| Taste of Chicago | |
| Location: | Grant Park Chicago, Illinois |
| Country: | United States |
| Years Active: | 1980–2019, 2022–present |
| Status: | Active |
| Genre: | Food Festival |
| People: | Arnie Morton Jane Byrne Lois Weisberg |
| Frequency: | Annual |
The Taste of Chicago (also known locally as The Taste) is the world's largest food festival, held in September in Chicago, Illinois in Grant Park. The event is also the largest festival in Chicago.[1] Non-food-related events include live music on multiple stages, including the Petrillo Music Shell, pavilions, and performances. Musical acts vary from nationally known artists like Carlos Santana, Moby, Kenny Rogers, or Robert Plant to name just a few, to local artists. Since 2008, The Chicago Country Music Festival was held simultaneously with the Taste of Chicago but now has its own two-day festival, typically held in the fall.[2] The Taste of Chicago also has rides present which may include a Ferris wheel and the Jump to Be Fit among others.
Arnie Morton, creator of the Taste, decided to line up Chicago restaurants to participate and persuaded then-Chicago mayor Jane Byrne and Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Lois Weisberg to block off Michigan Avenue for the first Taste of Chicago on July 4, 1980. Although organizers expected 100,000 people, a crowd of over 250,000 showed up, with food and soda sales grossing $300,000 at the festival's inception. The next year, the Taste of Chicago was moved to Grant Park and grew in size and scope, becoming a 10-day event with more food vendors and musical performers; it also became the world's largest food festival.
ChicagoFest, started by mayor Michael Bilandic, was the precursor to the Taste of Chicago. After Bilandic's tenure in office, newly elected Mayor Jane Byrne attempted to end the festival as well as many other programs associated with the former mayor. Many Chicagoans disapproved of Mayor Byrne's attempt to stop the festivities (although attendance at ChicagoFest had begun to wane). She and her successor, Mayor Harold Washington, dedicated more time and energy to promoting the Taste, slowly phasing ChicagoFest out in the process. Mayor Washington finally put an end to ChicagoFest when in 1983 it was moved from Navy Pier to Soldier Field and attendance continued to wane. The popularity of the Taste of Chicago has prompted other cities to spawn numerous offshoots and equivalents throughout North America such as the Taste of Champaign, CityFest in Detroit, the Taste of the Danforth in Toronto, the Taste of Kalamazoo, Taste of Addison, Taste of Denver, Taste in Dallas, Taste of Madison, Taste of Austin, the Taste of Peoria in Peoria, Illinois, and the Bite in Portland to name a few. The first "taste of" festival was Taste of Cincinnati in 1979.[3]
In 2005, the Taste attracted about 3.9 million people with over 70 food vendors. Foods at the event include Chicago-style pizza, Chicago hot dogs, barbecued ribs, Italian Beef, Maxwell Street Polish Sausage, Eli's Cheesecake, and a variety of ethnic and regional foods. A total of 3.6 million people visited the 2006 Taste of Chicago. Attendance for the previous record 10-day event, in 2004, was 3.59 million, with $12.33 million in revenue.[4] These lackluster statistics prompted several changes. The mayor transferred power over the event from the Chicago Park District to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the event was shortened to 5 days. In 2012, the Taste of Chicago ran from July 11 to July 15[5] and had 36 participating restaurants.[6] In 2013, the Taste of Chicago turned a profit for the first time in six years with sales totaling $272,000.[7] On Saturday, July 12, 2014, the Taste of Chicago closed because of severe weather—the first time the festival was canceled for the entire day because of "excessive rainfall and flooding on the festival grounds".
