Common, Beach Bunny, Babyface to headline Taste of Chicago’s return to prime summertime spot

Taste of Chicago will expand to five days and return to the heart of summer, with dozens of restaurants and headliners like Babyface, Beach Bunny and Common, the city’s cultural affairs department announced Thursday.

The free foodie festival will take place July 8-12 in Grant Park. In recent years, the event has been moved to September to accommodate NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race, which will not happen this year.

“Taste of Chicago is one of the city’s most beloved summer traditions because it reflects the heart and soul of Chicago through our people, our culture and our extraordinary culinary talent,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement.

Additional headliners include the Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas and Jamaican singer Original Koffee. Local talent like Kaicrewsade and Friko will also perform.

In total, the event will feature 84 food vendors from across Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods. Of those, 38% are new to the festival, according to the city. New food vendors include Café Tola, Kinnaree Thai Kitchen, LC Pho Restaurant, Oooh Wee It Is, Soul Veg City and Taylor’s Tacos.

Plus, there will be 20 food trucks serving up a variety of foods. Chicago classics like Rainbow Cone, Harold’s Chicken and the Billy Goat Tavern will also be on site. A full list of vendors can be found here.

“As the festival returns to Grant Park for five days this July, we are proud to showcase the chefs, artists and entrepreneurs who continue to shape Chicago’s identity as a world-class culinary and cultural capital,” Kenya Merritt, commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said in a statement.

Sam Toia, the president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said Taste highlights Chicago’s restaurant world “from iconic neighborhood favorites to exciting new culinary concepts.”

“This festival gives residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the flavors that make Chicago one of the greatest food cities in the world,” Toia said in a statement.

Courtney Kueppers is an arts and culture reporter at WBEZ.