10:28 am 36°F Fog/Mist Chicago Classifieds
Header Image
Book Chicago Hotels 24/7
(800) 659-7186
Best Rate Guaranteed!

The Chicago Blog

Takin’ It to the Streets 2010: In Review
June 22nd, 2010
By: Gabriela Zecker
Staff Writer
bela.zecker@chicago.com

Streets ImageYou can count on a few things at most Chicago festivals. The first is a blocked off portion of a picturesque Chicago neighborhood, suddenly alive in the summertime, with fairly well-off shops and restaurants lining the streets for similarly well-off festival-goers. The second is a somewhat standardized group of alcohol and food vendors, charging fairly elevated prices for beer and burgers/Asian fare/ribs. And the third is a stage or two of Chicago musicians, usually including festival favorite groups Sixteen Candles, Too White Crew, and the like.

So when I took the hour-and-a-half trek to Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood for the 2010 edition of the Takin’ It to the Streets festival on June 19, imagine my surprise when I encountered a very atypical Chicago summer festival experience. Gone were the beautiful city blocks that festivals usually make their homes in–Marquette Park is by no means one of Chicago’s pretty and gentrified neighborhoods, and the festival itself took place in a muddied grassy park spotted with live graffiti art. Replacing the beer and burgers were healthy smoothies and vegetarian-friendly cuisine, mostly Middle Eastern-influenced [think falafel, hummus, and rice]. And rather than Chicago bands covering Journey or the Sugar Hill Gang, the festival’s four stages were graced by influential rappers Mos Def and Brother Ali, world music legends and ex-rebels Tinariwen, and instruction in yoga, tai chi and capoeira.

Takin’ It to the Streets’ take on what it means to throw a Chicago festival was refreshing and thought-provoking as a religionless white girl from the North Side–yet I didn’t feel out of place in the slightest. Among a group that included Marquette Park residents, a huge turnout from Chicago’s Muslim community, and hip-hop fans from around the city, I was just another face in the crowd who earned respect like everyone else. Rather than the dirty looks and shoves from people as I made my way toward the front of the crowd for Tinariwen and Mos Def, I instead encountered those who would gracefully move aside and smile when I accidentally bumped into them. I munched on the affordably priced $5 falafel and pita sandwich, grateful that cheap and healthy vegetarian food was not the exception, but the norm. And although I am not religious or particularly activism-minded, the forum on faith and justice and overriding message of social consciousness was a thought-provoking experience that left me more moved than I’ve felt leaving any other summer festival.

At the conclusion of Mos Def’s disappointingly short set [about twenty-five minutes] closing out the festival on Saturday night, event organizers from the Inner-City Muslim Action Network came on stage to urge festival attendees to leave the festival peacefully, in the same way they hoped the event was conducted. They concluded hoping that festival-goers would text a donation line, at $10 a text, aiding the group in planning a festival for an eleventh year in 2011. My guess is that, if others experienced the same revolutionary Chicago festival experience, IMAN had a flood of texts speaking for themselves.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

16 Responses to “Takin’ It to the Streets 2010: In Review”

  1. Verle says:

    Very true! Makes a cahgne to see someone spell it out like that. :)

  2. eolktzahii says:

    l2nGRa dsfouyduhtjq

  3. vqxpkunre says:

    2w9tOy vkhmgbzxrvwc

  4. chanel purses says:

    And stabs the knuckle chanel purses of a sinewy hand. Sam shouts

  5. replica watches says:

    Hope you are having fun. replica watches :-)

  6. rolex watches says:

    So thank you anyway. rolex watches

  7. Ruvell says:

    Keep on wrintig and chugging away!

  8. xromxqyzpo says:

    P5qBkC jcmracfmixys

  9. awofrscx says:

    8×8fkI fxfxwmzkmwaf

  10. ralph lauren outlet online says:

    cheap timberland
    Timberland pas cher Timberland Jiggle Top Boots is a good type of any effective make between found unpredicted sector segment.Timberland outlet These footwear is going to be false, mound – wander ice alpinism and rock, but luckily they are popular way.Timberland boots Boots cult harm American college campus, These are typically really performed out 1980 once they arrived at Madeira.Obtaining into factor to think about of low-earnings customers, Timberland business introduce Timberland sales all of the all year round. Regardless of that you are males,womens Timberland boots women or kids, the tariff of Timberland boots is quite reasonable, you are getting a large surprise with this particular activity.timberland chaussure Timberland 2011 were particularly made and manufactured previously to be able to resist harsh surroundings.Timberland shoes They can be particularly created for hiking in addition to working outdoors the home in lots of different climate.mens Timberland boots If you wish to get most likely probably the most use using your boots then its essential for you are taking fine proper care of which.
    kids Timberland boots
    womens timberland shoes
    Leather Work Boots
    Timberland rol-top Boots
    Timberland Boat Shoes
    timberland roll top boots for men
    timberland 6 inch boots
    timberland shoes for men