In June 2020, the event was one of several Chicago events officially cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic;[8] it was replaced by "Taste of Chicago To-Go" programming that included an online directory of vendors, video cooking demonstrations and performances, a food truck procession, and an expansion of the existing Community Eats program that brings free meals to first responders.[9] [10]
On July 12, 2007, city officials reported that an outbreak beginning in the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth caused 17 people to fall ill due to Salmonella poisoning. Of those affected, three were hospitalized, including one minor. City officials started to receive reports of sickness on Monday but waited to issue a notice until Wednesday. The notice warned the public about symptoms and causes behind the bacteria that is spread by consuming foods contaminated with animal feces. After a thorough investigation of the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth, it was determined that the cucumber, hummus, and pomegranate chicken were the source of the illness. The booth failed a previous routine inspection for serving undercooked dishes but city officials did not file the report until Wednesday. City health inspectors found several violations at the restaurant including unsanitary conditions, improper refrigeration, and mouse droppings.[11]
The festival hosts a wide variety of performers.
| 6/28/1987 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/29/1987 | Albertina Walker | |
| 6/30/1987 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/1/1987 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/2/1987 | South of the Border Celebration | |
| 7/3/1987 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/5/1987 | Chicago and Buckinghams | |
| 7/1/1988 | Restless Heart | |
| 7/2/1988 | Folk Fest | |
| 7/3/1988 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1988 | Robert Cray Band | |
| 7/5/1988 | Mongo Santa Maria | |
| 7/6/1988 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/7/1988 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/8/1988 | Dell Shannon and the Chiffons | |
| 7/9/1988 | Stevie Wonder | |
| 7/10/1988 | Maria Conchita Alonso | |
| 6/28/1989 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/29/1989 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/30/1989 | Tom James | |
| 7/1/1989 | Folk Fest | |
| 7/2/1989 | Roberta Flack | |
| 7/3/1989 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1989 | BoDeans | |
| 6/27/1990 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/28/1990 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/29/1990 | George Benson | |
| 6/30/1990 | Spinners and Nylons | |
| 7/1/1990 | Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello | |
| 7/2/1990 | Emmylou Harris | |
| 7/3/1990 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1990 | Smithereens, Los Lobos, and Kinsey Report | |
| 6/27/1991 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/28/1991 | Tommy James | |
| 6/29/1991 | Larry Carlton | |
| 6/30/1991 | Temptations | |
| 7/3/1991 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1991 | Replacements, NRBQ, and Material Issue | |
| 6/27/1992 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/28/1992 | Neville Brothers | |
| 6/29/1992 | Koko Taylor | |
| 6/30/1992 | Gary Lewis | |
| 7/1/1992 | Hal Ketchum | |
| 7/3/1992 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1992 | Robert Cray | |
| 7/5/1992 | Lee Rittenour | |
| 6/25/1993 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 6/26/1993 | John Hiatt, Sonny Landreth and Wailing Souls | |
