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WE’RE GETTING THE BANDS BACK TOGETHER! The Winnetka Music Festival gears up for year four: take 2 After more than a year of Zoom calls, masks, distanced socializing and canceled weddings, graduations and vacations, and as vaccinations are underway, it’s time to make big plans to get back together. And what better way to celebrate the coming end of our isolation than joining the Winnetka Music Festival. Sept. 10 and 11 will once again see some of the top emerging bands from around the country make their way to Winnetka for what has become one of the most looked-forward-to events on the North Shore. This year’s fest has been moved from the traditional June to September to allow for more time to resolve the pandemic issues. Because of the new date, the bands are just now being booked, and the lineup will be announced in early April. However, the Winnetka Music Festival will still have a similar footprint and vibe, featuring four stages centralized on the east side of Winnetka’s downtown business district. Starting on Friday night, Sept. 10, the fest will kick off with performances on the two main stages. The festival picks up again on Saturday, Sept. 11, on the Village Green at the Family Stage with music and interactive experiences for kids of all ages. Throughout Saturday, some of the top emerging bands will be performing on both outdoor main stages as well as on the historic Winnetka Chapel stage. With more than 20 bands to choose from, the fest offers music for everyone. The bands are selected by Val Haller, a Winnetka resident and founder of Valslist who is known in the industry for having an ear for identifying top emerging talent. “The Winnetka Music
Festival has become one of the most unique and respected music festivals at which bands seek to perform,” Haller said. “Not only is the friendly, intimate fest a welcome environment for them, but the quality of the fest has become recognized in the industry as a highly sought-after place to perform. For fans both in the community and throughout Chicagoland and beyond, it’s a great way to say, ‘I saw them when’ as these bands achieve critical acclaim, including Grammy recognition, and notch appearances on late-night TV and at the most iconic festivals.” While providing an intimate environment to hear some of the best new artists, the fest has also become a much-anticipated social event. With food trucks, beer gardens, street musicians and much more all situated in an easily walkable area, our hometown fest is a place to see and connect with friends. This year more than ever, the event offers a great way to shake off the aftereffects of the past months and celebrate together. The fact that Winnetka would even have its own namesake music festival is perhaps emblematic of our unique community, and so supporting it is one of the ways that we cement our position at the pinnacle as one of the most distinctive places to live. The 2021 festival requires admission tickets for anyone 21 and over. Information about the lineup and tickets can be found on the Winnetka Music Festival website, www.winnetkamusic festival.com. Support the fest by buying tickets early when they are offered, contacting the fest organizers if you would like to be a patron or refer a sponsor, hosting a band or volunteering. We hope to see you there! winnetkanorthf ieldchamber.com B E S T O F 6 0 0 9 3 1 7
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