You can almost taste the barbecue, can’t you? With Ribfest, June 8 – 10, fast approaching, organizers have just released the entertainment lineup and list of food vendors that’ll be slinging everything from shortribs and pulled pork to funnel cakes and fried root beer floats. That’s right, we said fried.

On Friday, June 8, check out how the professional eaters get it done; the Third Annual Rib-Eating Competition, sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating, kicks off at 6 p.m. on the North Stage. Last year’s champ, Chicago native Patrick Bertoletti, scarfed down 5.24 pounds of baby backs in eight minutes.

Non-competitors are sure to engage in plenty of chowing too: This year’s Ribfest boasts more than 25 food vendors serving up ribs and/or some form of BBQ, with another 10 offering palate cleansers like Elvis Bread Pudding.

Ribfest will once again take place along Lincoln Avenue, between Irving Park and Berteau. Proceeds benefit Northcenter Chamber of Commerce initiatives including community programming, greening and beautification efforts, and grants to local schools and charities. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend the event.

A complete schedule and details on the amateur rib-eating contest are still to come.

2012 Food Vendors (subject to approval)

Amit and Ali Philly Ice

Armands Pizzeria

Big Bricks

Black Dog Gelato

Black Rock Pub & Kitchen

Blue Bayou

Bo’s Concessions

BrownTrout Restaurant

Byron’s Hot Dogs

Chase Root Beer

Chicago BBQ Company

Chicago Classic

Cordis Brothers

Corner 41 Bar & Grill

Glutton Force Five

Horseshoe Barbecue

Johnny Van’s Smokehouse

Jury’s Restaurant

Kettle Kabin

Lees Concessions

Lincoln Restaurant

Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro

Pitchfork

Real Urban Barbecue

Ripasso

Robinson’s #1 Ribs

Rub BBQ Company

Sholado

Sola

Teresa Mittons Concessions & Catering

Texas Thunder

The Fireplace Inn

The Smoke Daddy

Uncle Bub’s BBQ

Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe – Blackhawk BBQ & Seafood

2012 Music Performers

Sissy Mena

The Wanton Looks

The Spinto Band

J. Roddy Walston and the Business

Kerosene Stars

Old Shoe,

The Van Goghs

The Lawrence Peters Outfit

Pet Lions

Common Loon

The Features

Megafaun

Band Called Catch

Village

Sarah & the Tall Boys

Stolen Silver

Precious Blood

Gold Motel

Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts

Heartless Bastards

Public forum on education reform. Credit: Flickr/vectorportal

In organizing Sunday’s upcoming public forum, “Critically Thinking About Chicago Public Schools,” Lisa Tacke-Pucylowski had one goal in mind: “I’d like [people] to walk away having at least heard a different side, perspectives that have not been told as actively in the news.”

The struggle over implementing a longer school day has dominated Chicago’s mainstream news cycle for nearly a year, distilling the complex issue of education reform into a sound bite. “If you really want to be informed, you have to dig,” said Tacke-Pucylowski, who teaches Italian at Lane Tech.

Her idea was to give parents, teachers, students and members of the community a platform to discuss various opportunities for reform, to exchange information, and to ask and answer questions. Among those scheduled to appear during a panel presentation, which will precede a Q&A session: Sonia Kwon, Raise Your Hand; Wanda Hopkins, Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE); Kate Brandt, Six Point Five to Thrive; Victor Alquieira, Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE); and representatives from the Chicago Teachers Union. Members of the school board have been invited, as has Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th).

The forum is scheduled for May 20, 5-7 p.m., Luther Memorial Church, 2500 W. Wilson Ave.

Protestors plan to march on Mayor Emanuel's house Saturday. Credit: Flickr/Jos van Zetten

And you thought you were going to escape all the NATO shenanigans by avoiding downtown. Forgot that the mayor lived in the ‘hood, didn’t you?

On Saturday, May 19, the Mental Health Movement, which has been protesting Mayor Emanuel’s decision to shutter half of the city’s mental health clinics, is calling on its NATO sisters and brethren to join the cause and bring the fight to the mayor’s doorstep.