| 6/27/1993 | Grover Washington, Tower of Power and Peter White | |
| 6/29/1993 | The Band, Eric Burdon and the Brian Auger Band, Spirit and John Sebastian | |
| 6/30/1993 | Kool & the Gang, Ohio Players and War | |
| 7/1/1993 | Emmylou Harris, Joe Diffie and the Mavericks | |
| 7/2/1993 | Dwight Yoakam and Suzy Boggess | |
| 7/3/1993 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1993 | Matt Sweet, Belly and The Jayhawks | |
| 7/2/1994 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/3/1994 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1994 | Squeeze, Poi Dog Pondering and Lemonheads | |
| 7/5/1994 | Barry White | |
| 7/6/1994 | The Band, Roger McGinnis and Jesse Colin Young | |
| 7/7/1994 | Subdudes, Buckwheat Zydeco and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown | |
| 7/8/1994 | Santana and Jr. Wells | |
| 7/9/1994 | Ricky Van Shelton, Michelle Wright and Rick Trevino | |
| 7/10/1994 | Bill Monroe | |
| 6/24/1995 | Trish Yearwood and Junior Brown | |
| 6/25/1995 | Diamond Rio and George Ducas | |
| 6/27/1995 | Poi Dog Pondering | |
| 6/28/1995 | Badfinger, Foghat and Edgar Winter | |
| 6/29/1995 | Village People, KC & the Sunshine Band | |
| 6/30/1995 | George Clinton | |
| 7/1/1995 | Tom Jones and 911 Mambo | |
| 7/2/1995 | Gin Blossoms and Alanis Morissette | |
| 7/3/1995 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1995 | Freddy Jones Band and General Public | |
| 6/28/1996 | Hank Williams Jr. and Wade Hayes | |
| 6/29/1996 | Tracy Lawrence & Patty Loveless, Keith Gattis | |
| 6/30/1996 | Bobby Caldwell | |
| 7/2/1996 | 3 Dog Night, Randy Bachman and Rare Earth | |
| 7/3/1996 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1996 | Del Amitri, Dishwala, Paul Westerberg and Wilco | |
| 7/5/1996 | James Brown | |
| 7/6/1996 | Harry Connick, Larry Miller and Joe Sample | |
| 7/7/1996 | GooGoo Dolls | |
| 6/27/1997 | Bryan White and Marty Stewart | |
| 6/28/1997 | Wynonna Judd and Paul Brandt | |
| 6/29/1997 | Gladys Knight | |
| 6/30/1997 | City Lights Orchestra | |
| 7/1/1997 | Little Feat and Soniya Dada | |
| 7/2/1997 | Kool & the Gang and Ohio Players | |
| 7/3/1997 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1997 | Big Head Todd | |
| 7/5/1997 | James Taylor | |
| 7/6/1997 | Cheap Trick and Jayhawks | |
| 6/25/1998 | Phil Collins | |
| 6/26/1998 | Suzy Boggess, John Anderson and Billy Dean | |
| 6/27/1998 | Faith Hill and Restless Heart | |
| 6/28/1998 | Smokey Robinson and Lonnie Brooks | |
| 6/29/1998 | City Lights Orchestra | |
| 6/30/1998 | Joe Walsh | |
| 7/1/1998 | Chaka Khan | |
| 7/2/1998 | Doobie Brothers | |
| 7/3/1998 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1998 | BoDeans | |
| 7/5/1998 | Kenny Loggins and Kathleen Wilhoite | |
| 6/25/1999 | Earth Wind & Fire and Soul Children | |
| 6/26/1999 | George Jones and Susan Ashton | |
| 6/27/1999 | Dwight Yoakam and Deana Carter | |
| 6/28/1999 | Emeril Lagasse | |
| 6/29/1999 | Chicago | |
| 6/30/1999 | Isley Brothers | |
| 7/1/1999 | Peter Frampton and Joan Jett | |
| 7/2/1999 | REO Speedwagon and Foreigner | |
| 7/3/1999 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/1999 | Cheap Trick | |
| 7/5/1999 | Brian Setzer and BR549 | |
| 6/30/2000 | Patti LaBelle | |
| 7/1/2000 | Randy Travis and Montgomery Gentry | |
| 7/2/2000 | Travis Tritt and Ty Herndon | |
| 7/3/2000 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2000 | Cracker | |
| 7/5/2000 | Pointer Sisters | |
| 7/6/2000 | Matt Sweet | |
| 7/7/2000 | Al Green | |
| 7/8/2000 | Yes and Kansas | |
| 7/9/2000 | Michael McDonald | |
| 6/29/2001 | George Clinton | |
