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Weekend Fun for Chicago Kids: MaiFest, Greek Fest, Star Wars, Plane Show, Concerts

Celebrate all things Star Wars at Joliet Public Library's Star Wars Day. Photo courtesy of the library
Celebrate all things Star Wars at Joliet Public Library's Star Wars Day. Photo courtesy of the library
5/29/19 - By Siobhan Adcock

Here we go: Summer street festival season kicks off in a big way this weekend in Chicago, with cultural, music, and food fairs all around town, including Maifest in Lincoln Square, the Greek Festival of Lincoln Park, the family fun fest at Do Division, the 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park, and the Taste of Mexico in Little Village. Plus, out in the suburbs, there's the LaGrange Carnival and the Taste of Wheaton. 

This weekend also sees the return of summer concerts outdoors, with the Gospel Music Festival lighting up Millennium Park, the Front Porch series stepping off in Lakeview, and Mr. Dave rocking out for the kids in Wicker Park, plus a Sunday night concert at Cantigny Park in Wheaton.

Little kids obsessed with planes will not want to miss the big plane show in Bolingbrook this weekend. Families can also take to the skies at the kite flying festival in Naperville on Sunday. And in Joliet on Saturday, there may not be X-wings, but the vibe is decidedly intergalactic at Star Wars Day. 

For even more family fun around Chicagoland, see our ever-growing events calendar, and don't forget to bookmark our roundup of summer festivals and fairs for kids.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Explore the secret lives of trees and their ecosystems at Treehouses! at the Peggy Notabaert Nature Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum
Explore the secret lives of trees and their ecosystems at Treehouses! at the Peggy Notabaert Nature Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

All Weekend

TreeHouses at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Lincoln Park (final weekend)
Play in an indoor treehouse and explore who and what is living in the trees with viewfinders, tracking clues, natural artifacts, and sounds. Roam from tree to tree to investigate the many habitats that trees provide for animals of all sizes. READ MORE

Lincoln Park Greek Fest

Lincoln Park — FREE
Chicagoans can experience "filoxenia" or Greek hospitality at this annual event benefiting St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln Park. The event includes authentic Greek food, music, dancing, and fun. READ MORE

Mayfest Chicago

Lincoln Square — FREE
Families can don their dirndls and lederhosen and step out to Lincoln Square for German and American food, music, and gemuetlischkeit. The event features carnival games, the crowning of the Maifest Queen and decorating the May Pole. READ MORE

LaGrange Carnival

LaGrange — FREE
Rides, games, LED light displays, and concessions are the highlights of this family-friendly weekend in LaGrange. Families can also a pet parade on the Sunday of the festival. READ MORE

Do Division Family Fun Fest

Wicker Park
As part of Do Division Fest, kids and their caregivers can enjoy this family-friendly section of the festival, including a petting zoo, mega slide, kids' music, and other fun activities!  READ MORE

Taste of Mexico in Little Village

Little Village
The whole family can enjoy this neighborhood event, featuring tasty foods of local restaurants, live music, carnival rides, and more. READ MORE

Chicago Gospel Music Festival

Millennium Park — FREE
Music fans of all ages can enjoy free performances during the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, which features a range of gospel music, from traditional choirs to contemporary urban gospel mixed with hip-hop and house music. There will also be kids activities and vendors in Millennium Park on Saturday.  READ MORE

57th Street Art Fair

Hyde Park — FREE
The 57th Street Art Fair is a two-day outdoor celebration of the visual arts in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, featuring the work of up to 200 exhibitors. The 57th Street Art Fair provides a venue for creators of quality fine art and fine craft to meet with the art-buying public. Music, food, and children's activities return to the fair this year after a three-year hiatus. READ MORE

Taste of Wheaton

Wheaton — FREE
Families can enjoy local food vendors, live entertainment, games, crafts, a beer garden, and a 5K or 10K run at this sixth annual community street festival. A carnival and discounts on mini-golf round out the event. READ MORE

