Midwest travel: Chicago's Square Roots fest = 3 days of music + brews
Chicago
Hip to be square
Square Roots, the inventive Lincoln Square music and beer experience, returns for three days showcasing more than 50 musical acts, 30 regional craft brews and eats from some of Lincoln Square's top restaurants. In addition to a large market area of vendors - all from Illinois and nearly half from the Lincoln Square neighborhood, unique activities include Bollywood dance lessons, drum circles and banjo lessons. To commemorate the historic 60th anniversary of the Old Town School of Folk Music, Square Roots will host a variety of celebrations, including Soundtrack of The City, which explores Chicago's cultural traditions and rich musical history. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 7; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 8; and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 9, at Lincoln Avenue, between Montrose and Wilson, Chicago. Suggested donation is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors/kids, $20 for families. (773) 728-6000 or squareroots.org/.
Art and architecture
Top-ranked art and design show the Millennium Art Festival brings more than 110 juried artists to one of the architectural wonders of the Midwest. Expect an array of artwork, including paintings, ceramics, photography and furniture, as well as live performances, tasty treats and interactive art experiences, such as putting your mark on a free-standing graffiti wall. Stroll a few blocks for more bites and music at Taste of Chicago in Grant Park. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, July 7; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 8; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 9, at Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Free. amdurproductions.com/millennium-art-festival/.
Artbreak hotel
In celebration of Chicago's burgeoning street art displays and to continue the hotel's commitment to creative expression, boutique property ACME Hotel Company in River North offers a one-of-a-kind Street Art Tour of the city to enjoy throughout summer. From Pilsen to Humboldt Park and down to the Loop, the private driving tour takes guests on an exploratory journey to experience brilliant street art displays unseen by most travelers and locals. Throughout summer at ACME Hotel Company, 15 E. Ohio St., Chicago. The tour is available to book in groups up to five guests and costs $120 a group. Get the details at (312) 894-0800 or acmehotelcompany.com/.
Midwest
<b>Grounds for weekend fun</b>
Toby Keith, Big Sean, Fetty Wap, Alessia Cara, Shinedown and Live are just some of the featured artists performing at the Common Ground Festival in Lansing, Michigan. Grammy Award winners, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members, and national and regional music performers of many genres, including contemporary and classic rock, alternative, country, hip-hop and R&B, take the stage at an attractive, intimate venue in southwestern Michigan. Don't miss the world's longest and tallest mobile zip line across the Grand River. Check the website for hotel partners offering special rates, too. 4:15 p.m. to midnight Thursday, July 6; 4:30 p.m. to midnight Friday, July 7; 3:15 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 8; and 3:15 to 11:45 p.m. Sunday, July 9, at the Common Ground Music Festival, Adado Riverfront Park, Lansing, Michigan. Festival passes cost $79-$99. Purchase tickets at (517) 267-1502 or commongroundfest.com/.
Surprise! It's a baby!
The Hotel Saugatuck partners with a local southwestern Michigan bakery to offer pregnant guests the experience of learning their baby's gender in full celebration but in total privacy. This sweet party just for two is complete with custom mini cakes, filled with hidden layers of pink or blue frosting revealing the gender of the baby-to-be. The Baby Surprise package at the Hotel Saugatuck, a historic property that witnessed an impressive renovation last autumn, includes a two-night stay; four custom baby reveal mini cakes (choice of French vanilla or chocolate cake covered in chocolate); a bottle of sparkling cider; two glass memento flutes; complimentary next-day breakfast-in-bed and in-room dessert each evening; wireless internet and parking. Available year round at the Hotel Saugatuck in Saugatuck, Michigan. The Baby Surprise package starts at $523 plus tax per couple; a minimum two nights' stay is required. Guests musts mail or email gender results to The Hotel Saugatuck with at least two business days' notice for cake preparation. thehotelsaugatuck.com/.
Beignets and berets
More than 200,000 Francophiles are expected to feast at Bastille Days - one of the nation's largest French festivals located in downtown Milwaukee. The street festival returns with free entertainment, live art, an international marketplace, wine and beer tastings, three Mardi Gras-themed parades, chef demos, Waiter/Waitress Races on Sunday, street performers, as well as nonstop entertainment on all four festival stages. Bring the kids for Kids Day on Saturday offering free, family-friendly activities like ballet stretching and posing, mini French lessons, magic tricks, extreme juggling and balancing acts, art activities and other hands-on games. 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 13-14; 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (414) 271-1416 or bastilledaysfestival.com.
Worth the trip
Book worms can plunge into literature on the Cape during the Martha's Vineyard Book Festival. Twenty-nine of the country's leading fiction, nonfiction and culinary authors, from Ann Patchett (“Commonwealth”) to Peter Brannen (“The Ends of the World”) to Joan Nathan (“King Solomon's Table”), will be on hand for two full days of readings, panel discussions, author interviews and book signings. Edgartown's historic Harbor View Hotel will host the first day of the festival; the second day will take place in tents on the grounds of the Chilmark Community Center in Chilmark. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5-6, in Edgartown and Chilmark, Massachusetts. For details about the festival, see mvbookfestival.com/. For details or to book at room at Harbor View Hotel, call (800) 225-6005 or see harbor-view.com/. Starting rate for these dates is $629 per night.