FREE Uptown Unity Summer Fest, Aug 2 
Clarendon Park, 4501 N Clarendon Ave at Sunnyside Ave. 10am–6pm.
This street party serves food and live entertainment to Uptown neighborhood residents.

FREE Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival, Aug 2–3
Dawes Park, Church St at Sheridan Rd, Evanston. 11am–6pm.

FREE JazzFest Heritage, Aug 2–3
South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Dr between 70th Pl and 71st St. Sat 10am–9pm; Sun 12:30–9pm.
Jazz favorites join local talent plucked out of high school.

Retro on Roscoe, Aug 2–3
2000 W Roscoe. Noon–10pm, $5.
This flashback street fair features music from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

* World of Faeries Festival, Aug 2–3
Vasa Park, Rte 31, South Elgin (815-788-1630, theworldoffaeries.com). Sat 10am–7pm; Sun 10am–5pm; $10, seniors $8, kids 12 and under free.
Don your fairy wings and check out the fairy art and whimsical crafts for sale, mingle with fellow fairy-loving comrades or check out the entertainment: a magic show, sword fighting, and folk and country music acts.

FREE Belize Day in the Park, Aug 3
Washington Park, 57th St and Payne Dr. 10am–10pm.
The small Central American country formerly known as British Honduras represents at this one-day fest that features live sets and vendors.

FREE Mendota Sweet Corn Festival, Aug 7–10
Illinois Ave and Jefferson St, Mendota. Thu 6–11pm; Fri 11am–midnight; Sat 9am–midnight; Sun 9am–7pm. Beer garden admission $4 (Fri–Sat 7:30pm–midnight).
Mendota is all ears at this fest. The city serves 50 tons of corn cooked to golden goodness in a vintage steam engine.

Caribbean Festival, Aug 8–10
Union Park, 1501 W Randolph St at Ashland Ave. Fri–Sun noon–10pm; $10, kids 6–12 and seniors $5, kids under 6 free.

FREE Gold Coast River North Art Fair, Aug 8–10
Along LaSalle St, at the intersections of Huron, Erie and Superior Sts. Fri noon–6pm; Sat, Sun 10am–6pm.

* Ginza Holiday Festival, Aug 8–10
Midwest Buddhist Temple, 435 W Menomonee St at Fern Ct. Fri 5:30–9pm; Sat 11:30am–7pm; Sun 11:30am–6pm; $4, students and seniors $3, kids under 12 free.
Serious Buddhists and dharma bums alike gather annually for this festival of traditional Japanese entertainment and spiritual introspection.

* Illinois State Fair, Aug 8–17
Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave, Springfield. 7am–midnight; $3, seniors $2, kids 12 and under free, parking $7, grandstand concerts require additional tickets.
The drive to Springfield takes more than three hours, but the live shows, harness racing, tractor pulls and food-on-a-stick might make this 152-year-old tradition worth a summer road trip. Martina McBride headlines.

FREE Chicago Korean Festival, Aug 9–10
3200–3600 W Bryn Mawr Ave at Kedzie Ave. Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 11am–9pm.
The local ethnic population shows off its culture this weekend with traditional arts, dancing, martial arts demonstrations and music.

* Northalsted Market Days, Aug 9–10
Halsted St between Belmont and Addison Aves. 11am–10pm, $6.
Meat Market Days, er, Market Days, is the largest two-day street fest in the Midwest. Queer acts join a roster of big name bands.

West Fest, Aug 9–10
Chicago Ave between Wood St and Damen Ave. Noon–10pm, $5.
This small street fest never fails to serve a solid roster of bands. This year’s lineup includes local talents The Redwalls.

FREE South Elgin Riverfest Express, Aug 14–17
Panton Mill Park, 10 N Water St, South Elgin. Thu 5–10pm; Fri 5–11pm, Sat noon–11pm; Sun noon–10pm.

FREE Chicago Air & Water Show, Aug 15–17
North Avenue Beach, 1600 N Lake Shore Dr. Fri 3–9pm; Sat, Sun 9am (water show), 11am–4pm (air show).
An extra event on Friday adds to what was formerly the country’s largest two-day spectator event. The roaring Navy Blue Angels, the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, and other sky and lake-bound tricksters draw a crowd to the lakefront.

