Three summer staples—Chicago Outdoor Film Festival, Chicago Criterium bicycle races and the ever-popular Venetian Night—may be gone in 2010. The Mayor’s Office of Special Events—the folks who bring us a raft of Grant Park festivals every year—confirmed that those festivals are not on its 2010 calendar. “It’s certainly not anything we want to do, but we were told to make [budget] cuts,” says Cindy Gatziolis, spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. “This year, we found ways to hide all the cuts that we made, but 2010 will be different.” The city’s budget won’t be finalized until December 31, so nothing is definite yet. Gatziolis adds: “If  [someone from the] corporate world wants to save the day, we’re here and listening!”

No more classic movies by moonlight? No 53rd annual boat parade? We say: It’s a tragedy! What do you think about the cuts?

Chicago Country Music Festival proved two widely known things about this city: October weather is incredibly unpredictable (50 degrees and raining on Saturday, cotton-puff clouds against a blue sky on Sunday) and country-music may have had its heyday in terms of popularity in America but it doesn’t command the mass audience in this city that it might elsewhere. There weren’t even enough people at CCMF to fill half the seats at Petrillo. When I asked around, the security staff drew blanks on the names of the country artists performing.

My boyfriend and I (long-time Chicago denizens with Ark-lahoma upbringings) braved a cold, soggy Saturday night to see country golden-girl Miranda Lambert and Nashviller Jamey Johnson. Looking at the teeny crowd hovering around Grant Park’s Petrillo Bandshell, we caught an eyeful of rural fashion trends—camouflage, plaid and Carhartt—that made us suspect few other Chicagoans were in attendance. Taking the stage first, Johnson—a dirty, tranquil Harley-loving hipster known best for writing hit songs for the likes of George Strait—played a deft, mellow set. A cop asked me “Who is dis?” right before Miranda Lambert went on. The small-town Texas spitfire, whose third album Revolution dropped last week, wooed the crowd strumming her often-melancholy country songs on a bubble-gum pink guitar.

It was no roll-around-in-the-mud-for-kicks Woodstock, but the rain did little to dampen spirits of the few who stuck it out. But as an intimate, end-of-the-summer-festival-season event, it was better than all right–those downstate Illinois tractor-driver types can come to Chicago anytime, fine by me.

I’m something like 1/4 to 1/8 Bavarian—and my mom makes some pretty fierce German food when she feels like asserting her heritage. I remembered this yesterday as I ambled over to the Berghoff fest for a beer and a kraut-slathered brat. Of course, there was a guy in a heavy Chicago accent complaining about the prices. “5 bucks for a brat? You got to be kidding me, man” as he ordered a portabello and a root beer. I couldn’t get enough of this other guy who was chatting up everyone around him—he had the most subtle sarcasm I’ve ever witnessed in public. Example: “Wow, this is some crazy Oktoberfest,” he said. Was it—did he mean that?  The party hadn’t really started yet, it was just lunch, but it seemed a safe after-work bet. Photos by Amy Mokris

I’ll take any opportunity to yell “Prost!” with a bunch of strangers during my lunch break, which is why I headed over to Berghoff’s 24th Annual Oktoberfest, which kicked off today in Federal Plaza. The food, just like every year, is by and large not at all German (portabello sandwiches? chocolate-chip cookies?), but I did manage to score a brat (weak, too sweet) and a pretzel (tough, sad)—I kind of wished I’d just gotten a hot-dog down the block instead. The entertainment on the other hand—goofy, Americanized German beer-hall singing—was well worth the disappointing food offerings.

Berghoff’s Oktoberfest, Adams & Dearborn, 11am–9pm through Fri 18. Live German music each day from 11:30am–2:30pm and live non-German music at night from 5–8:30pm.

Check out Around Town’s guide to September festivals for some potentially more exciting outings.

You could hear this past weekend’s Celtic Fest in Grant Park before you could see it: The wailing sounds of the bagpipes carry over at least three blocks. A large portion of the Midwest’s Irish population descended upon downtown, sporting Utilikilts and Celtic crosses, to watch sheep being herded around Butler Field and burly men launch large logs in the Scottish Heavy Athletics Competition. Musical headliners Gaelic Storm performed at the Petrillo Music Shell; and festgoers made an evening of it with fish and chips from the Abbey Pub booth (sadly, there was no haggis to be found) and strolls though the Celtic art fair. We picked up one of the squishy lobsters-on-a-stick from the Fly Nova Scotia booth—possibly the coolest giveaways I’ve seen this summer.

