Chicago showed up and showed out this past Juneteenth weekend. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year, some of today’s biggest artists and some OG’s who are native to Chicago, as well as up-and-coming artists, all graced the stage for the two-day event. The festival’s lineup included 2 Chainz, Twista, Vic Mensa, Kali, Clipse, Lola Brooke, Uncle Waffles, Tobe Nwigwe, and Alex Isley among others. In addition, Queen B Lil Kim came through to close out the festival and blessed us with some 90’s classics with Lil Cease while paying homage to The Notorious B.I.G.
This year’s event featured three stages of music sets. The Main Stage, The DJ Stage, and the Tres Generaciones Stage.
Jonathan Swain and creative director Dave Jeff founded the Hyde Park Summer Fest years ago. The event has grown tremendously from a small craft beer event to one of the city’s top summer festivals. They expect at least 20,000 people each day at the two-day festival.
There were different sections for different ticket holders. The VIP ticket holders were offered premier seating on the lawn and a balcony to view the performances. The VIP tickets also provided access to decked-out tented areas that offered private bars and food. While GA ticket holders enjoyed vibes on the lawn with their own blankets and chairs. Media had their own pit as well close to The Main Stage. We spoke with Dave Jeff for a little and even tested his knowledge of how well he knew the city of Chicago.
Festival goers also enjoyed food and drink from local Black-owned vendors, as well as a selection of festival-related gear.
Speaking of Black-owned businesses, there's definitely a little chicken rivalry between Harold’s Chicken & Uncle Remus that was on full display in the food truck area. It wasn’t easy to pass by without seeing what the hype was about. After trying Uncle Remus for the first time, we understand the longtime rivalry.
Overall, The festival had such a vibe. From the much-anticipated reunion of the Clipse. To the soulful vibes of Alex Isley and the high-energy performance 2Chainz delivered. Oh, and let's not forget the entertaining choreographed performance by the talented Lola Brooke, and the sexy vibes Kali gave with hers. The positive vibes and love of the music culture were on full display, which made both days a huge success.
The weekend was flowing with live music, tasty food, and displayed the arts/fashion. The Hyde Park SummerFest was one for the books, and we were so happy to feel welcomed and cover the star-studded event.
Comments