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Belmont Central Fest To Be 'Bigger and Better' in 2nd Year This September

By Alex Nitkin | June 22, 2015 5:30am
 Belmont Central Fest say this year's event will run one day longer, and cover two more city blocks.
Belmont Central Fest say this year's event will run one day longer, and cover two more city blocks.
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Belmont Central Fest

BELMONT CRAGIN — After a successful pilot year in 2014, Belmont Central Fest will be coming back to Belmont Cragin in September, officials confirmed.

Organizers will be upping the amount of food, rides and music from last year, and they'll expand the festival's area by two blocks to fit it all. Instead of a single weekend, September's event will run three days, from Sept. 18-20. 

"The response from last year was so overwhelming — the community really really loved it," said event organizer Frank Maza, who estimated that 10,000 people attended the fest last year. "So this year is going to be bigger and better, and we want to keep making it bigger and better."

 Organizers hope to bring at least 60 vendors to this year's festival, topping last year's 44.
Organizers hope to bring at least 60 vendors to this year's festival, topping last year's 44.
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Belmont Central Fest

Where the festival brought together 44 food and merchant vendors in 2014, Maza said he'll be aiming to attract at least 60 this year. He's also looking to beef up the event's live music lineup, which featured a wide swath of local talent. 

"Last year we were able to get a really diverse lineup, from blues to Latin music to Polish music, and we definitely want to keep that going," Maza said. "But this year we'd like to bring in a headliner from outside the city, instead of only groups from Chicago."

Other mainstays from last year's festival, including carnival rides, a petting zoo with camels and ponies, and an antique auto show, are slated to return as well.

The inaugural festival came together when Maza, part-owner of production company Offbeat Presents, brought the idea to Ald. Ariel Rebroyas (30th).

"The alderman really wanted to do something for the community, and I think the community was ready for this," Maza said. "I mean there isn't really anything else like it out there. ... Normally you'd have to go to Wicker Park or Lincoln Park for an event like this, so we thought people would be eager to see something Belmont Cragin."

Even though it's only happened once, Maza said he could already see the boost the festival brought to the area. 

"There are some struggling businesses up here not a lot of people know about, and this is really all about bringing some awareness and recognition for them," Maza said. "But above all we just want something that's good for families, something that people can look forward to every year."

 Belmont Central Fest say this year's event will run one day longer, and cover two more city blocks.
Belmont Central Fest say this year's event will run one day longer, and cover two more city blocks.
View Full Caption
Belmont Central Fest

Entrance to Belmont Central Fest will be free, but entrants will be asked to give donations to the American Cancer Society. The event grounds will extend north from the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Central Avenue.

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