How The Taste Of Chicago Food Festival Became An Instant Success
There are many unique food festivals around the globe, but few — if any — can rival the Taste of Chicago. Known to locals as the Taste, the event celebrates Chicago's immensely diverse culinary scene, served with a side of music. Hosted on the vast grounds of Grant Park, it features dozens of vendors offering both local and international flavors. Over the years, its musical guests have included icons such as Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Erykah Badu, and most recently, Nelly. It's like the city decided to run Lollapalooza a second time, but make it even better with a sweet and savory feast.
At its height, the Taste of Chicago was billed as the largest food festival in the world, stretching across 10 days. 1999 saw a record-setting attendance of over 3.6 million, but the event has downsized considerably since. Recently, the devastating impact of COVID-19 and subsequent issues within the city have led some to wonder if Taste's days are numbered, but it's hard to imagine it shutting down. After all, the festival was founded for the specific purpose of showcasing Chicago's strengths during a tough time in its history. Forty years ago, while the national news painted the city's downtown as a criminal haven, the first edition of the Taste brought hundreds of thousands pouring into the heart of the Loop to show there was so much more to Chicago's story.
Taste of Chicago was predicted to flop
Taste of Chicago was founded in 1980 by none other than Arnie Morton, founder of Morton's The Steakhouse. He was inspired by ChicagoFest, which had begun two years earlier under Mayor Michael Bilandic. Both Bilandic and Morton clearly saw a need to rehabilitate Chicago's image, which had taken a massive hit on the national stage over the course of the 1970s. The decade was marked by severe urban decay in many of America's largest cities, including Chicago, which was still reeling from a series of riots in 1968. Even a decade later, that violence still colored the city's reputation, along with economic turmoil and a notable drop in population. Visitors were afraid to even set foot in the city's downtown core.
ChicagoFest was a big music festival featuring Frank Sinatra, Etta James, and more, and it took place on the freshly revamped Navy Pier, northeast of downtown. Arnie Morton had an even bolder plan when he launched the Taste of Chicago in 1980. He convinced newly-elected mayor Jane Byrne to seal off a few blocks of Michigan Avenue, right in the heart of downtown. He designed it as a showcase of local businesses, but people were skeptical that an event in that area could draw anyone. In the end, the city's famously good food proved to be a huge attraction. Around 250,000 people attended Taste in its first year, immediately establishing it as one of the city's must-see events.
What to expect from Taste of Chicago 2023
The Taste of Chicago ended up being far more successful than ChicagoFest, swelling to a 10-day event. However, this proved unsustainable as the festival started to lose money every year. To restore its profitability, the event was shortened to five days in 2011 but still featured nearly 100 vendors. In 2023, things are going to be a little different. The Taste usually happens in June or July, but this year, the Grant Park event has been pushed back to September 8 and reduced to just three days. The change was made to accommodate the first NASCAR Chicago Street Race, which took place at the start of July. However, the Taste still hosted a series of small, one-day neighborhood festivals between June and August.
The 2023 edition will feature 35 food vendors, including local staples such as Lou Malnati's, one of the most iconic deep-dish pizzerias; Eli's Cheesecake Company, home of the city's shortbread-crust cheesecake; and of course, Chicago-style hot dogs, courtesy of Chicago's Dog House. There will also be a number of international cuisines represented, including Badou Senegalese Cuisine, JJ Thai Street Food, and Yvolina's Tamales. For dessert, consider the signature five-flavor cone from local landmark The Original Rainbow Cone, founded almost a century ago. As for musical acts, the Taste 2023 is highlighting local artists, with a special stage for the city's rising stars.