| 6/30/2001 | Waylon Jennings and Asleep at the Wheel | |
| 7/1/2001 | Leanne Womack and Jessica Andrews | |
| 7/2/2001 | Wayne Newton | |
| 7/3/2001 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2001 | Wilco | |
| 7/5/2001 | Walk Down Abbey Road | |
| 7/6/2001 | Whispers | |
| 7/7/2001 | Go-Go's, Marcy Playground | |
| 7/8/2001 | KC Sunshine Band | |
| 6/28/2002 | Brian McKnight | |
| 6/29/2002 | Vince Gill and Joanna Janet | |
| 6/30/2002 | Charlie Daniels and Keith Urban | |
| 7/1/2002 | 4 Tops and O’Jays | |
| 7/2/2002 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 7/3/2002 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2002 | Indigo Girls and Midnight Oil | |
| 7/5/2002 | Foreigner and Survivor | |
| 7/6/2002 | Walk Down Abbey Road | |
| 7/7/2002 | Hootie and the Blowfish | |
| 6/27/2003 | Erykah Badu | |
| 6/28/2003 | Loretta Lynn and Steve Azar | |
| 6/29/2003 | John Michael Montgomery, Deana Carter and Jimmy Wayne | |
| 6/30/2003 | Kenny Rogers | |
| 7/1/2003 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 7/2/2003 | India.Arie | |
| 7/3/2003 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2003 | Wallflowers and Guster | |
| 7/5/2003 | Sheryl Crow | |
| 7/6/2003 | Elvis Costello and Alice Peacock | |
| 6/25/2004 | Teena Marie and Maurice Mahon | |
| 6/26/2004 | Wynonna Judd and Rodney Crowell | |
| 6/27/2004 | Brad Paisley and Kellie Coffey | |
| 6/28/2004 | Great Lakes Naval Band | |
| 6/29/2004 | New Edition | |
| 6/30/2004 | Stephanie Mills and KEM | |
| 7/1/2004 | Melissa Etheridge | |
| 7/2/2004 | Pat Benatar and Peter Frampton | |
| 7/3/2004 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2004 | Counting Crows, They Might Be Giants and Old 97's | |
| 6/24/2005 | LL Cool J and Faith Evans | |
| 6/25/2005 | LeAnn Rimes and Julie Roberts | |
| 6/26/2005 | Clint Black and Aaron Tippen | |
| 6/27/2005 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 6/28/2005 | Donna Summer | |
| 6/29/2005 | Gap Band, Morris Day & the Time | |
| 6/30/2005 | Lynyrd Skynyrd and Credence Clearwater | |
| 7/1/2005 | Steve Winwood and Dr. John | |
| 7/2/2005 | Santana, Los Lonely Boys and Salvador Santana Band | |
| 7/3/2005 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2005 | Moby and John Hiatt | |
| 6/30/2006 | The O’Jays | |
| 7/1/2006 | Glen Campbell, Yonder Mountain String Band and Phil Vassar | |
| 7/2/2006 | Jo Dee Messina and SHeDAISY | |
| 7/3/2006 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2006 | Ray Davies, My Morning Jacket and Mike Doughty | |
| 7/5/2006 | India.Arie and Anthony Hamilton | |
| 7/6/2006 | Train and Matt Kearney | |
| 7/7/2006 | Macy Gray and Liquid Soul | |
| 7/8/2006 | Liz Phair and Fountains of Wayne | |
| 7/9/2006 | Dennis DeYoung and Kenny Wayne Shepherd | |
| 6/29/2007 | Frankie Beverly and Maze | |
| 6/30/2007 | Kenny Rogers | |
| 7/1/2007 | Sara Evans and Craig Morgan | |
| 7/2/2007 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 7/3/2007 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2007 | John Mayer | |
| 7/5/2007 | Lyfe Jennings | |
| 7/6/2007 | The Black Crowes and Umphreys McGee | |
| 7/7/2007 | Cheap Trick, Soul Asylum and Cracker | |
| 7/8/2007 | Los Lonely Boys and Brandi Carlile | |
| 6/27/2008 | Chaka Khan and Angie Stone | |
| 6/28/2008 | Stevie Wonder | |
| 6/29/2008 | Plain White T's and Josh Kelly | |
| 6/30/2008 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 7/1/2008 | Joss Stone and Ryan Shaw | |
| 7/2/2008 | Fantasia and Estelle | |
| 7/3/2008 | Grant Park Symphony Orchestra | |
| 7/4/2008 | Gomez, Old 97's and Alejandro Escovedo | |
| 7/5/2008 | Bonnie Raitt | |
