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This week, we are looking back at the beginning of one of Chicago’s biggest food traditions, sharing a few events worth adding to your calendar and catching you up on stories from the CNW newsroom. We also have a homemade ice cream recipe inspired by family memories, an important update for those planning to attend the Washen Car Wash celebration and a new opportunity for emerging photographers ready to tell Chicago’s stories through their own lenses.
This Moment in History
July 4, 1980: Chicago Gets Its First Taste
Before the Taste of Chicago became a sprawling Grant Park tradition, it began as a one-day food festival along Michigan Avenue. The first Taste of Chicago was held July 4, 1980, across three blocks near the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Organizers expected approximately 100,000 people, but nearly 250,000 showed up to sample Chicago favorites, including hot dogs, ribs and Italian ice. The overwhelming turnout prompted the city to move the festival to Grant Park the following year.
More than four decades later, the Taste remains one of Chicago’s most recognizable summer gatherings and a celebration of the restaurants, neighborhoods and cultures that have shaped the city’s food scene.
Summer Events Are Heating Up
The Taste of Chicago Returns to Its Summer Roots
The Taste of Chicago is back in Grant Park and, after several years of schedule changes, has returned to its traditional place in the heart of summer.
The free festival continues through Sunday, July 12, with local food vendors, music, dance and entertainment. This year’s Taste runs from July 8 through July 12, giving Chicagoans five days to revisit longtime favorites and discover something new.
Whether you are stopping by for a full afternoon or simply chasing a particular Chicago dish, the Taste offers another reason to spend the weekend downtown.
Must-See This Weekend: Untitled Vampire Play
There are only a few performances left to catch Lookingglass Theatre Company’s Untitled Vampire Play, written by Chicago playwright Kevin Douglas.
The world-premiere production blends romantic comedy and horror as a woman introduces her centuries-old vampire boyfriend to her family while a serial killer is on the loose. Beneath the supernatural chaos is a sharp and funny story about love, commitment, family and the terrifying experience of meeting the in-laws.
The play runs through Sunday, July 12, at Lookingglass Theatre, 163 E. Pearson St.
In her review for CNW, Zada Johnson takes readers inside the production and examines how the company uses humor, horror and theatrical imagination to tell a distinctly Chicago story.
Save the Date: GhanaFest Is Back
After a one-year hiatus, GhanaFest returns to Washington Park on Saturday, July 25, for its 37th year.
Presented by the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago, the festival will bring together thousands of attendees for a full day of Ghanaian food, music, fashion, art, business and cultural traditions.
GhanaFest has grown from a small community gathering into one of the country’s leading Ghanaian cultural celebrations, creating a space for cultural preservation, entrepreneurship and connection across generations.
This year’s GhanaFest season also opened with Chicago’s first Ghana flag-raising ceremony at Daley Plaza on July 1, recognizing Ghana Republic Day and the contributions of Chicago’s Ghanaian community.
From the CNW Kitchen!
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!
Some summer memories begin with a familiar sound. For CNW Managing Editor Laura Miller, it was the hum of an old-fashioned ice cream maker and the anticipation of a homemade dessert that brought the family together.
In “Grandma’s Memory Lane Vanilla Ice Cream,” Miller shares the story behind a family summer tradition and a simple vanilla ice cream recipe readers can recreate at home. No ice cream maker is required, only a few ingredients, a little patience and room in the freezer.
The recipe is an easy addition to a cookout, family gathering or quiet summer evening at home.
STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
Chicago Parking Meter Sale Heads to Contentious Council Vote
A proposed transfer of Chicago’s privatized parking meter system to another investment firm is renewing questions about transparency, public oversight and one of the most controversial financial deals in the city’s history.
Chicago Parking Meters LLC reached an agreement to transfer its interest in the meter system to New York-based Stonepeak Partners. The original 75-year parking meter lease remains in effect through 2083, but the proposed ownership change requires City Council approval.
Aldermen raised concerns that they had not received enough information to evaluate the transaction, with at least 22 council members indicating their opposition to the proposal.
The dispute is once again placing the parking meter agreement, its long-term cost and the handling of Chicago’s public assets under scrutiny.
Youth Lead the Conversation as “Me & Nic Broke Up” Returns
The Chicago Department of Public Health has launched a new season of its “Me & Nic Broke Up” anti-vaping campaign with a live taping of True Star Media’s From the Go podcast.
Recorded in front of Chicago teens, the conversation centered young people’s questions and experiences rather than relying on a traditional public health lecture.
CDPH representative Juan Ortega discussed the physical, mental and environmental effects of vaping, while guest Desean “Scuba” Logan Russell encouraged teens to find healthier ways to direct their time and energy.
Audience members were also invited to take a pledge to live vape-free.
The Supreme Court Has Ended Its Term. Here Is What Changed
The U.S. Supreme Court has concluded its 2025-26 term after issuing decisions involving presidential authority, voting, citizenship, campaign spending, gun rights and transgender athletes.
Several of the rulings were decided by narrow margins and accompanied by strongly worded dissents, reflecting continued divisions among the justices over questions that could affect Americans’ everyday lives.
CNW breaks down the most significant decisions, what the court ruled and what the outcomes could mean moving forward.
CNW Through the Lens - Calling Chicago’s Next Generation of Photographers
Every neighborhood has a photographer. Someone documenting family reunions before the music starts. Someone capturing the energy of a summer festival, the quiet pride of a small business owner, the joy of children playing in the park or the changing face of a block they've called home for years.
Some of Chicago's most compelling visual storytellers aren't working for major publications. They aren't chasing recognition. They're simply doing what artists do: creating work that matters. At Chicago News Weekly, we believe great storytelling deserves to be seen.
That's why we're launching CNW Through the Lens, a new initiative created to discover photographers whose work reflects the heart, beauty and complexity of Chicago. We're looking beyond resumes and follower counts to find artists with a unique perspective and a passion for documenting the communities they know best.
The selected photographer will have the opportunity to photograph an upcoming Chicago News Weekly cover story, receive a published editorial feature highlighting their work and be considered for future assignments as a contributing photographer.
Submission details and the official deadline will be announced next week. Until then, start gathering your strongest images, share this opportunity with a photographer whose work deserves a wider audience and get ready to submit.
Washen Announces a New Date for Its Grand Opening Celebration and Car Giveaway
Washen Car Wash has announced a date change for its upcoming grand-opening celebration and car giveaway.
The event will now take place August 1, 2026 from 11am - 4pm at Washen Car Wash, 1151 S. Independence Blvd.
Guests can expect food, music and free car washes throughout the celebration. Eligible Washen members will also have an opportunity to win a new 2026 Chevrolet Trax.
Those who previously saved the original event date should update their calendars and follow Washen for additional announcements.
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