Music, art and entertainment collide for Lincoln Park's fourth annual Mayfest taking place Friday through Sunday.
"It's just a joyous kind of feeling," said Erma Tranter, President of RANCH Triangle Community Conservation Association.
She said the festival is often referred to as the start of Chicago's summer festival season.
"It's a neighborhood festival with music, kids' games, food, artisans and art projects, all of that as a way to open up the city to Chicago's famous summer," she said.
RANCH hosted the first Mayfest four years ago after the pandemic, when people were longing for spaces for community gathering and celebration, according to Tranter.
She said RANCH also wanted to highlight some of the local businesses throughout Lincoln Park.
"We thought by bringing people from all neighborhoods of Chicago — South Side, West Wide — they, too, would see the diversity of our business community," she said. "But also to celebrate being together after being closed in."
This year's fest features even more artisans than in years past, said Tranter, plus 25 bands performing throughout the weekend.
A band performs at a previous Mayfest. This year 25 bands are scheduled to perform at Mayfest.Special Events Management
She said the ultimate goal is to bring people from all of Chicago's neighborhoods to Lincoln Park to see the "diversity of its business community."
"I really hope they wander on down Armitage, which is really a kind of historic setting with buildings built in the latter part of the 19th century," she said. "I hope they wander beyond Sheffield to the east to pop into so many of our wonderful shops that have unique, sometimes one-of-a-kind things."
Mayfest takes place Friday, May 16, from 4 - 10 p.m., Saturday, May 17, from 12 - 10 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, from 12 - 9 p.m.
