Taste Of Chicago 2018: Food Vendors, Music And Weather Forecast

CHICAGO, IL — This year's 38th annual Taste of Chicago will welcome 26 first-timers to its lineup of more than 70 food vendors, the mayor's office announced. The free five-day event in Grant Park also will see the return of two longtime Taste favorites — Buona Beef and Original Rainbow Cone — after being away since 2009 and 2015, respectively.

Visitors to the Taste, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday, will be able to sample more than 300 menu items from 73 vendors that will include a variety of five-day restaurants, pop-ups and food trucks. Many vendors will offer vegetarian and gluten-free dishes, and special "Taste Of" items priced at $3 or less will be available. While the event itself is free, tickets, which come in strips of 14 for $10, must be used to purchase food and drinks.

The Taste received a record amount of applications this year, and the number of newcomers is a more than 50 percent increase from 2017. The pop-up program also saw a 114 percent spike over the previous year.

From the food to the weather to the entertainment, here's everything you need to know about this year's event.

2018 Taste of Chicago: The Basics

When: Wednesday, July 11, to Sunday, July 15. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday to Sunday.

Cost: Admission is free. Food and beverage tickets are sold in strips of 14 for $10.

More Information: Go to the Taste's website for details.

The Weather

The following forecast for Chicago is from the National Weather Service.

Wednesday, July 11: Sunny with a high near 76 and a low around 67.

Thursday, July 12: Mostly sunny with a slight chance of thunderstorms late at night. High near 87 and a low around 71.

Friday, July 13: Partly sunny with a slight chance of thunderstorms before 8 a.m. and between 2 and 8 p.m. High near 88 and a low around 71.

Saturday, July 14: Mostly sunny with a chance of thunderstorms. High near 81 and a low around 73.

Sunday, July 15: Mostly sunny with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High near 90.

The Food

The following is a complete list of all the vendors at the 2018 Taste of Chicago. Vendors in bold are new this year:

Five-Day Restaurants

Arun's Thai Restaurant, 4156 N. Kedzie Ave.

Aunty Joy's Jamaican Kitchen, 1217 N. Kedzie Ave.

Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave.

Billy Goat Tavern, 1535 W. Madison St.

BJ's Market & Bakery, 8734 S. Stony Island Ave.

Buona Beef, 613 N. McClurg Court

Caffe Gelato, 2034 W. Division St.

Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill, 300 W. 26th St.

Chicago's Doghouse, 816 W. Fullerton Ave.

Churro Factory, 2214 S. Wolcott Ave.

Connie's Pizza, 2373 S. Archer Ave.

Die De Los Tamales, 939 W. 18th St.

Doom Street Eats, throughout Chicago

Eli's Cheesecake Co., 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr.

Esperanza's Kitchen Delights, 2301 S. Lakeshore Dr.

Franco's Ristorante, 300 W. 31st St.

Frannie's Café Inc., 623 S. Wabash Ave.

Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize (it was a pop-up last year), 2518 W. 63rd St.

Gold Coast Dogs, 225 S. Canal St.

Iyanze, 4623 N. Broadway

Kasia's Deli, 2101 W. Chicago Ave.

La Bomba Restaurant, 3221 W. Armitage Ave.

La Mexicana, 4171 S. Archer Ave.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, 805 S. State St.

O'Briens Restaurant & Bar, 45 E. Riverwalk South

Original Rainbow Cone, 9233 S. Western Ave.

Output Lounge & Sports Bar, 1758 W. Grand Ave.

Porkchop, 1017 S. Delano Court East

Premier Rollin BBQ, throughout Chicago

Ricobene's on 26th Street, 252 W. 26th St.

Robinson's No. 1 Ribs, 225 S. Canal St.

Star of Siam, 11 E. Illinois St.

Texas de Brazil, 210 E. Illinois St.

Turtle's Bar & Grill, 238 W. 33rd St.

Tuscany, 1014 W. Taylor St.

Ukai Japanese Restaurant, 1059 W. Belmont Ave.

Vee-Vee's African Restaurant, 6232 N. Broadway

Yum Dum (now all five days), throughout Chicago

Pop-Ups

Aloha Wagon, 1247 S. Western Ave.

Bee Nana, throughout Chicago

bettyBOT Shop, 7100 S. South Shore Dr.

BITES, 3313 N. Clark St.

Blackwood BBQ, 307 W. Lake St.

Broken English Taco Pub, 75 E. Lake St.

Chiya Chai Café, 2770 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Classic Cobbler, throughout Chicago

Get Off The Couch Catering, throughout Chicago

Grill City (Seafood City), 5033 N. Elston Ave.

Hakka Bakka Indian Kati Rolls, 1251 W. Fullerton Ave.

Josephine's Cookin', 436 E. 79th St.

Just Salad Chicago, 135 S. LaSalle St.

MAD Social, 1140 W. Madison St.

