Chicago Folk and Roots Festival
When: Noon Saturday and Sunday
Where: Welles Park in Lincoln Square
Entry: $7 suggested donation
Get there: No. 11 Lincoln bus; Western Brown Line “L” stop
The basics: The Old Town School of Folk Music’s 11th annual party in the park celebrates world and folk music and dance from international and local origins. Main stage musicians include The Mother Truckers and Slavic Soul Party! (Saturday) and Dobet Gnahore and Kinky (Sunday). New this year: the Nuestra Musica tent, spotlighting Latino culture. Food and beer vendors and crafters are also on hand.
Don’t miss: Get into the act in the dance tent with workshops in everything from Aztec to polka to West African dance.
MORE FESTIVALS
* Rock Around the Block. More than 30 local bands turn up the volume on three stages in Lakeview. Highlights: Too White Crew, 16 Candles and Elevation (Saturday) and Mike and Joe, Maggie Speaks and Hairbangers Ball (Sunday).
* Irish American Heritage Festival. This longtime indoor-outdoor fest showcases music on five stages, plus folk dancing, food, arts and a raffle for a trip to Ireland. Hear The Young Dubliners and Seven Nations (Saturday), Gaelic Storm and The Makem and Spain Brothers (Sunday). Friday through Sunday at the Irish American Heritage Center.
* 34th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival. An outdoor showcase of juried traditional, ethnic and multimedia works on the grounds of the DuSable Museum of African-American History. Also features music, ethnic food and market vendors. Saturday and Sunday.
* BenFest. Party on the grounds of St. Benedict Parish in North Center with live music, beer, food vendors and a $15,000 cash raffle ($50 per ticket). Dance to live music by Will Hoge (Friday) and Hello Dave (Saturday).
* Chicago Tribune Magnificent Mile Art Festival. More than 200 award-winning artists join the famed shopping strip Friday through Sunday with paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry and photography in Pioneer Court. Pieces range from $15 earrings to $20,000 sculptures.
* Kwanzaa Summer Festival. Abbott Park hosts a cultural celebration Saturday and Sunday with African crafts, a poetry slam and fashion show, drumming, storytelling and more.
* St. Andrew’s 47th Annual Greek Festival. Load up on traditional food on the grounds of St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church in Edgewater on Saturday and Sunday. Folk music and dancing, artwork, a book sale and more round it out.