Clow International Airport Cavalcade of Planes

Bolingbrook
Aircraft enthusiasts can enjoy planes and helicopters in the air or on the ground at this weekend-long event at Clow International Airport in Bolingbrook. The event features skydiving, formation flying, helicopter demonstrations, and more. READ MORE

Pivot Arts Festival

Uptown
The Pivot Arts Festival is a ten day celebration of the contemporary arts in Chicago’s Uptown & Edgewater neighborhoods, featuring dance, theater, music and genre-defying performances, including the Rosina Project, a “hip-hopera” re-imagining of Rossini’s opera, The Barber of Seville.  READ MORE
Pack up the family for a fun night of camping at Knoch Knolls Park. Photo courtesy of Naperville Parks
Pack up the family for a fun night of camping at Knoch Knolls Park. Photo courtesy of Naperville Parks

Saturday, June 1

Family Campout

Naperville
Families can enjoy a buffet-style dinner, twilight hike, and s'mores on Saturday night and a light breakfast on Sunday morning during this camp out at Knoch Knolls Park in Naperville. READ MORE

Joliet Public Library Star Wars Day

Joliet — FREE
Joliet attempts to break the record for the biggest Star Wars party in the world by bringing together the Joliet Public Library, Joliet Area Historical Museum, The Rialto Square Theatre, The Joliet City Center Partnership, and The Heritage Corridor. The event will include featured authors, artists, vendors, and members of fandom organizations from around the country. Fans can renew their vows Star Wars style at the Rialto Square Theatre or score a special Jedi Passport at the Joliet Public Library.  READ MORE

Vintage Rides Car Show

Wheaton — FREE
Families can stroll through Downtown Wheaton to see the new streetscape as well as classic cars, motorcycles, and trucks of every make, model, and year! READ MORE

Family Day in the Park

Elgin — FREE
Families can gather in Lords Park in Elgin to participate in a variety of activities at the park, museum, and zoo on its grounds. At 11 a.m., educator Marge Fox will teach families about bison at the Lords Park Museum. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., families can celebrate BubbleFest by making their own bubble blowers, shaking hands in a bubble, standing in a bubble and making their own bubble art. Food trucks will also be on site for refreshments. READ MORE

People's Music School Performapaloozathon

North Park — FREE
The Peoples Music School hosts a Performapalooza at North Park University, where the public is invited to come celebrate and enjoy performances by all 850 of their students! READ MORE

Grease the Movie at Oakwood Beach

Oakland — FREE
Grease fans can enjoy a free screening of the classic movie in the park! READ MORE
The 6th annual Physical Theater Festival is ten whirlwind days of physical theatre programming. Photo courtesy of the festival
The 6th annual Physical Theater Festival is ten whirlwind days of physical theatre programming. Photo courtesy of the festival

Sunday, June 2

Physical Theater Festival

Lakeview
Families can enjoy contemporary, visual, and physical theater via plays from around the world at this one-day festival in Nichols Park. READ MORE

Front Porch Concert Series

Lakeview — FREE
Front Porch Concerts is a pop-up concert series set on front porches throughout Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, intended to provide a unique live music experience to music fans of all ages, while building community and promoting city exploration. READ MORE

Mr. Dave Music at Wicker Park

Wicker Park — FREE
Wicker Park hosts Mr. Dave's Music in the Playground, featuring a mix of original songs and children's classics that is sure to get the littlest kids singing, clapping, jumping, and dancing. Families can stay afterwards to enjoy the Wicker Park Farmers Market. READ MORE

Cantigny Outdoor Concerts

Wheaton
Families can enjoy a series of tribute bands, military music, and bluegrass groups at the bandshell at Cantigny every Sunday at 3pm. READ MORE

Frontier Kite Fly Fest

Naperville — FREE
Families can go fly a kite or watch professionals perform kite stunts at this Naperville Park District event. The event includes live music, a bounce house, crafts, giveaways, and, of course, a family kite flying area and kite demonstrations. The skate park will also be open for demos and open skating. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Memorial Park @ Van Neste Square
Edgewater and Uptown Neighborhood Theaters
Downtown Wheaton