Taste of Chicago-July 2nd (Schaumburg, Riverside: city hall, taxes, live)

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by chris0681

Alright I figured out its impossible to park downtown for $10 a day during the Taste of Chicago Festival and even if I look 5 hours and find a place that does offer that price I dont want to drive through all the traffic and pay the tolls from Michigan, I made up my mind to take the South Shore train into the city July 2 and leave July 5, but here is my question, Is it ok to park at the Caroll Street Station in Michigan City overnight from July 2-July5? I hear thats it's not patrolled, and the one in South Bend is patrolled, but does that station charge for parking?

sorry, just saw this - don't know about the station/parking (try Yelp), but I can give you two thumbs up that your trip will be 100% more relaxing if you don't have a car to worry about.

[chris0681]

Yeah I think I have parking figured out, as I'm taking the south shore train from probably dune park as it looks like a safe place to park for a few days, I was just wondering if the festival is safe, and fun and it sounds like it is, as one other user said it is. I was just curious about other people's opinions about it.

[WhaThe]

I've been many years. If you like huge crowds go on the weekends.

I was standing a few yards away, a couple years back, when some idiot pulled a gun. You should have seen people run! I made me angry because it was one year where I had some children in my care.

Believe me. The police are on these guys faster than you can blink.

[Chi-town Native]

Taste is one of those events everyone should do once. Whether you need to do it more than that is highly debatable, IMO, but I'm also biased and lazy as I can walk to it over a lunch hour.

I would suggest you also spend the time to wander the lakefront, take in a show, all of that other good stuff.

[NYrules]

Wow, is this the same guy that asked, "perhaps once 290 is done, the construction will be over since all the roads will have been fixed"? LOL! $10 a day. Heck you can't even park at Six Flags for that anymore.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

^ So the (OP) guy is going to stay downtown and then deal with the aggravation of driving up to Rogers Park just to park his car and then deal with the aggravation of taking the Red Line downtown? ^

If you get on at Howard- even on July 3rd- the train will have seats. It does not become "standing room only" until about Bryn Mawer.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by PokerPlayer1

Go to the Taste of Des Moines

(Full Disclosure: Des Moines is now my standard response for whenever someone comes on, asking a semi-lamenting question about how they can have something in Chicago for a price that is unrealistic. $10 parking in the loop, 3 bedroom apartments in safe neighborhoods for $500 a month, world class dining for $10 a head)

You can get a decent "cheezboorger" for that!

[KevK]

Originally Posted by slow_nerve_action

Any police presence is relative at these stations. Their main concern is with making sure people embark/disbark safely. I have never heard of any problems with cars being broken into in Michigan City or Dune Park station lots.

As I say to my relatives that visit from Michigan:

Taste of Chicago is something everyone should do once.

There will be shootings.
There will be wallet pickpockets.
There will be food poisoning.

You will be ok if you jeep your wallet and cell phone in your front pocket, avoid any mayo-based foods, and be aware of your surroundings. There's a ton of plain clothes officers, as well as towers and cameras. Its like the Midwest's largest church carnival.

No big fireworks show this year, though. Budget cuts. Sorry.

You are kidding???

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Taste is one of those events everyone should do once. Whether you need to do it more than that is highly debatable, IMO, but I'm also biased and lazy as I can walk to it over a lunch hour.

I would suggest you also spend the time to wander the lakefront, take in a show, all of that other good stuff.

I do it every year but if they are not doing the fireworks this year, it might be time to scope out MilwaukeeFest instead.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by KevK

If you get on at Howard- even on July 3rd- the train will have seats. It does not become "standing room only" until about Bryn Mawer.

It is about the amount of travel time involved not about how crowded the train will be.