One of the most highly attended events of the summer in Chicago started just last week, and I'm so glad I got to attend. This happens every year in Chicago, and the main goal is to eat and the only way to not achieve the goal is to simply not go.
There are other things to do around where the festival is held in Millennium Park. The beach is there, downtown, the bean (I never really understood why people want to see that), and so much more. The event is free to enter, and from there you buy tickets to get food. There are various kinds of food that cost anywhere from 5-10 tickets. The food comes from restaurants all around the city of Chicago, and they are never a disappointment. There is also bands and various artist that perform on the main stage at some point in every day the Taste goes on.
This year's first day was something that changed my life. Seriously, if you are from Chicago and missed opening day of the Taste, I really do feel sorry for you. I experienced something not most people will ever get to experience again, and I couldn't be happier. I paid $23 for general admission to see Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment, who was then followed by The Roots. That is all I paid to see, but I and everyone else in the audience got so much more. These are amazing performers alone, but to then see who also showed up was really something amazing.
So, I was a bit late (nothing new for me) showing up, but thankfully nothing had started yet. My aunt and I got some seats, put is stuff down, and stood until the performance started. Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment came out and really put on a spectacular show. Nothing will ever compare. If you haven't had the chance to listen to their album "Surf", take the time and listen because it is amazing. Some of the artists featured on the album were also brought to the stage. Including D.R.A.M., Indigo Purple, and Chance the Rapper! They have so much love and respect for the city of Chicago you could have been able to feel it in the audience.
At one point during the performance, the whole stadium was asked to take a moment of silence for Alton Sterling, and the wrong that was committed against him. Not just him but all the black men and women that are suffering and losing their lives for doing nothing but living. The world we live in has become so careless, and full of hate towards one another that these things continue to happen every day. There is no justification for the killing of Alton Sterling and so many other black people by white cops. It is not okay, and there will be and end because black lives matter.
The show continued with The Roots who featured different artists with different talents. There was Jussie Smollett who plays the role of Jamal Lyon on Chicago's very own Empire, Taraji P. Henson even came on stage for a little bit! This is a Chicago event that you would never want to miss again.
Chicago is a great city, and it really is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. I'm glad it is somewhere I can call [close to] home.
