Known as one of the country’s finest festivals, this great event will fill six full city blocks with tens of thousands of people who come from across the U.S. to enjoy nonstop music, food, and fun.

Music is the headline Market Days attraction. Three stages are needed to showcase such top-name national artists as Rock Candy, Cat Fight, En Vogue, Jody Watley, 16 Candles, Village People, and many more. And groups including Liz Mandeville & the Blues Points, BMR4, Soulio, Petra, Chicago Cabaret Project, and others will take centerstage at the Jazz Oasis.

Bring your appetites. The vast arrays of food, arts and crafts, and unique merchandise from 400 vendors mean you’ll find plenty to satisfy your consuming passions of all kinds.

Northalsted Market Days runs along Halsted St. between Belmont and Addison (enter at any of the 17 gates) both days from 11 AM – 10 PM.

The Monroe Harbor shoreline provides front row seating for the 675,000 spectators who begin staking out their spots as early as 9 AM so they can enjoy the lakefront all day long right through the nighttime procession of boats with their elaborate lights and props and costumed crews.

This free extravaganza – the longest-running event produced by the City of Chicago – typically begins at dark, but check the Venetian Night site for complete details.

Chicago’s lakescape will fill with the sails from 350 boats as they set off for the 101st Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac– the world’s longest freshwater sailing race.

Spectators can see the boats entered in this year’s race before they tackle the challenging 333-mile course to Mackinac Island, Michigan, during the Parade of Boats on Saturday, July 18, from 10 AM until 2 PM. Best viewing is at the east end of Navy Pier, where you can wave to racers including Island Goats – sailors who have completed 25 Mackinac races – and watch as boats head out to designated sections to wait for the cannon fire which signals the start of each section.

Want to experience the wind and the waves as you watch the starts? The 77-foot tall ship schooner Red Witch offers two 3-hour sailing tours which will put you close to the action for this historic and thrilling event.

Then you’ll be able to follow your favorite boats throughout the race via online tracking.

This year’s Lollapalooza will rock out in Grant Park August 7 -9. Headlining this year are Depeche Mode, Tool, The Killers, Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys, and Kings of Leon. However, the lineup doesn’t stop there. Independent music icons The Decemberists, Neko Case, Andrew Bird, Band of Horses, and many more will be on hand to make this the music event of the year.

For those who prefer electronic music, Perry’s promises to be better than ever with a much louder and clearer sound. Catch the rhythms of Bassnectar, MSTRKRFT, Animal Collective, and more in this non-stop spinning utopia.

Of course, Lolla is about more than just cutting-edge music. Stop by Lederhosen’s Biergarten to cool off in the shade with a nice, cool craft beer. Shop the Art Market for earth-friendly, fair trade goods, or check out the Honda Eco Zone to preview the 2010 Honda Insight and win prizes. Don’t forget to hit the after shows going on August 5 – 9. Tickets sold separately.

Bring the kiddies along and take them to Kidzapalooza. They can jam out to family-friendly music, get temporary tattoos, learn to break dance, act in a play, and much more!

For this European-style market in the distinctive Randolph Street Market District, some 150 vendors set up shop monthly inside (and outside) the beautiful Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall complex. Find different goods each time you visit the market – open June 27-28, July 25-26, August 29-30, and September 26-27.

This legendary “Market of Markets” is also home to the Indie Designer Market, where young artisans sell one-of-a-kind fashion, jewelry, art and décor, and the Global Goods Bazaar featuring ethnic wares. Take a trip down memory lane by browsing thousands of collectible records at the Vinyl Swap Meet. Shop the Fancy Food Market for breads, cakes, spice, oils and other treats to take home.

New this year is the Do-It-Yourself Estate Sale, designed for those who want to sell their own collectibles or things they’ve inherited. Introduce kids to a lifetime hobby via the new Junior Collectors Club, which supplies them with a treasure map they can use to scout out items they might like to collect.

Wonderful amenities include fabulous foods and pick-up/drop-off service between the market and Water Tower Place. Visit Randolph Street Market Festival for information on parking, admission (including free market hours), and other details.