After last year’s inaugural Galewoodstock neighborhood music festival got rained out midway through the event, the Galewood Neighbors community organization is bringing it back this August and this time, they’ve planned for any weather-related disruptions.
Trista Allgood, a Galewood Neighbors volunteer who’s been doing much of the planning and outreach for Galewoodstock, said that the organizers realized that they simply didn’t prepare for the possibility of rain, leading to a chaotic response. This time around, they have a plan. If there is rain, they will pause the festival and resume it when the weather conditions allow. And they will have more tents and other places to shelter.
Rain precautions aside, Allgood said that this year’s Galewoodstock will have two new features: activities for kids and area artists doing demonstrations and selling works. The goal of the Galewoodstock remains the same, which is to bring the community together and show off Galewood to surrounding communities.
This year’s Galewoodstock will take place on Aug. 27, on the field south of the Sayre Language Academy, 1850 N. Newland Ave., from noon to 8 p.m.
When Galewood Neighbors launched in April 2021, one of their first priorities was to organize a neighborhood music festival. With many COVID-19 restrictions relaxing, cases going down after a spring surge and vaccinations becoming more widespread, the newly formed board of directors thought that it would be a good way to showcase Galewood musicians and “celebrate the reopening of Chicago post-pandemic.” The festival was scheduled for Aug. 21.
This year, festival organizers have planned a diverse lineup of musical acts, including Mary Lane and the No Static Blues Band, Tino and the Latin Swing Factor, The Microphone Misfitz hip-hop group, the Nasty Snacks funk band, Bowmanville jazz band, DJ Handz Solo and students from Oak Park School of Rock.
Allgood said that Galewood Neighors board member Wanda Gilmer, who owns the Fatso Hard Kitchen catering company, recruited the food vendors, luring Galewood establishments such as Amato’s Pizza, 1745 W. Harlem Ave., Serrelli’s Finer Foods, 6454 W. North Ave., and North Avenue Falafel, 6814 W. North Ave., as well as food trucks such as Noah’s Munchies.
This year’s Galewoodstock will include local artists. Allgood said that they were inspired by seeing a mural Galewood artist Rene Arceo painted on his garage.
“We were thinking, let’s take advantage,” she said. “I think we just wanted the offerings to reflect the neighborhood.”
Arceo will do a print-making workshop for the families, while painter and sculptor Juarez Hawkins will do a pottery demo. Artist Cortney Anderson will do a woodblock demo and there will be other artists selling their work.
“I think we just want to put in a good time for people in the community and we want to reach to people outside the community, because Galewood is a great place,” Allgood said. “We want to share our joy and make sure everyone has a good time.”
For more information about Galewoodstock, visit https://galewoodneighbors.org/Galewoodstock.
