ChiIL Mama.   Two of Du-Jay and Sagezilla's classmates and one childhood friend are in the ranks of the talented Young Stracke All-Stars.    Check 'em out!
• 1:35p | Kids Jam - Bring your instruments, voices and clapping hands! with Jason, Jonas and Maria
• 2:20p | Linda Robertson & James Warner
• 3:05p | Mini Kung Fu with Phillipe
• 3:40p | Family Drum Circle with Rick
• 4:30p | Apples, Peaches, Lemonade Family Barn Dance
  with Jason, Jonas and Maria
• 
  

West Fest-check HERE for our prior posts and recommended MUST SEE bands.    We're going to try to swing by Sunday at 1pm and check out the talented kids in Purple Apple.   We also HIGHLY recommend checkin' out The Socialists at 1pm on Saturday.   They're a whole rockin' family of talented kids and their dad who cover The Smiths, The Ramones, Morrissey & Joy Division!    


**ChiIL Mama has a bunch of live, concert footage and original interviews with both Purple Apple and The Socialists coming soon.   So check back in early and often.

Dave Matthews Caravan-more of our favorite feature bands are playing in this rockin' 3 day lakefront music feast.    


Check out ChiIL Mama's live show archives at chiilliveshows.com/ to see loads of our shots of DMC bands like Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeros live at Chicago Blues and Bluegrass Fest and Cornmeal live at The House of Blues and Summer Camp Music Fest.   We've also seen The Flaming Lips twice with the kids and they are too much fun live!    Highly recommended.


Kids under 6 are free with paying adult. 


Eye On India-July 8-17
A multicultural explosion of music, art, yoga, puppetry, and more

Folk and Roots Fest--Year 13

We had a blast at the 13th annual Folk and Roots Fest in Wells Park.   

The Old Town School of Folk Music always does a fabulous job booking world class line ups.   

Multitaskin' Mama D'Arcy had the good sense to split out while we were still using the beach umbrella for shade!

The rest of us stuck it out till the soggy end.   Despite intermittent drizzle, we loved hanging out with friends and checking out the creative artisans and fair trade goods.   As the adults all huddled under our giant beach umbrella, the kids ran in the rain, played soccer and Frisbee and splashed in the puddles, unfazed.  The band, Red Baraat, was a huge favorite and they're making a couple more Chicago appearances this week.   Here's what The Reader has to say:


MUSICRed Baraat "Indian brass-band music remains largely unknown in the West, but its furious polyphonic puffing and rollicking grooves are a staple at wedding celebrations on the subcontinent," writes Peter Margasak. New York brass band Red Baraat "combines the fizzy, exuberant melodies of bhangra—along with its propulsive dhol drumming—with the second-line funk of a New Orleans funeral, and pulls it off without insulting either tradition."WEDNESDAY @ MARTYRS', THURSDAY @ SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN

There was nothing unlucky about 13, until the final act, when the light rains degenerated into a show stopping downpour, just as the final band took the stage.   As thunder and lightening descended, everyone was encouraged to pack it in and call it an early night.   Thank goodness for family & friends sized beach umbrellas!   We left ours up and attempted to stay under it, while we dashed 3 blocks to the car, eliciting laughter and grins from a lotta soaked strangers.   

West Fest and Old Town Folk and Roots Fest--Best Kids Areas of the Weekend

Folk and Roots Fest 2009-Chicago Hip Families.
Double click on the photo for full screen slide show options.


Though you may be tempted to hide out in the air conditioning this weekend, the fest season is in full swing, and kids and adults of all ages can hear excellent, world class, live music for a few bucks.   It's a summer right of passage and one of the best perks of living in the city.   If the music's too loud, move to the suburbs.


From birth on, we took our littles to fest in slings, backpack carriers and later in strollers.   We made sure we had silicone earplugs (available at Walgreens & CVS) that are easy to put in and stay there.   We brought plenty of ice water and kid snacks, and they were good to go.   As infants, they loved the music, the colorful crowds and the stimulation, and when they grew tired they just nodded right off and slept on our backs.   


They're seven and nine now, and to the welcome age of self locomotion, though I do miss having a stroller to hang stuff from sometimes.   But the ease of steering through crowds is worth it.   The kids are happily still die hard fest fans.   As parents of tweens know, those years where the kids willingly want to be seen with their parents fly by, so we plan to enjoy their company with some fun, funky family time NOW.

Our first pick today for "highly recommended" is Logan Square newbie, Boulevard Bash.   If you're out and about by noon, the crowds should be much lighter than the evenings and Chicago alt-country icon Jon Langford is worth a listen.    Your kids may know him from Wee Hairy Beasties, or Hide Out's annual Christmas Pantos.   Adults may recognize him from the Mekons, solo work and an impressive array of side projects.   


We caught the Sanctified Grumblers at The Bloodshot BBQ at Hideout last year and the kids and I enjoyed them, too.   Their pitch is "..from the ashes of the woodpile rises THE SANCTIFIED GRUMBLERS!! spreadin raggin, old time jug music to the good people!!"


12pm: Jon Langford and Man is Man
2pm: Sanctified Grumblers

Then we suggest The Old Town Folk and Roots Fest.   There are children's music and art tents, a dance instruction tent for all ages, and family friendly, excellent music on the main stage daily from noon to 9:30 daily.


One of the annual greats we've mentioned before is West Fest.  Click on WEST FEST to check out their web site for full line ups and details.   They're booked by Empty Bottle, so the line ups are way above average fest drivel.   The Bottle knows their bands!


Today on the family stage, they're featuring two of our favs, and past ChiIL Mama-Win-A-Disc-Wednesday Bands:   Mr. Singer and Little Miss Ann.   We highly recommend checking out their excellent tunes from 4:15-6 today.  Here's the family stage line up for the weekend:


West Fest KidsFest Family Stage
Rice and Wolcott


Saturday, July 10th
12-12:45Mindy Hester1-1:45James Sanden1:45-2:15My Gym2:15-3Laura Doherty3:15-4Super Stolie Band 4:15-5Mr. Singer 5:15-6Little Miss Ann Band 


Sunday, July 11th
12:00- 1Mexican Dancers1:15-1:45My Gym1:45 - 2:15Kiara2:30-3:30Mad Science3:30- 4Mary Macaroni4-4:45James Sanden5:00- 6Jeanie B