| 7/6/2008 | Aly & AJ and Keke Palmer | |
| 6/26/2009 | Charlie Wilson and the Gap Band, Cameo | |
| 6/27/2009 | Counting Crows and Augustana | |
| 6/28/2009 | The Wallflowers and Lovehammers | |
| 6/29/2009 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 6/30/2009 | Barenaked Ladies | |
| 7/1/2009 | Ne-Yo and Keri Hilson | |
| 7/2/2009 | Super Diamond and Afrodisiacs | |
| 7/3/2009 | 85th Army Band and Fireworks Spectacular | |
| 7/4/2009 | Buddy Guy, Buster and DBT's | |
| 7/5/2009 | Mitchell Musso and Jordan Pruitt | |
| 6/25/2010 | Bell Biv Devoe, Slick Rick and Salt-n-Peppa | |
| 6/26/2010 | Gavin Rossdale and Band from TV | |
| 6/27/2010 | Emily Osment and Allstar Weekend | |
| 6/28/2010 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 6/29/2010 | Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys | |
| 6/30/2010 | Mat Kearney and Brett Dennen | |
| 7/1/2010 | Trey Songz and Teairra Marí | |
| 7/2/2010 | Rob Thomas | |
| 7/3/2010 | Steve Miller Band | |
| 7/4/2010 | Passion Pit, Robert Randolph, Alejandro Escovedo and Carney | |
| 6/24/2011 | Los Horoscopos de Durango | |
| 6/25/2011 | Rare Earth and Soul Asylum | |
| 6/26/2011 | Donald Lawrence & Company | |
| 6/27/2011 | Broadway in Chicago | |
| 6/28/2011 | Material Re-Issue and The Lemonheads | |
| 6/29/2011 | Natalie MacMaster | |
| 6/30/2011 | Natalie Cole | |
| 7/1/2011 | Courtyard Hounds and Loretta Lynn | |
| 7/2/2011 | Everest and Jayhawks | |
| 7/3/2011 | Greyson Chance | |
| 7/11/2012 | Jennifer Hudson and Luke James | |
| 7/12/2012 | Death Cab for Cutie and Calexico | |
| 7/13/2012 | Michael Franti & Spearhead and Fitz & the Tantrums | |
| 7/14/2012 | Chaka Khan and Raphael Saadiq | |
| 7/15/2012 | Dierks Bentley and Lindi Ortega | |
| 7/10/2013 | Fun. and Delta Spirit | |
| 7/11/2013 | Robin Thicke and Estelle | |
| 7/12/2013 | Robert Plant Presents the Sensational Space Shifters | |
| 7/13/2013 | Jill Scott | |
| 7/14/2013 | Neon Trees and The Mowgli's | |
| 7/9/2014 | AWOLNATION | |
| 7/10/2014 | Janelle Monáe and Gary Clark Jr. | |
| 7/11/2014 | Nickel Creek and Emmylou Harris | |
| 7/12/2014 | Jeff Tweedy | |
| 7/13/2014 | Aloe Blacc and The Wailers | |
| 7/8/2015 | Weezer | |
| 7/9/2015 | Erykah Badu | |
| 7/10/2015 | The Chieftains | |
| 7/11/2015 | Spoon | |
| 7/12/2015 | Maze featuring Frankie Beverly | |
| 7/6/2016 | The Roots and Donnie Trumpet | |
| 7/7/2016 | Kongos, Elle King and Transviolet | |
| 7/8/2016 | The Decemberists and Shakey Graves | |
| 7/9/2016 | Billy Idol and Sons of the Silent Age | |
| 7/10/2016 | The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald and Ernie Isley, and Shelia E. | |
| 7/5/2017 | Alessia Cara and Eryn Allen Kane | |
| 7/6/2017 | Café Tacvba and ¡Esso! Afrojam Funkbeat with Los Vicios de Papá | |
| 7/7/2017 | Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals and Twin Peaks | |
| 7/8/2017 | Passion Pit and The Kickback | |
| 7/9/2017 | The O’Jays and Maurice Jackson's Independents | |
| 7/11/2018 | Brandi Carlile | |
| 7/12/2018 | Juanes | |
| 7/13/2018 | Black Star | |
| 7/14/2018 | The Flaming Lips | |
| 7/15/2018 | Parliament Funkadelic | |
| 7/10/2019 | Courtney Barnett | |
| 7/11/2019 | Bomba Estéreo and Puerto Rican Cultura Profética | |
| 7/12/2019 | De La Soul | |
| 7/13/2019 | The Strumbellas and lovelytheband | |
| 7/14/2019 | India.Arie and Meshell Ndegeocello | |
| 2020 | Canceled | |
| 2021 | Canceled | |
| 7/8/2022 | Nelly | |
| 7/9/2022 | Aterciopelados | |
| 7/10/2022 | Drive-By Truckers and Local H | |
| 9/8/2023 | Hip Hop 50 featuring Doug E. Fresh, EPMD, KRS-One and Slick Rick | |
| 9/9/2023 | Proyecto Uno | |
| 9/10/2023 | Whitney |