Summer heats up in Chicago with the annual Chinatown Summer Fair

There's nothing quite like Chinatown's Summer Fair happening this weekend on Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Avenue to 24th Place in Chicago.

Photo byScribbling GeekonUnsplash

(CHICAGO) It's July, and Chicago's summer festival season is going strong. Many of the music, art, and food and drink-themed fests do an amazing job of celebrating Chicago's rich ethnic and cultural traditions.

And coming up in just a few days is an opportunity to experience all that Chinatown has to offer at its Summer Fair this weekend.

The Chinatown Summer Fair is an iconic, annual event that brings 40,000 people to Chicago to partake in food, art, and music of the Far East.

Photo byAdam Alexander/Choose Chicago

When is the Chinatown Summer Fair?

• Saturday, July 29, 2023, 12 PM to 10 PM
• Sunday, July 30, 2023, 10 AM to 7 PM

Where is it happening?

The free event will take place on Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Avenue to 24th Place in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood.

What to expect

The fair will kick off on Saturday at 12:30 PM with the traditional lion dance procession.

At the fair you can expect to find the following.

Samplings from Chinatown's restaurants

Photo byIsrael AlbornozonUnsplash

The traditional lion dance procession

Kung fu demonstrations

Exquisite dance performances

Japanese drummers

K-pop dance competition

Other activities

Other activities include shopping from street vendors selling unique merchandise, homemade crafts, plants, art exhibits, and a children's area with inflatables.

Besides the many art exhibits, you can expect to see live art such as henna tattoo artists, street artists, and booths set up to let you create your own art.

Don't arrive on a full stomach as many food booths will be set up to let you sample some of Chinatown's best food including dumplings, noodle bowls, fried rice, pot stickers, egg rolls, and much more.

The dance performers showcase a variety of traditional cultural dances from all over the Asian continent. Some you can expect to see include:

• Chinese folk dance
• Hokulea Polynesian dance
• Indian folk dance
• Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese pop dances
• K-pop dance competition

History of the fair

Other than 2020 when the fair was canceled due to the pandemic, the Chinatown celebration has occurred every year since 1979.

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Check out the full schedule for the Chinatown Summer Fair on the website here.

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