Papa Luke's Gravy Balls, throughout Chicago

Pork & Mindy's, 1623 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Seoul Taco, throughout Chicago

So Forking Great, throughout Chicago

Sun Wah Barbecue Restaurant, 5039 N. Broadway

These Wingz?, throughout Chicago

Warm Belly Bakery, 1148 W. Monroe St.

Wok N Chop, 3456 W. Foster Ave.

Wood Fire Counter, 131 N. Clinton St.

Food Trucks

American Glory Food Truck Chicago

Auntie Vee's

Aztec Dave's Food Truck

Beavers Coffee + Donuts

CheSa's Gluten Free Food Truck

Da Lobsta

The Fat Shallot

Giordano's

Harold's Chicken

La Cocinita Food Truck

Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp

The Lifeway Kefir Shop

Sausagefest

Smokin' BBQ Kitchen

Along with the vendors, the Taste also will have a variety of specialty areas that includes:

• Taste Oasis: This new exclusive area offers access to an air-conditioned lounge in Butler Field with a private cash bar, music, water and more. Day passes are $50 and can be purchased at the Taste's website.
• CH Vodka Cocktail Lounge: Check out the mixology specials at this lounge by Buckingham Fountain. Cocktails include CH's Fresh Ginger Mule, Tropical Rum Punch, Raspberry Lime Ricky, Bourbon Pineapple Smash and other specialty drinks.
• The Beer Hall and Stella Rosa Wine Gardens: Also near Buckingham Fountain, visitors can enjoy beers and ciders from around the world, as well as wine varietals.
• Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen: Watch cooking demonstrations by local and national chefs at this new area on Buckingham Fountain Plaza.

The Music

Here's a look at Petrillo Music Shell performers and schedule during Taste of Chicago:

• Wednesday, July 11: Brandi Carlile with Martha Redbone Roots Project, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, July 12: Juanes with La Santa Cecilia, 5:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 13: Black Star with Madame Gandhi, 5:3o p.m.
• Saturday, July 14: The Flaming Lips with Le Butcherettes and Half Gringa, 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, July 15: George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic (July 15, with openers BJ the Chicago Kid, and The Boy Illinois, 3:30 p.m.

Seated tickets range from $18 to $50 for these shows and can be purchased at the Taste of Chicago website. Lawn admission, like the rest of the Taste of Chicago, is free.

This year sees the introduction of the new Taste Oasis, an air-conditioned lounge in Butler Field where food and cold water will be served. The exclusive area, which will be open during normal festival hours, also will have a private cash bar, according to organizers. Taste Oasis passes are $50.

Along with the Petrillo Musi Shell headliners, organizers also announced the lineup for the Bud Light Stage at Columbus and Balbo streets at the south end of Taste of Chicago. All concerts on this stage are free. Times and acts subject to change.

July 11

Noon-1 p.m.: Raii and Whitney (R&B)

1:20-2:20 p.m.: You Are Here (Rock)

2:40-3:40 p.m.: NDPNDNT (Hip Hop)

4-5 p.m.: Kiara Lanier (Alt/R&B)

5:20-6:20 p.m.: Archie Powell & The Exports (Rock)

6:20-7:20 p.m.: DJ Mike P

July 12

Noon-1 p,m.: Co-still (Hip Hop)

1:20-2:20 p.m.: Lester Rey (Contemporary Latin)

2:40-3:40 p.m.: Aniba Hotep & the Sol Collective (Soul/R&B)

4-5 p.m.: Dave Weld (Blues)

5:20-6:20 p.m.: Marina City (Rock)

6:20-7:30 p.m.: DJ Mike P

July 13

Noon-1 p.m.: Black Bear Combo (Balkan Brass Band)

1:20-2:20 p.m.: Friday Pilots Club (Rock)

2:40-3:40 p.m.: Beats y Bateria (Global Electronic)

4-5 p.m.: Matt Muse (Hip Hop)

5:20-6:20 p.m.: MASN (Pop/R&B)

6:20-7:30 p.m.: DJ Mike P

July 14

11-11:40 a.m.: DJ Mike P

Noon-1 p.m.: CASE (Pop)

1:20-2:20 p.m.: Kingfatz (Hip Hop)

2:40–3:40p.m.: Fee Lion (Electro/Pop)

4-5 p.m.: Emann & Jojo (Hip Hop)

5:20-6:20 p.m.: Bianca Shaw (R&B/Hip Hop)

6:20-7:30 pm: DJ Mike P

July 15

11-11:40 a.m.: DJ Mike P

Noon-1 p.m.: Young DRA (Hip Hop)

1:20-2:20 p.m.: The Claudettes (Indie Blues)

2:40-3:40 p.m.: Adam Ness (Alt R&B)

4-5 p.m;: Emily Blue (Pop)

5:20-6:20 p.m.: Sa'Rayah (Soul/R&B)

6:20-7:30 p.m.: DJ Mike P

Photo via City of Chicago