    Real Madrid and Milan suspected spy jersey next season
    Known as sTodo sobre Camisetass Your blog lately launched the 2012/13 season,ralph lauren polo
    Real Madrid and AC Milan??s jersey spy.mens polo In the photos perspective Nike Mercurial, Real Madrid next season??s home jersey is going to be V-neck design. This design from 2002, when Real Madrid won the Champions League that shirt. Simultaneously there’s been cut back reminiscences of Zidane??s Fairy.womens polo However it was unclear to alter blog released spy photos of those two Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly holds true.
    Were initially two seasons for something new, now’s a season for something new, misappropriating ah!ralph lauren shirts Just a little retro I am talking about Milan. How retro all day long lengthy, ah, Real Madrid or black gold more domineering.
    ralph lauren sale
    ralph lauren shirts
    ralph lauren clothing
    discount ralph lauren
    ralph lauren polo sale
    ralph lauren coupons
    ralph lauren polo boots
    ralph lauren dress
    ralph lauren t shirts
    ralph lauren polo shirts
    cheap ralph lauren polo shirts
    polo dress
    ralph lauren outlet online

    The Craziest Vegetable You??ve Seen
    When my pal Yael turned up to the book club having a spiraling mind of broccoli romanesco in hands, Christin Louboutin I had been floored. shoes shop ??What’s this??this??factor? It appears enjoy it goes around the wall of my senior year calculus class,?? I internally babbled. It wasn??t lengthy before I required rapid walk to the local market, bought a number of this bizarre broccoli, and roasting up with a few essential olive oil, salt, and pepper. Christin Louboutin shoes Mmm, tasty. But what else might be completed with this crazy cauliflower cousin? I set to discover and discovered many a tasty recipe with this fractal of the food. Christin Louboutin pumps Below is really a small photo montage of the items I uncovered. Time for you to start seasoning this periodic delight to see what miracles it’s available!
    Christian Louboutin Flats
    Christian louboutin bridal
    Christian Louboutin Evening
    Christian Louboutin Mary Janes
    Christian Louboutin Mens
    christian louboutin platform
    Christian Louboutin Sandals
    Christian Louboutin Slingback
    Christian Louboutin Wedges
    christian louboutin wedding shoes
    christian louboutin boots

    Burberry??s history from family business to global business
    Burberry??s items hasn’t only supported explorer to achieve world??s finish,burberry outlet store but additionally attend by aircraft pilots on the horizon.burberry outlet
    In 1919,burberry outlet online
    John Alcock and Brown Arthur used a converted plane with two piston engines and 2 wings, flied for 16 hrs uninterruptedly from Newfoundland to Ireland, effectively completed human??s first uninterruptedly over the Atlantic Sea,cheap burberry
    as well as their costume were just Burbery.
    At this,burberry us Burberry supported human to accomplish several explores within the unknown world that have been all human??s pioneering work, and it is Burberry??s splendor and glory.
    cheap burberry bags
    burberry flats
    burberry boots
    burberry coat
    burberry mens

    Hunting Lower An Ideal Affordable Search engine optimization Services
    The important thing to finding fantastic affordable Seo services should be to search for a business that values the limits of the items Search engine optimization can and can’t do and is able to acknowledge that many from the methods utilized this past year simply no more complete the job.nike wholesale The most effective internet sites will often appear presents itself Google??s entries, as they possibly can,cheap nike sneakers being that they are generally experts in Search engine optimization. Search for companies instead of solo people.nike website Only one person are only able to undertake a lot work,best baketball sheos 2011 to ensure that they often times request for much more. This means that unless of course obviously they??re a new comer to the region and trying to advance their clientele,nike outlet store these folks won’t come under a listing of affordable Search engine optimization services.
    nike free run shoes
    nike shox
    nike basketball

    It??s tough to think of the world of fashion without Louboutin Footwear
    It??s tough to think of the world of fashion without Louboutin Footwear.cheap christian louboutin Individuals red-colored-soled miracles would be the envy and accurate target dears of lots of fashionista,Christin Louboutin shoes discount buying the sausage sartorial creation and heavy superlative to shoe champions everywhere.Attending worldwide visitors:Louboutin foot platform pumps may constitute giving a hive away approach you.cheap christian louboutin Inwards a current interview using the HollywoodReporter, Loub discovered throughout how-do-you-dos latest intends to infiltrate Republic of India,cheap Louboutins Socialist Republic of Vietnam and regular Meleagris gallopavo!louboutin discount Evidently from it,christian louboutin sale he’s additionally to some huge fan of Bollywood (thus the India store openings among some other reasons).

    Self employed Online!
    In my opinion we’re huge nowadays when it comes to amounts.guess outlet online I wouldn’t speak personally alone as you will find also self employed online who work very hard to earn good amount of cash.guess outlet Either we’re doing the work by using for any operate in couple of of become a freelancer project sites or we all do it by way of blogging and marketing our very own page to generate money eventually.guess online Well i guess,guess sale I??m much like individuals new blogger who might not be new within this area but because of lots of goals in existence I would be among individuals who’ve no direction in blogging world.cheap guess Yeah, I actually do make money on the internet and actually it is not a component time job or sideline but,cheap bags rather it’s a profession for me personally since i have work a lot more than 8 hrs each day doing online stuff?Cwith which i??michael a complete time self employed.
    #BREAK#

Leave a Reply

Security Code:

The Chicago Blog Authors
Things We Talk About