Something about summer pairs naturally with cowboy boots, trucker hats, cut-off shorts and skin-baring sequin dresses. From a fashion standpoint alone, Windy City Smokeout — the outdoor festival that combines country music, slow-cooked barbecue and tasty libations — offers city dwellers and suburbanites alike an opportunity to sport cowboy duds without drawing awkward stares. They also enjoy the chance to savor and smell food directly connected to Chicago’s old “hog butcher of the world” reputation.
Taking place July 11-14 at United Center Parking Lot C (1901 W. Madison St.), Windy City Smokeout is a bit like a mullet hairdo — party in the back, more chilled-out in the front — in that it blends frat-like debauchery, adult theme-park-style entertainment, foodie credibility, corporate branding and family-friendly accessibility.
Logistically, the annual extravaganza stands out from Chicago’s crowded festival slate by doing several things better than its peers. Among the advantages: You can buy a day pass for less than $100. Since each artist plays on the same stage, you don’t need to trudge half a mile through a sweaty maze of people to see a musician or worry about having to choose between two performers with overlapping schedules.
Thanks to in-and-out privileges, you can come and go as you please. You can refill your water container without waiting in long lines. And parents, kids under 10 get in for free.
Yet Windy City Smokeout’s finest feat relates to ho.