Photos by Amy Mokris

A ticket to today’s Windy City Wine Fest will set you back $30 (including 10 coupons for wine tastings and a plastic wine glass), but you don’t have to shell out the big bucks to enjoy this fest. While you won’t be able to try the wines or Blue Moon beer, a designated driver ticket costs only $10 and gives you access to everything else at the lawn party on the Daley Bicentennial Plaza. And take it from us, there is plenty to keep you occupied.  Some highlights:

• Samples of the terrific toffee-and-walnut covered apples at Mrs. Prindables Handmade Confections. Be sure to snag one of the caramels for later—you’ll dream of these treats for days.
• Catch a cooking demonstration today at 4pm by chefs Scott Walton and Thomas Rice of Markethouse Restaurant.
• Free samples of the deliciously thick Greek yogurt at the Fage booth. Mention how much you enjoy the product and you might score some coupons.
• Even if you can’t get a drink at the Blue Moon tent, you can stop in to help paint a billboard (see above). Let your inner artist loose—everyone else will be too tipsy to judge you.

Sophisticated ladies and other cosmopolitan Chicagoans are flocking to Grant Park this weekend for the 31st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival. Although the fest wouldn’t mean a thing without that swing, you’ll still need something to do between sets. Here are three things to check out while you wait for the headliners:

• In the heat of the day, stop in at the Australian Wine Oasis for a cool beverage and a shady place to sit. For a refreshing drink, try the chilled Wirra Wirra “Mrs. Wigley” Grenache Rosé (sip $2, glass $6).  If you enjoy the taste of Down Under, Wine Styles is on hand to take orders for bottles.
• Refuel at the Feast booth, where you can order two “Australian” sliders, made with beef, pineapple and bacon ($5). If those don’t fill you up, munch on the crisp sweet-potato fries ($3).
• Take a break from the crowds by wandering through the booths of local artists. Patrick Crouch, official artist of the fest, showcases his paintings at a booth behind the food vendors. We also liked the unusual leather masks ($50+) at the Semmerling and Schaefer booth, formerly of New Orleans.

Every year, in the middle of California Avenue, the Romanian food fest erects a spit and grills hundreds of pigs, lambs and the occasional ox. Our intern Dani Brecher ate her way through the meat-filled fest and mapped out an attack plan. If you want to give her plan a go, hit the fest today—the grills are fired up until 10pm tonight.

-Start at the back of the festival grounds, where burly men are crushing and pressing grapes to make incredibly fresh juice. The flavorful cups are  included with the price of admission, so indulge.

-Order the mititei, traditional salty and savory skinless sausage ($11). Tasty when dipped in mustard, they’re served with hand-cut french fries and homemade pickled green tomatoes.  

-If you come with friends, split a bottle of Romanian wine ($17). The Murfatlar Pinot  Noir, from one of a Romanian winery, goes well with the plentiful meat options.  

-Still have room? Stop by the Le Patisserie booth and sample diplomat, a sponge cake confection layered with orange-infused whipped cream ($3.50).  Happy eating and, as the Romanian staff will tell you, “Poftă bună!” 

California Ave at Addison St. Fest runs through Sun 30, 10pm. $10.

Anybody who has eaten at L2O—or paid attention to the L2O blog—knows that chef Laurent Gras isn’t afraid of dishes that require many tiny tedious steps. Consider that most meals at L2O involve at least 12 courses, and you have a very busy kitchen.

A post on Gourmet.com today explains where Gras gets the energy to deal with those details: Gatorade. And PowerBar gels. And a few espressos. Granted, these are the foodstuffs that Gras chooses to get him through a day of cycling. But I’m guessing that a Saturday night in L2O’s kitchen requires just as much stamina.

The blues have a special place in my heart; throw down on any old 12-bar progression and I’m happy as a pig in shit. Austin, Texas-based the Dave Herrero Band brought the heat of its home state this weekend with some scorching Texas blues. Wet weather threatened the Taste of River North momentarily, but satisfied taste buds then reigned at the corner of Kingsbury and Erie, and once the rain dried, appetites remained whet. Fest goers got their fill at stands from local restaurants such as @spot café (pictured above). And to my fellow Detroit Jews—not only is Leo’s Coney Island coming to the North Side (Southport near Addison), but suburban-Detroit-Jew-haven Steve’s Deli put out a magnificent spread at the Taste, where it has recently opened its Chicago location. Finally, Chicago will know. See more from the Taste of River North.