Audiences cheered on artists, musicians, flames and fireworks at this festival on Saturday, September 26 at the Great Chicago Fire Festival.
After last year’s rocky inaugural show, the pressure was on to bring the heat at this year's Great Chicago Fire Festival at its new Northerly Island location. On Saturday, the second take of the historic fire fest redeemed the first year. The island resembled a mini- and family-friendly Burning Man in ways, with student art, Mad Max-ian roving bandstands and poetry, breakdancing and musicians performing. The two-hour ceremony began at 7pm and included a Native American drum blessing, choral singing, young people dancing, a drum line and rock musicians. Finally, a man in a cow suit set fire to the wooden home and the blaze roared quickly. As singer Len Jordan belted out Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” a stellar firework display erupted. Check out our photos of the event.
