BOYSTOWN — For the second year, organizers of Frost Fest promise to cure cabin fever with a heated tent and plenty of beer.
If that doesn't perk you up, hopefully the Soup Walk will.
The two-day festival is back, set for Feb. 27-28. This year, Northalsted Business Alliance is flipping the festival order, with the Brisk Brews craft beer festival taking place Saturday before the Soup Walk on Sunday.
The Soup Walk will also expand to Broadway with the help of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce. Nine shops along Halsted Street and Broadway will have free samples of soups from nearby restaurants.
Frost Fest is meant to help attract visitors to Lakeview's east side during what is normally a lull in business between Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, organizers said.
More than 40 brewers will bring their tastiest drafts to the craft beer festival Feb. 27 at the corner of Halsted and Waveland. The $35 presale tickets (plus a $4.66 fee) include 15 tastings of 3 ounces each and a souvenir tasting glass. Tickets will be $40 at the door, and designated driver tickets for $10 provide entry to the festival without beer samples.
Beer fans can get tickets for tasting sessions at 1-4 p.m. or 6-9 p.m.
Brewers will gather from around the country, from New York's Coney Island Brewing and The Brooklyn Brewery to California's Anchor Brewing Co. and Tallgrass Brewing Co. out of Kansas.
Local favorites like Ale Syndicate, Begyle Brewing, 5 Rabbit Cerveceria, Around the Bend Beer Co. and Urban Legends Brewing Co. are set to appear, as well.
Food trucks like Beavers Donuts, Chubby Wieners and Ms. Tittle's Cupcakes will also be at the festival.
On Feb. 28, the free Soup Walk returns for its third year. A free trolley will drive around the neighborhood, making it even easier to hit all nine spots offering free soup samples from nearby eateries. The inclusion of Lakeview East businesses almost doubles the length of last year's walk.
The nine Soup Walk stops are:
• Noteworthy Notes, 3629 N. Halsted St., featuring soup from Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club
• Egoist, 3526 N. Halsted St., featuring soup from Dive Bar
• Boystown Collectibles, 3453 N. Halsted St., featuring soup from Taverna 750
• Universal Wellness Source, 3324 N. Halsted St., featuring soup from The Chicago Diner
• The Leigh Gallery, 3306 N. Halsted St., featuring soup from D.S. Tequila Co.
• CRAM Fashion, 3331 N. Broadway, featuring soup from Cafe L'Appetito
• Unabridged Bookstore, 3251 N. Broadway, featuring soup from The Bagel
• Gap, 3216 N. Broadway, featuring soup from Esencia Urban Kitchen
• wineHouse, 3164 N. Broadway, featuring soup from Soupbox
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