Chicago’s neighborhood street festivals, a beloved summer tradition in the city, are struggling to survive as rising operating costs and diminishing entry donations threaten their existence.
A newly formed coalition of 20 festival organizers, including Chicago’s Pride Fest, Taste of Randolph, and the Square Roots Fest in Lincoln Square, aims to raise awareness of these challenges.
Dubbed “Save Our Street Fests,” the coalition went public with its concerns on Friday, encompassing a range of nonprofit street festivals such as Wicker Park Fest, Northalsted Market Days, and Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest.
Organizers report that the costs associated with producing street festivals have “skyrocketed.”
Expenses for security, entertainment, staffing, insurance, and even portable restrooms have all increased significantly, while public donations collected at festival entry gates have dropped dramatically.
Pamela Maass, executive director of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, highlighted ongoing confusion regarding the funding of these events.
While downtown city-run events like Blues Fest do not require attendees to pay an entry fee, most neighborhood festivals are free to enter and rely on suggested donations from attendees at the gate.
According to Maass, these events are organized by neighborhood nonprofits and do not receive any city funding.
Because they take place on public streets, they are unable to mandate ticket purchases for entry.
However, Maass stressed that the coalition is not advocating for a change in this format; rather, they aim to inform the public of the pressing situation.
“If you are thinking, ‘maybe I shouldn’t donate,’ then maybe you should also be thinking, ‘maybe this fest won’t be here next year,’ because that is the situation that we are about to be facing,” she said.
The situation is not hypothetical: the Silver Room Block Party, a cherished event that ran for 21 years, was discontinued in 2023 due to rising costs.
Organizer Eric Williams cited mounting expenses for security, permits, insurance, and artist fees as contributing factors to its demise.
Hank Zemola, CEO of Chicago Special Events Management, which oversees festivals like Lincoln Park Mayfest and Chicago Pride Fest, noted a drastic decline in the percentage of attendees willing to make donations at entry gates.
In the early 2000s, around 80% or more of festival attendees contributed at the gates, but this figure has plummeted to less than 20% today.
Some festivals, including Taste River North and Lincoln Park, have opted to reduce their duration by one day in response to these financial pressures.
Zemola believes that if attendees understood the costs involved and recognized that these festivals are organized by nonprofits aiming to give back to the community, they would be more inclined to donate.
Rising expenses are not just a concern for neighborhood street festivals; they have also impacted larger events.
According to Mike Reed, co-founder of the indie music festival Pitchfork, escalating fees to book musicians were among the factors that led to its departure from Chicago after 19 years.
“People say, ‘Man, it used to be free.’ I’m like, ‘It was never free for me. It was free for you,’” Williams explained in reference to the funding required for events.
He noted that while sponsors and vendor fees helped, the burden of funding such large gatherings ultimately fell on a few individuals.
In light of these challenges, the newly formed coalition, led by the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber, asserts that this moment is critical for neighborhood street festivals.
Maass mentioned that the Wicker Park Fest, known for its indie music lineup, has had to scale back this year.
To save costs, the festival will eliminate a stage and cut back on the number of performers, following last year’s record-breaking attendance that coincided with the lowest level of gate donations in its 20-year history.
“If the gate donations happen like they did last year, that would be such a loss that this would be the last year at the festival,” Maass stated.
She also mentioned the frustration volunteers faced at the entrances last year when they encouraged a $5 to $10 donation from patrons.
Ron Onesti, CEO of Onesti Entertainment, which runs the Taylor Street Festival, argued that city officials should step in to help alleviate the rising costs associated with festival organization.
He pointed out that safety measures mandated by the city can be particularly costly.
For instance, festivals are required to implement safety protocols such as street barriers, provide their own security, and have an ambulance on-site, which can incur costs of $325 per hour for private companies and registered EMTs.
The coalition warns that a decline in neighborhood festivals could adversely affect local businesses, which typically benefit from the influx of foot traffic these events bring.
Currently, the coalition is focused on urging the citizens of Chicago to be generous with their donations at the gates during the summer season.
“Please, please, please, be generous at the gates this summer,” Maass implored.
She emphasized the importance of supporting local events to keep communities thriving, saying, “We don’t want to turn into an Amazon box.”
She added that it is essential to maintain vibrant neighborhoods with real brick-and-mortar establishments for shopping, dining, and socializing.
image source from：https://chicago.suntimes.com/music/2025/04/18/chicago-street-festivals-costs-security-pride-wicker-park-randolph
