Chicago summer means festival season. Every weekend there is a different festival with between 25 to 100 food vendors to choose from. This past weekend I attended Windy City Smokeout, a BBQ and country music festival. From Friday to Sunday, some of the best BBQ, craft beer and country music artists come out to eat and drink on the river. I was faced with the challenge of choosing between 22 of Chicago’s best BBQ vendors. How do you narrow down your search and decide what to satisfy your stomach with, especially in one of the best food cities in the U.S?
Here are five tips to make your festival eating a delicious and non-overwhelming experience:
1. Do your research.
I am that friend that reviews the menu hours before dinner. Some may say this is unnecessary. I say it is completely necessary because no one wants to see me hangry (anger resulting from hunger). In order to avoid this, check out the vendors on the festival website before hand and choose a couple that are must haves. Preparation never hurt anybody.
2. Circle, circle, circle.
See as much as you can before deciding. Windy City Smokeout was on the smaller side with food vendors compared to festivals like Taste of Chicago. However, we circled twice and still missed some options. If it is on the larger side this is where the preparation step is crucial!
3. Take pictures.
While circling the vendors, snap some photos of dishes that look tasty to you. This will avoid the, “What was that one place in that one row with that one thing?”, question. It will be logged right in your phone for reference.
4. Pace yourself.
I was tempted to stuff my face with ribs the second I walked through the entrance but I resisted the urge. After circling all the BBQ vendors, I had a list of definitely more food than my stomach can fit. The good news is that festivals are all day events. I had about six hours. In my head this means I had at least three meals to go and we won’t count the drinks. Your stomach will be nice to you if you are nice to it.
5. Bring a buddy.
The more friends you have tag along the more food you get to try. Try not to get the same thing at each vendor. Split your white and red boat of ribs so you can also try the bacon corn dogs. This goes for drinks too!
Windy City Smokeout was a day well spent. Besides the food there were some talented country musicians that made the day that much better.
Now it is time to buy your tickets to the next festival and recruit some buddies! Want to learn how to make your own BBQ? the Chopping Block has a brand new grilling class this summer that actually teaches you how to make authentic barbeque, just like these vendors. Try your hand at American BBQ: The Real Deal for meat dishes inspired from Kansas City, Texas and North Carolina on our outdoor grilling patio at Lincoln Square. You can even make your own homemade sauce to go with it.