According to Occupy Chicago, at 10 a.m. demonstrators will descend upon the area surrounding the Irving Park Brown Line, dressed in hospital gowns emblazoned with “Healthcare Not Warfare” and “Clinics Not NATO.” After going door to door in search of mental health care, they will decamp to Horner Park (Irving Park and California) and proceed to march to Emanuel’s house at 4228 N. Hermitage Ave.

The precise route of the march hasn’t been divulged and it’s difficult to gauge the potential size of the demonstration — is the Mental Health Movement even on the NATO crowd’s radar. In a bulletin to residents, Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) encouraged people to sign up for NotifyChicago, which will provide updates on road closures and other incidents related to the summit and protests.

Square Roots is a collaboration between the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce and the Old Town School of Folk Music. Billed as a “craft beer and music experience,” the festival will take place between 4400 N. Lincoln Ave. and  4560 N. Lincoln Ave. (Montrose to Wilson) and also feature food from local restaurants.

2012 Performers
Sidi Touré (Malian guitar guru)
Waco Brothers (Chicago’s own)
Ezra Furman (indie rock)
Global Dance Party Outdoors! with Carpacho y su Super Combo (dance lesson & live music)
Canasta (Chicago indie pop)
MAKU Soundsystem (Afro-Colombian world fusion)
Orisha Dance Chicago (Afro-Cuban)
Mrigya (Indian fusion)
Taj Weekes & Adowa (reggae)
Paseo Jarocho (Mexican son)
Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp (Cajun)
AfriCaribe (Puerto Rican / Caribbean)
Magic Carpet (Jazz world fusion)
Orquesta El Macabeo (Salsa)
Musikanto (Folk Americana)
Jonas Friddle and the Majority (orchestral folk)
Kong Fuzi (funk)
Elephant Revival (folk)
Harlan Terson (blues)
10th Midwest Fiddle Championship
Bailey Dee’s Rockabilly Round Up (rockabilly)

Kids Music
Wiggleworms Woody Guthrie 100th Birthday Party
Laura Doherty Band
Little Miss Ann
Lindsay & The Shimmies
Young Stracke All Stars

Fountainhead salutes Dogfish Head. Credit: Flickr/jennifromtheblock

Chicago Craft Beer Week doesn’t officially start until Thursday, but we haven’t heard any complaints that Fountainhead, 1970 W. Montrose Ave., is jumping the gun by hosting Dogfish Head owner/founder Sam Calagione at a mini-fest tonight, featuring some of Dogfish’s greatest hits.

Featured in his own Discovery Channel series, Brew Masters, and a New Yorker profile, Calagione is perhaps the closest thing to a celebrity in the craft beer world, though most of his fans would likely be hard-pressed to pick him out of a lineup.

Fountainhead will serenade Calagione and patrons with a “set list” of Dogfish music-themed ales: Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, Robert Johnson’ Hell Hound On My Ale, Pearl Jam’s Faithful Ale and a very rare Firkin of Johnny Cask 75min IPA. Non-musical brews will also be available, including a special keg of the first run of Palo Santo Marron (2007).

The event kicks off at 4 p.m.

Bikers gather at Lawrence and Damen. Credit: Jennifer/EveryBlock

Members of Chicago’s motorcycling community gathered last night at a makeshift memorial for Phillip Pfister, the 30-year-old biker killed early Monday morning in a crash near the intersection of Lawrence and Damen Avenues. Two others were injured in the accident between a car and two motorcycles.

Neighbors described a somber sight, as more than 100 bikers arrived at the scene of the accident Monday evening and stood outside the CVS at 4800 N. Damen, holding candles.

“Motion to offer a four-year contract to Dr. Christopher Dignam,” said parent representative Deborah Taus-Barth. To a unanimous chorus of “ayes,” the Lane Tech grad, former science teacher and now former assistant principal, was handed the reins to his alma mater.

Read the complete story at Roscoe View Journal.

Irving Park Streetscape. Credit: Courtesy of CDOT

How is the Irving Park Streetscape like an Oreo? CDOT went for the filling first.

Phase 1 of the project encompassed the stretch of the thoroughfare from Western to Damen. Now CDOT is rolling out Phase 2 along two sections of Irving Park that sandwich Phase 1: Rockwell to Western, and the Lincoln/Damen intersection to Ravenswood.

