Week 1: Planning for Urban Streets Festivals

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Consultation has concluded

Planning through Street Festivals

Can festivals be tools for social change? In this interactive session, learn how the logistics and processes of festival planning critically engage the city around arts, culture, and place-making. Eric Williams - the founder and CEO of Silver Room Block Party, a music festival that brings together talented, independent artists - will provide insight into the uniqueness of community festivals and how street festivals relate to nearby institutions and businesses. Eric will share the story of Silver Room Block Party's history, growth, and values. By the end of the session, you will leave with a greater understanding of this iconic festival and apply festival planning concepts in a short analysis for a festival of your choosing.

View a recording of the session here.


About this Page

This is the landing page for our first week on urban street festivals. Please feel free to explore the tools below and to the right of this post to gain a better understanding of what you can look forward to in this session.

  • Check out Pre-session Content below to familiarize yourself with relevant resources put together by the sessions leaders. These tools will help you form a foundation for the week's session. Take a look through them before the session on Thursday.
  • Let's Talk functions the same as the one found on the FLIP homepage. The only difference is that discussions are catered towards urban street festivals. Give us some insight to your experiences!
  • Quick Thoughts functions similarly to the homepage's Get to Know Your Peers. Answer some quick questions about your exposure to urban street festivals - whether you have or haven't gone to one, let us know!
  • Session documents can be found to the right. There, you'll find documents that we'll use during the sessions.
  • You can find out more about your session leaders under Meet the Team.
  • At the end of the week, head on over to Festival Reflection, where you can share festival images and reflections using principles you learned during your session. Fill this out at the end of session to wrap up your first week of FLIP!

Click here to go back to the FLIP homepage.

Planning through Street Festivals

Can festivals be tools for social change? In this interactive session, learn how the logistics and processes of festival planning critically engage the city around arts, culture, and place-making. Eric Williams - the founder and CEO of Silver Room Block Party, a music festival that brings together talented, independent artists - will provide insight into the uniqueness of community festivals and how street festivals relate to nearby institutions and businesses. Eric will share the story of Silver Room Block Party's history, growth, and values. By the end of the session, you will leave with a greater understanding of this iconic festival and apply festival planning concepts in a short analysis for a festival of your choosing.

View a recording of the session here.


About this Page

This is the landing page for our first week on urban street festivals. Please feel free to explore the tools below and to the right of this post to gain a better understanding of what you can look forward to in this session.

  • Check out Pre-session Content below to familiarize yourself with relevant resources put together by the sessions leaders. These tools will help you form a foundation for the week's session. Take a look through them before the session on Thursday.
  • Let's Talk functions the same as the one found on the FLIP homepage. The only difference is that discussions are catered towards urban street festivals. Give us some insight to your experiences!
  • Quick Thoughts functions similarly to the homepage's Get to Know Your Peers. Answer some quick questions about your exposure to urban street festivals - whether you have or haven't gone to one, let us know!
  • Session documents can be found to the right. There, you'll find documents that we'll use during the sessions.
  • You can find out more about your session leaders under Meet the Team.
  • At the end of the week, head on over to Festival Reflection, where you can share festival images and reflections using principles you learned during your session. Fill this out at the end of session to wrap up your first week of FLIP!

Click here to go back to the FLIP homepage.

Festival Reflection

Connect concepts from this session with a specific festival example! Share your insights for all four prompts.

  1. Choose one of the following: 
    1. a festival photo from your own photo collection
    2. a drawing of a festival that already exists or a festival you’d like to create
    3. a festival photo you found online 

  2. Answer the following questions about your festival. You can provide additional information or a narrative if you like.  
    1. Access: Is the festival in a public or private space, or are there elements of both?  What are the boundaries of the festival and how are they marked?  Is the festival accessible to everyone?
    2. Connection: Does the festival have a theme?  Does the festival have a strong connection to the place it is held in terms of design, culture, language, or food?  Does it attract mostly local people or people from out of town? 
    3. Impact: What is the impact of the festival? Who profits financially from the festival? Is any group negatively impacted by the festival?  

  3. Post your photo or drawing along with your answers.  

  4. Look at other submissions and enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share Literature Festival (That is NOT Boring) on Facebook Share Literature Festival (That is NOT Boring) on Twitter Share Literature Festival (That is NOT Boring) on Linkedin Email Literature Festival (That is NOT Boring) link

    Literature Festival (That is NOT Boring)

    by AbigailR, over 4 years ago

    City festivals have the unique opportunity to engage and strengthen communities, to create a strong sense of place for a human being. What better way to strengthen and create a sense of belonging than through books?

