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Midwest travel: Pastoral Artisan Producer Fest takes over Chicago French Market

Chicago

Foodie booty

It's time to stash the supply of generic chips and dip and head to the sixth annual Pastoral Artisan Producer Festival. The culinary fest welcomes nearly 100 award-winning artisan producers and vendors of high-quality food and beverages. Sample small-batch food, beer, spirits and wine and meet with cheesemakers, charcuterie and confection producers and other featured purveyors as well as James Beard award-winning chefs. It's free and takes place at Chicago French Market. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St., Chicago. Get a complete list of participants at pastoralartisan.com/artisanproducerfestival.

What's your style?

It's the age-old question: "What is style?" Chicago Humanities Festival brings the first Spring Festival: Style to town featuring more than 20 events and guests such as Arianna Huffington, Alicia Garza, Mary-Louise Parker, Iris Apfel, Sally Mann, Karl Ove Knausgaard, George Wendt, Maria Pinto and Rachel Roy. Style will be dissected as the lens by which designers, photographers and artists project their vision onto the world. Listen to FLOTUS fashion designers including Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Maria Pinto and Rachel Roy, Pulitzer Prize winner Robin Givhan and Robin Coste Lewis, winner of the 2015 poetry prize. There's programming for young adults, too. Thursday through Sunday, April 28-May 1, at venues including the Chicago Athletic Association and the newly reopened Studebaker Theatre in Chicago. Ticket prices vary and can be purchased at chicagohumanities.org/style (check the schedule there, too) or by calling the CHF Box Office at (312) 493-9509.

Midwest

Art-shaped weekend

The Behind the Arts Studio Tour is an uncommon, behind-the-scenes peek at the inventive and dynamic world of the working artist. Make the short drive to southeastern Wisconsin and take a self-guided tour of more than 45 visual and performing artists' studios featuring more than 75 artists throughout Racine and Kenosha. See painting, ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, mixed media and more. Racine studios are open on Saturday, and Sunday is the day to head to Kenosha to see the artists' works. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in Racine and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 24, in Kenosha. Maps are available at all studio locations, and the tour can begin from any location. Suggested donation is $5. Get details at getbehindthearts.com or (262) 945-9411.

Dairy home companion

There's no need to wait until summer for a fine Midwestern food fest: the annual Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival in Kenosha offers some of the most notable beer and cheese from around the state of Wisconsin. Live music by Random Maxx, The New Vinyls and more will keep things lively This year marks the 500th anniversary of the all-important beer legislation known as Reinheitsgebot, and to celebrate the Wisconsin Room will feature German beer and the German band The Music Venders. Fest proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha. 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at The Brat Stop, 12304 75th St., Kenosha, Wisconsin (at the intersection of Highway 50 and I-94). Tickets cost $45 in advance, $50 at the door and include beer, cheese samples, a keepsake beer glass and music. Go to kenoshabeerfest.com/ for details on the fest. Seven hotels are offering room/ticket packages at visitkenosha.com/wisconsin-deals/packages.

Suds and buds

The eighth annual Kohler Festival of Beer, a harbinger of spring, returns to the AAA Five Diamond Destination Kohler showcasing brewmasters from across the country, food pairings and tastings, educational seminars, culinary demonstrations, music and other entertainment, and a 5K beer walk/run. Summer barbecue fans won't want to miss the interactive grilling experience and, for nostalgia's sake, there's the college kegger-themed party. Friday through Sunday, April 29-May 1, at Destination Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin. For details on the event including pricing, ticket options and hotel packages, visit americanclubresort.com/calendar/2016/04/kohler-festival-of-beer.

Worth the trip

Even those who turn up their noses at cruising find that they adore the small ship river cruise experience and AmaWaterways has launched a limited-time offer on its popular Christmas Markets and New Year's cruises. Book by April 30 and get up to 40 percent off your cruise fare for a memorable journey exploring Europe on the Danube and Rhine rivers. The sale is available on 26 departures from late November through December 2016 for seven-night Christmas Markets on the Danube or Christmas Markets on the Rhine. Cruise starts at $1,680 per person (cruise only). Land extensions are also available and include an option in Prague on the Danube or Lucerne and Zurich on the Rhine. Additionally, guests who wish to celebrate the New Year with AmaWaterways will have the choice of discounted Danube and Rhine sailings starting at $1,740 (cruise only). For details, visit amawaterways.com/ or call (800) 626-0126.

Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgaard is one of the presenters at the first Spring Festival: Style in Chicago April 28-May 1.
The Behind the Arts Studio Tour gives visitors a behind-the-scenes peek at the dynamic world of the working artist in Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin, April 23-24. Courtesy of The Behind the Arts Studio Tour
Sample beer and cheese from around Wisconsin at the Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival Saturday, April 23, at the Brat Stop in Kenosha. Courtesy of Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival
The eighth annual Kohler Festival of Beer returns to Destination Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin, April 29-May 1. courtesy of Destination Kohler
AmaWaterways delights passengers with festive carolers during the holiday season on its Christmas markets cruises in Europe. Courtesy of AmaWaterways
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