FREE Edison Park Fest, Aug 15–17
6700–6800 Olmsted Ave between Oshkosh and Oliphant Aves. Fri 5–11pm; Sat 9am–11pm; Sun 10am–10pm.

* FREE Carifete, Aug 16
Midway Plaisance between 59th and 60th Sts. 9am–9pm. Parade at 1pm.
This Caribbean pageant simmers with colorful, scantily-clad marchers accompanied by the sounds of calypso, soca, reggae, punta and zouk.

The Raven, Aug 16–17
Chase Park, 4701 N Ashland Ave at Clark St. Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–8pm; $5.
The Ravenswood community shows off with food and vendor booths, and quintessential street-fair entertainment.

FREE Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest & Open Studio Walk, Aug 22–24
6900 N Glenwood Ave between Farwell and Lunt Aves. Fri 6–10pm; Sat–Sun noon–8pm.

FREE Bucktown Arts Fest, Aug 23–24
Senior Citizen Park, 2300 N Oakley Ave at Lyndale Ave. 11am–7pm.

* Cal’s Fest, Aug 23
Cal’s, 400 S Wells St at Van Buren St. 4pm–2am, price TBA.
The downtown dive that slings drinks to bike messengers and Loop stragglers stages a day of bands in its gritty alley.

Chicago Reggae Festival, Aug 23
Union Park, 1500 W Randolph St. Noon–10pm, $15–$20.
Some of reggae’s brightest stars bring their positive vibrations to Union Park for this one-day fest.

FREE Taste of Greece, Aug 23–24
Halsted St between Van Buren and Monroe Sts. Noon–11pm.
Get a taste of Greek culture beyond your fast food gyros. Feast on flaming cheese, octopus and lamb chops while taking in belly dancers, traditional dancing and live music.

FREE ¡Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival, Aug 23–24
Grant Park, Jackson Blvd at Columbus Dr. 11am–9:30pm.
The all-star lineup of Latin American musical talent is enhanced by authentic food, crafts and clothing vendors.

Whole Foods Flavor Fest, Aug 23–24
Wrightwood Park, 2534 N Greenview Ave. at Lill Ave. Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–8pm; $5.
The natural-foods store takes its fresh comestibles to the streets with this fest that includes music, a cooking stage and kids’ activities.

* FREE Chicago Jazz Fest, Aug 28–31
Millennium Park, Michigan Ave between Monroe and Randolph Sts (Thu); Grant Park, Jackson Blvd at Columbus Dr (Fri–Sun). 10am–9:30pm.
Catch all that jazz at the 30th year of this annual outdoor festival. Headliners include Sonny Rollins and Ornette Coleman.

African Festival of the Arts, Aug 29–Sept 1
Washington Park, 51st St at Cottage Grove Ave. 10am–10pm; $10, seniors and kids $5.
Check out live performances by local and international artists, fine art, handmade jewelry, sculpture and clothing by artisans from around the world.

FREE Lake in the Hills Summer Sunset Festival, Aug 29–31
Sunset Park, Miller Rd at Albrecht Rd, Lake in the Hills. Fri 3–11pm, Sat 10am–11pm, Sun 11am–10:30pm.

FREE Last Fling, Aug 29–Sept 1
Main St at Jackson Ave along the Riverwalk, Naperville. Fri 5–11pm; Sat, Sun 10am–11pm; Mon 10am–6pm.
Kiss summer goodbye with suburban entertainment including carnival rides, contests and bands.

* FREE Taste of Melrose Park, Aug 29–31
1000 25th Ave, Melrose Park. Fri 5pm– midnight; Sat noon– midnight; Sun noon–10pm.
An unlikely spot for one of the area’s best food festivals, Melrose Park unites behind its Italian population to bring delectable family dishes to the public. Bonus: Every food item is $2 or less.

Taste of Polonia, Aug 29–Sept 1
Copernicus Center, 5216 W Lawrence Ave at Milwaukee Ave. Fri 5–11pm; Sat, Sun noon–11pm; Mon noon–10pm; $6; after 6pm $7.
If you’re expecting only polka and pierogis, think again. You’ll definitely get your fill of traditional potato pancakes, kielbasa and other traditional Polish treats at this food and music fest, but the lineup also includes a variety of acts and contemporary Polish artists.

Bash on Wabash, Aug 30–31
1400 S Wabash Ave at Roosevelt Rd. Noon–11pm, $5.
The South Loop ’hood shows off why it’s on the up and up.