Throwback Music Festival

Dates: Friday-Sunday, August 27-29
Location: Gladstone Park
Hours: 12N-11PM daily
Attendance: 30,000
Demographics: A21-54

Components:
• Top name musical headliners.
• Continuous live music.
• Oysters and beer.
• Arts and crafts vendors.

Overview:

On a weekend in late August, Chicago’s Northwest side becomes a mecca for lovers of nostalgia, when the Gladstone Park community  hosts the Throwback Music Fest- a tribute to music from three past decades.

This throwback tribute to rock, pop and R&B music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s celebrates each decade, and, of course,  many musical genres. The event location is the actual park- several acres of green space in the heart of the community.

Each day of this event will be distinctly different- true to it’s particular decade. On one day, tribute bands playing disco, and classics by bands such as Kansas, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Queen, and other musical markers of the 70’s  are featured . Another day is dedicated to the happy sounds of the 80’s with cover bands playing hits by artists such as Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Springsteen. The third day flashes back to the nineties- with bands covering hits by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Hootie and the Blowfish, and so on.

These distinctly different music format days make a winning formula for festival attendance. Each day is radically different from the next, which lures many of the same attendees back each day for a different music experience, while  attracting people from all over Chicagoland who are passionate about a particular musical era.

Although the main focus of Throwback Music Fest is, of course, music- the event has many other attractions.  A daily four- hour craft beer tasting session (ticketed) and quality festival food are hallmarks – with as much emphasis on variety as quality. There are at least 50 merchandise booths offering everything under the sun, and a large, elaborate kid’s area with plenty of things for young children to do while their parents are busy flashing back.

The dictionary definition of nostalgia as a ‘wistful affection for a period or place with happy associations’ explains the Throwback Music Festival’s popularity.  This event delivers three days of pleasant associations and memories – transporting Chicagoans back to a carefree, happy time. Everyone leaves Throwback Music Festival with a smile on their face.