DOWNTOWN — Chicago sure knows how to throw a party.
But some are better than others.
With Chi-Town Rising deciding not to rise for a third New Year's Eve, we rounded up a list of recently failed festivals here ranging from the overly ambitious (Margarita Fest) to the overhyped (Great Chicago Fire Festival).
Not every festival is built to last ... or even get off the ground. Here's a rundown:
Chi-Town Rising
Things started out fine for Chi-Town Rising, which drew a self-reported 90,000 attendees and topped local broadcasts when it debuted on New Year's 2016. But a lack of star power and slipping ratings led the festival to cancel plans for 2018.
Also, Chicagoans hated the name.
Get In It Music Fest
At one time a music festival at Sox Park headlining Lupe Fiasco, Macklemore and Fat Joe might have done well. That time has passed.
Great Gatsby Lawn Party
It's usually a good idea to secure a venue before asking people to pay $50 for a festival. But empty promises are easier.
Reggae Fest
Reggae Fest Chicago organizers hosted a successful festival last year on the Near West Side, but told supporters they were taking their "island time" to get a new concert going. Reggae Fest aims to return in 2018.
Margarita Fest
Racist outbursts aside, Margarita Fest has been fraught with problems including low staffing and long lines at two different parks now.
Chicago Hot Sauce Festival
This one stings: Chicago Hot Sauce Festival finally debuted in 2015 in Avondale after an inexplicable three-day delay, then never returned.
Chicago Food Truck Fest (2014)
Every picture tells a story. This one has a lot of bored people and no food trucks. That was during its inaugural year in 2014. It's since moved from the Sox Park parking lot, added more vendors and gotten much better reviews.
Great Chicago Fire Festival
Thousands of Chicagoans flocked to the Downtown riverfront to see Redmoon Theater's 2014 recreation of the Great Chicago Fire. There was just one problem: rain, and not much caught fire.
Third Rail Music Festival
River North's Third Rail Music Festival in 2014 was so underground only about 30 people showed up.
North Side Irish Fest
Aimed at replacing the previously underwhelming North Side SummerFest, Irish Fest was never realized after being proposed by the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce four years ago.
