Taste of Des Plaines returns with food, music and family fun
Des Plaines’ favorite summer festival is fast approaching. Taste of Des Plaines will return to the city’s downtown on June 13-14 with two days of live music, food, and activities for all ages.
Food will be front and center, with 11 local vendors serving up a variety of options.
Participating businesses include Charcoal Delights, Mexico Restaurant, Des Plaines Theatre’s Des Pizza, HD Cuisine, Karavan, Que Bola, TRU Bowl Superfood Bar, Hawaiian Food Truck by The Tiki Terrace, E.J. Pierogi, Serna’s Grill Food Truck, and Kona Ice.
Whether you’re craving tacos, pierogi, pizza, or a smoothie bowl, there’s something for every appetite (including vegetarian and vegan options).
Live entertainment kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday, with two stages offering everything from a Taylor Swift tribute to 1980s rock and country.
On the Main Stage, Friday’s headliner, 7th Heaven, brings decades of experience and their famous 1970s and ’80s medleys. The openers will be the rock/country band Whiskey Road from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and the Terry Byrne Band, offering a mixture of Americana, country, Irish, folk and rock, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Des Plaines Public Library is teaming up with the Taste to host the Teen Summer Concert from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Listen to local teen bands, Girls on Film and Lund Surk, kick off entertainment for the day on the Main Stage. They will be followed by Out Late, playing music from the 1990s, 2000s, and more, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Fearless: A Tribute to Taylor — Swift's Greatest Hits from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The emo/pop punk cover band LOUDERNOW will take the stage from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday night closes at 9 p.m. with Hairbangers Ball, a hair metal tribute band known for high-energy performances and spot-on renditions of glam rock anthems.
Family-friendly acts will light up the World Stage, including a bubble show, dance party, and improv comedy group.
On Friday, it will open with the OMG! Improv at 5:30 p.m., followed by the School of Rock at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday, MBD Martial Arts will lead a martial arts demonstration at noon, followed by dance performances by Move The Beat at 1 p.m.
At 2 p.m., join in Jam with Jamie offering interactive music, games, and dance. It will be followed by Steve Belliveau: The Magic of Bubbles at 3 p.m. and JG's Reptile Road Show at 4 p.m.
5:15 p.m. Big Noise Theatre will perform at 5:15 p.m., followed by a community dance lesson by Move The Beat at 6 p.m., followed by your favorite salsa hits by the Valdes Latin Jazz Trio at 6:30 p.m.
The Family Area, open until 8 p.m. on both days, will feature a range of interactive activities for children and families.
Purple Me Green The Science Truck brings 10 hands-on STEM stations, including animal encounters and state-of-matter play.
Visitors can also race at the micro-reality Taste of Des Plaines Speedway or tackle the 20-foot rock climbing wall, hosted by the Des Plaines Park District.
On Saturday, join in a flag day ceremony at 11:45 a.m. with the Des Plaines American Legion Post 36 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 311 at the flagpole on Library Plaza.
Festival hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, June 13, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 14, in Library Plaza downtown near the Metra Station. Admission is free. The Taste is a cashless event; food and alcohol purchases require a debit card, credit card, or a cashless mobile payment application (Apple Pay, Google Pay).
For more details and the full schedule, visit desplainesil.gov.