CHICAGO — Attendance at this year's Taste of Chicago hit a new record, with approximately 1.6 million people chowing down on cheesecake and turkey legs in Grant Park, the mayor's office announced.
That is the most since the Taste moved to a five-day format in 2012, city officials said. Nearly 1.4 million people attended the fest in 2016 and 2015, officials said.
"The Taste of Chicago has been a summertime staple and 2017's edition certainly didn't disappoint, putting Chicago's global reputation as a culinary and cultural capital on full display all weekend," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.
The fest's 66 restaurants and food trucks racked up $1.9 million in sales on Saturday — the most since July 3, 2009, officials said.
New vendors included Cheesie's Pub and Grub, Hakka Bakka Indian Kati Rolls and Seoul Taco.