Cost: Admission is free but the food ain't. Tickets come in strips of 12 for $8. "Taste portions," smaller serving of the restaurant's regular menu items, generally cost one to three tickets each and will leave you some tickets and tummy room to try a handful of options. Credit cards are accepted at the ticket booths.

Organizer: City of Chicago

What to expect: Samples of Chicago's best and most authentic eats (check out the full list of vendors), plus a great live music lineup, in an uber-crowded Grant Park.

Why to go: There will be 11 new restaurants at the event this year, including Abundance Bakery, Bobak Sausage Company, Carbón, Churro Factory, Cubby Bear, Iyanze, Doreen's Gourmet Pizza, Pegasus Restaurant and Tavern, Shokolad Pastry and Café, Summer Noodle and Rice and Timothy O'Toole's Pub. Salt 'n' Pepa and Bell Biv Devoe headline the Petrillo Music Shell main stage on the first day. If you're more interested in food stars, check out Mario Batali (June 25, 1 p.m.) and Giada de Laurentiis (July 1, 3 p.m.) at the Dominick's Cooking Corner.

Additional info: Don't forget about the Race to Taste; it's a great way to burn some (not all) of those calories you put on while tastin'. Participants can stay afterward for live entertainment, plus food and drinks from a few food booths (opening early for runners). The top three overall male and female finishers will receive cash prizes and the top finishers in each age division will also receive medals. Teen musicians, enter the Battle of the Bands!, or check out the Taste of Talent, open to kids 4-14.

The Petrillo Music Shell main stage lineup:

June 25: Salt 'n' Pepa, Bell Biv Devoe, Rob Base, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh
June 26: Gavin Rossdale
June 27: Emily Osment
June 28: Broadway in Chicago stars
June 29: Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys
June 30: Mat Kearney, Brett Dennen
July 1: Trey Songz, Teairra Mari
July 2: Rob Thomas
July 3: Steve Miller Band
July 4: TBA

Illinois Lottery Taste Stage lineup:
Friday, June 25 - Americana & Folk Friday noon: Ditchweed Diesel
1:20 p.m.: Derek Nelson
2:40 p.m.: Will Phalen & The Stereo Addicts
4 p.m.: The Shams Band
5:20 p.m.: Jon Drake & the Shakes
6:40 p.m.: The Lost Cartographers

Saturday, June 26 - Garage Rock
noon: Model N
1:20 p.m.: Johnny & The Limelites
2:40 p.m.: Taxi
4 p.m.: Mannequin Men
5:20 p.m.: The Yolks
6:40 p.m.: White Mystery

Sunday, June 27 - Dance Party
noon: Class of '68
1:20 p.m.: Doko Benjo
2:40 p.m.: Men From Mars
4 p.m.: 7Deez
5:20 p.m.: Darryl B. & The Reflections
6:40 p.m.: Kong Fuzi

Monday, June 28 - Ethnic Music
noon: Joe Walega Happy Hearts Orchestra (Polish)
1:20 p.m.: Rebel Roots (Jamaican)
2:40 p.m.: Die Musikmeisters (German)
4 p.m.: Errigal (Irish)
5:20 p.m.: Goranie (Gypsy/Hungarian)
6:40 p.m.: Carlos Ortega & The Red Merle Crooner (Hispanic)

Tuesday, June 29 - Cover Band Day
noon: The Mugwumps
1:20 p.m.: Copycat
2:40 p.m.: Local Favorite
4 p.m.: K. Michaels Band
5:20 p.m.: The Voices
6:40 p.m.: Jammsammich

Wednesday, June 30 - Salute to the '80s
noon: '80s trivia and contests
1:20 p.m.: 16 Candles
2:40 p.m.: '80s trivia and contests
4 p.m.: Libido Funk Circus
5:20 p.m.: Audiodrive
6:40 p.m.: Hairbangers Ball

Thursday, July 1 - Variety Day
noon: Claire Stahlecker
1:20 p.m.: Od Topo Imi
2:40 p.m.: Tim Seisser
4 p.m.: Skybox
5:20 p.m.: Sons of the Never Wrong
6:40 p.m.: Occidental Brothers Dance Band International feat. Samba Mapangala

Friday, July 2 - Old Town School of Folk Music Ensemble Day
11 a.m.: Women's Acoustic Ensemble
noon: Soul Ensemble
1:20 p.m.: '70s Ensemble
2:40 p.m.: Old Crow Medicine Show Ensemble
4 p.m.: Dylan Ensemble
5:20 p.m.: Women's Rock Ensemble
6:40 p.m.: Beatles Ensemble

Saturday, July 3 - Rabbit Factory Soul Review
noon: JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound feat. Ralph "Soul" Jackson, Renaldo Domino and East of Edens Soul Express DJs with MC Mr. Greenweedz
4 p.m.: The Heavy

Sunday, July 4 - National Country Music Day
noon: Brian Lavender & Whiskey Bent
1:20 p.m.: Ragtop Rodeo
2:40 p.m.: Katie Quick
4 p.m.: Jason & The Haymakers

Centerstage Reviewer: Ben Rubenstein