Midwest travel: Taiko drummers beat a path to Chicago's Ginza Holiday Fest
Chicago
Go Ginza
Get a better sense of the rich history and arts of Japan at the 61st annual Ginza Holiday Festival. Performances and activities take place indoors and out and include taiko drummers, folk dancers, live music, martial arts demonstrations, bonsai demos and anime screenings. Master craftsmen from Tokyo, called Waza, demonstrate generations-old skills creating crafts, and booths teem with Japanese goods from children's toys to kimonos. You won't go hungry with traditional Japanese cuisine including charcoal-grilled chicken teriyaki dinners, sushi, udon (Japanese cold noodles), Japanese snow cones topped with sweet azuki beans and premium Japanese beer. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13; and 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Midwest Buddhist Temple, 435 W. Menomonee St., Chicago. Suggested donation is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, free for kids 12 and younger. On Saturday, entry is $12 after 7 p.m. for the Yoko Noge concert. Get details at ginzaholiday.com/.
Air or water sign?
The 58th annual Chicago Air & Water Show brings thrills to the city's skies and lakefront. However, getting your viewing space among a million other people is trying. The Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel offers an exclusive viewing experience and a weekend vacation at the hotel. The package includes: two nights accommodations in the hotel's luxury Sky Suite; premium car service to the dock; and a day out on Lake Michigan (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20) on a captained 31-foot "Sporting" Sailing Boat during both parts of the Air & Water Show; a gourmet lunch picnic and alcoholic refreshments; breakfast, with mimosas and Bloody Marys, served in-room over the weekend from Mercat a la Planxa and at the restaurant on Sunday. Plus, you'll snag a beach bag, boating essentials and a book about the event's history. Friday through Sunday, Aug. 19-21, at the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel, 636 E. Balbo Ave., Chicago. Package must be booked by Wednesday, Aug. 10. Rate starts at $3,312 (plus tax), with the flexibility to adjust the package to accommodate four people. (312) 447-0955 or blackstonerenaissance.com/.
Small 'd' for dog
When you've had your fill of people, pack the pup and get to Chicago's dana hotel and spa for the just launched "i am 'woof'" program featuring special add-on amenities just for pooches. The top-dog treatment includes: a welcome bag with a customized dog tag; a custom Chicago treat and a list of dog-friendly shops, parks and other attractions near dana; an in-room doggy bed and water bowl for use during your stay; a free dog treat at freestyle food + drink when your dog joins you for a bite on the patio (weather permitting); and more. The dana can also arrange additional services such as a pet psychic and in-room doggy massages upon request. dana hotel and spa is at 660 N. State St., Chicago. "i am 'woof'" add-ons can be arranged at the time of booking an overnight stay at (312) 202-6000 or danahotelandspa.com/.
Midwest
Watertown Riverfest
The 30th annual Riverfest held in Watertown, Wisconsin, offers classic summer festival fun: carnival rides, chain saw art, face painting and body art, a craft fair, live music, bean bag and horseshoe tournaments and A Taste of Watertown. See the Must-Skis Waterski Show, "The Meltdown Challenge" - an eight-person inflatable attraction with spinning booms challenging participants, Carp Classic fishing tournament, raft races, Kids Casting Contest and more. 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13; and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at Riverside Park, 850 Larabee St., Watertown, Wisconsin. Free. Get details at watertownriverfest.com/.
Suds and grapes
Missouri's fertile countryside produces some tasty wine, including the state's own Norton grape, and the Show-Me State is bubbling on the microbrewery scene as well. A good time to visit might be during the Midwest Wine & Brew Festival, which features more than 20 different vendors representing some of the state's most popular wineries and microbreweries, as well as a meadery and a local distillery that specializes in six different types of moonshine. Lake-area restaurants also will be on hand to offer light fare as a complement to the wine and brew samples. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at The Lodge of Four Seasons, 315 Four Seasons Drive, Lake Ozark, Missouri. Advance tickets for the festival cost $15 and include a tasting of all of the wines and beers, as well as a souvenir wineglass. Day of the event tickets cost $20. (573) 964-1008 or funlake.com/mid-missouri-wine-brew-festival.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner
Get in on the Riverside Music Festival & Chicken Roast, an all-day event featuring live music, a wine and beer tent, shuffleboard for the family, pickleball demonstrations, a bounce house and lots of family activities. The Janesville, Wisconsin, Noon Lions cook up a roasted chicken dinner (half a chicken, potato, roll and coleslaw) for $9, available until sold out. The historic park offers walking, fishing and boating on the river, too. The event will take place rain or shine. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Riverside Park, North Pavilion, 2200 Parkside Drive, Janesville, Wisconsin. Free admission and parking. See janesvillenoonlions.org/chicken-roast/.