CELTIC FEST CHICAGO
When: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Grant Park, Columbus and Jackson Drives
Entry: Free
Get there: No. 151 Sheridan bus; No. 3 King Drive bus; Adams Orange/Pink/Green/Brown Line “L” stop, Jackson Blue/Red Line “L” stop
The basics: Salute the original seven Celtic nations (that’s Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Galicia, Spain and Brittany, for the record) at this 11th annual festival of live music and dance. Petrillo Music Shell highlights: Delores O’Riordan, The Welsh Male Voice Choir, Jon Langford and Lunasa (5:30 p.m. Saturday); and Salsa Celtica, Searson and Damien Dempsey (5:30 p.m. Sunday). Also features an art fair, food vendors, a coffee and tea garden, and beer. Great Scot!
Don’t miss: The chance to size up manly gams at the second annual Men in Kilts Leg Contest, 4:50 p.m. Saturday on the Celtic Crossroads Stage at Jackson and Lake Shore Drives. Want to compete? Register between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the media check-in tent behind Petrillo Music Shell.
MORE FESTIVALS
* Lincoln Park Art Faire hawks handmade wares from more than 100 artists at Lincoln Park Cultural Center on Saturday and Sunday.
* Lincoln Square Apple Fest salutes the season with produce vendors, music, a pie-eating contest and more in Giddings Plaza on Saturday.
* The 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade treks west along 26th Street from Albany Avenue to Kostner Street with floats, folkloric dancers and mariachi bands in tow at noon on Sunday.
* Do-Division Street Fest rocks the block with headlining acts Urge Overkill (Saturday) and Camper Van Beethoven (Sunday), plus food, beer and wine vendors. Renegade Craft Fair partners with the fest; nearly 300 artists take part. Both events take plcae along Division Street between Damen and Ashland Avenues.
* Eli’s Cheesecake Festival gets extra-cheesy with free samples, live music, a cheesecake-eating contest and more at Eli’s Cheesecake World (6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive) on Saturday and Sunday.
* Festival de la Villita celebrates Mexican independence from Spanish rule with carnival rides and live music Friday through Sunday in Little Village. More than 200 food and arts vendors join the party on Saturday and Sunday.
* Oktoberfest by 17 West at the Berghoff serves up oompah beats, brats and more in Federal Plaza Square on Wednesday through Friday.
* The Wine Crush in Old Town transforms Wells Street into a European-style market on Saturday with food, wine and cheese.
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