    To many people, a festival about books seems boring. How could books possibly bring people together? All they do is sit on a shelf and collect dust; how can pieces of paper promote vibrancy and belonging within a community? Contrary to many people's opinions, for centuries, and even today, people have clung to books as a recourse of comfort, joy, pain, compassion, love, adventure... Continue reading

  • Share Chinatown Summer Fair on Facebook Share Chinatown Summer Fair on Twitter Share Chinatown Summer Fair on Linkedin Email Chinatown Summer Fair link

    Chinatown Summer Fair

    by Angie , over 4 years ago

    The festival is in a public space, but there are boundaries of the festival which are marked by roadblocks. The festival is accessible to everyone, but it might be harder for certain people to navigate through the crowds. The festival is a summer fair, and because it is located in Chinatown, there is a heavy focus on local Chinese/Chinatown food. The fair also sells plants and various household items. It mostly attracts local people in the Chicago area. The festival brings people of all ages together. The vendors/restaurants in the Chinatown area profit the most financially. Groups who normally go... Continue reading

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    Matsuri - 2019

    by Christina Garcia, over 4 years ago


    *photo of Masaji Terasawa, a.k.a. the Candyman, one of the few practitioners of the Japanese art of amezaiku (candy art) - from IllinoisBuzz

    This festival took place in a public space. On the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign there are mutliple culture houses and this festival took place in the graden/open space by the Japan House. The boundaries for this festival were marked off with cones in the entrance but once inside there were no restrictions. Since it took place in the garden and open field the trees worked as the boundaries for the overall event. The festival was accessible... Continue reading

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    Square Roots Festival

    by linneasjones, over 4 years ago

    The square roots festival is accessible to everyone and only asks for donations. It is also located close to the L so people don't need a car to access it. It is on public streets and the boundaries are marked by tents and fences. The main theme of the festival is music and it showcases all types of music. The festival has a strong connection to the neighborhood as it is hosted by the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. It attracts mostly local people from the neighborhood. The impact of the festival is large because smaller... Continue reading

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    House Music Festival

    by sophiasalinas1, over 4 years ago

    Photo above shows my aunts, cousin, and I at the 2019 House Music Festival :)

    1. The House Music Festival was in a public space in Pilsen! Last years festival took place at Harrison Park. The boundaries were the outline of the festival, and they were marked by tall fences and barricades. It is accessible for the most part, but this year’s festival did charge a fee, so that might not be as accessible for low-income people.
    2. The festivals theme could be considered house music! It doesn’t have too much connection to culture because the vendors were serving all types of... Continue reading
  • Share Taste of Wheaton on Facebook Share Taste of Wheaton on Twitter Share Taste of Wheaton on Linkedin Email Taste of Wheaton link

    Taste of Wheaton

    by thiandim, over 4 years ago

    The Taste of Wheaton is in a public space. It's actually on streets that are closed off to vehicles. The boundaries are marked with fences and signs on the roads. The festival is accessible to everyone but if you want to go on the rides or play games, you would have to pay. You'll have to pay for the food also, of course. It does not have a theme but it does have a strong connection to the city. The food, concerts, events are mostly from local businesses. I would say it attracts local people but it also attracts some... Continue reading

  • Share Swedish Days on Facebook Share Swedish Days on Twitter Share Swedish Days on Linkedin Email Swedish Days link

    Swedish Days

    by jordan forbes, over 4 years ago

    Swedish days is put on in Downtown Geneva and is in a public space. This festival is all over Downtown, and even celebrated in other communities outside of Downtown Geneva. It does not have boundaries. Many of the attractions take place on 3rd Street, but can vary depending on where the vendors decide to put their stands. It is accessible to all ages, with attractions that are directed towards a specific group of ages. Swedish days does not have a theme, as it it usually the same attractions and vendors each year. People from the Tri-Cities usually come to visit... Continue reading

  • Share Six Corners BBQ Fest on Facebook Share Six Corners BBQ Fest on Twitter Share Six Corners BBQ Fest on Linkedin Email Six Corners BBQ Fest link

    Six Corners BBQ Fest

    by lrohlf, over 4 years ago

    A street festival I have attended in the past is the Six Corners BBQ Fest on Milwaukee Avenue in Portage Park. The festival was held in a public space, and the boundaries were marked by concrete barrier walls at either end of the block. Anyone is welcome to attend this festival, but there is a $5 admission fee.

    The festival doesn't necessarily have a specific theme nor a connection to the place it is held in, but most of the food served is BBQ and most of the music played is rock music. Most people who attend this festival are... Continue reading

  • Share Mads' Festival Reflection on Facebook Share Mads' Festival Reflection on Twitter Share Mads' Festival Reflection on Linkedin Email Mads' Festival Reflection link

    Mads' Festival Reflection

    by MadsShetty, over 4 years ago

    This is a festival photo that I found online, but I would like to imagine creating a multicultural festival in my neighborhood. The festival would be behind our local library, there is a public space with lots of space. There would be gazebo in the front of the festival for entry and donations. The festival would be accessible to everyone. The theme of the festival would be about embracing different culture. I'm inspired by the very diverse community I live in. The festival would have vendors who would serve ethnic dishes and people could buy small dishes. Additionally, people can... Continue reading

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    Taste of Chicago

    by jamestomaszkiewicz, over 4 years ago

    1.The festival takes place on public parks, streets, and sidewalks.The boundaries of the park are marked by gates and fences. Yes everyone can go to Taste of Chicago for free.

    2.The festival has no specific theme. But is uniquely connected to our cities diversity, through giving a platform for food from all ethnic groups across the city to serve residents and tourists in one location.

    3.Everyone benefits from the Taste of Chicago, as festival attendees get to try great food across the city. Vendors get exposure for their products and sell their products. No one is negatively impacted. The City... Continue reading