Funded with $4.4 million in TIF dollars, the streetscape boasts a number of enhancements:

• Permeable pavers, which improve drainage
• Decorative benches, bike racks and waste containers
• 74 new shade trees with grates
• Decorative street lighting with energy efficient, metal halide love-it-or-hate-it “white” light

CDOT did not respond to CSJ‘s phone calls or emails requesting a construction timeline.

Movies in the Park - a summer tradition. Credit: Courtesy of the Chicago Park District

The city may be broke but you’ve got to hand it to the bean counters: They know not to mess with our free Movies in the Park. For the twelfth year, the Park District will present a mix of classics like Vertigo and The Wizard of Oz along with recent hits including Moneyball and Captain America.

In CSJ‘s neck of the woods, mark your calendars for:

• June 30, Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland Ave., Grease — because Olivia Newton-John in those skintight black pants never gets old
• June 30, Gross Park, 2708 W. Lawrence Ave., 2012 Oscar-nominated Hugo — Seriously, Park District, making us go all Sophie’s Choice and choose between two flicks on the same night?
• Aug. 29, River Park, 5100 N. Francisco Ave., The Smurfs — BYO kids and BYOB

View the complete schedule here; Movies in the Park runs June 11 – Oct. 26 at 128 parks. All movies begin at dusk. For updated weather cancellations, call 312.742.1134 or check the Park District’s movie page.

Students participate in last year's Ravenswood Walk-a-Thon. Credit: Courtesy of Friends of Ravenswood School

Ravenswood Elementary, 4332 N. Paulina St., is designated a Fine and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster School by CPS. “You know what comes along with that?” asks Natalie Waechter, parent of three students and a member of Friends of Ravenswood School (FORS). In terms of curriculum expectations: plenty. In terms of funding from CPS: “Nothing.”

That’s why you’ll see the school’s youngest pupils — pre-K through third grade — out walking this Wednesday, May 16, as part of the Third Annual Walk-a-Thon for Ravenswood School. The entire event takes place on the school’s playground, so, yea, no street closures (we’re looking at you, Ravenswood Run).

The fundraiser is one of several that FORS holds each year to drum up financial support for the school’s programming — picking up the tab for everything from field trips to photocopying services. Spring Forward, the group’s showcase event, has netted close to $70,000 over the past two years. A highly competitive, adults-only dodgeball tournament brought in another $5,000 in 2012, and the fourth- through eighth-graders jump-roped their little legs off last fall to the tune of $2,500.

“It’s very grassroots,” says Waechter. Her goal this year is for the Walk-a-Thon to pull in $15,000, more than double last year’s haul of $6,000. “I’d be very happy with $10,000,” she says. (As of press time, donations stood at $7,000).

The funds will go toward purchasing equipment and supplies needed for the school’s music, drama and art programs, including a new theater curtain and a sound system. Last year, FORS kicked in for 30 computers when Ravenswood was asked by CPS to pilot online MAP testing, only to discover the school’s existing models couldn’t accommodate the necessary software.

Waechter’s husband had the idea to economize by obtaining the individual component parts on the cheap (after receiving technical requirements from CPS), and Ravenswood middle schoolers assembled the computers with an assist from students at DeVry University. “They built 30 computers over two weekends,” says Waechter. “The kids loved it.”

With schools scrambling to find dollars to plug CPS’ perpetual budget cutbacks, such creative solutions have become the norm. Which brings us back to the Walk-a-Thon.

The kids will walk for 60 minutes in two groups: the first sets out at 9:30 a.m. and the second at 1:15 p.m. Water stations mimic the atmosphere of grown-up events like the Chicago Marathon; cheering sections are not only allowed but encouraged.

For the first time, Ravenswood is collecting donations online, making it easier for members of the community (like, oh, maybe Mayor Emanuel, whose kids expressly don’t attend Ravenswood) to sponsor a classroom, student or just pledge a couple bucks.

“We’ve got to get the community involved,” says Waechter. When the school was threatened with losing it arts programs a few years ago, residents gladly signed petitions to save the classes from the axe. “Nobody said no.”