One of the best things about Chicago, in addition to the endless hot dog joints, is that you can find so many entertaining and free ways to listen to music. There's a ton of $0.00 block parties during the summer that ALWAYS have bands worth watching. Then, of course, there are the free concerts at Millennium Park, and let's not forget Jazz Fest, Blues Fest, Downtown Sound, Music Without Borders, SummerDance, etc.
But Chicago is in a little financial crisis, just like everyplace in this great, empty-pocketed country of ours. And how does America usually solve its financial problems? By cutting arts and music. However, there is something you can do besides just heading to City Hall and yelling at the endless stream of business-suited government officials. Friends of Chicago Music have set up an online petition that you can sign, with a message to all those government fat cats. Please ensure that my (and, to a lesser extent, your) free-music summer will be entertaining and sign the petition.
