Most Pitchfork Festival recaps will include break downs of all the artists that performed, with close up shots of them on stage, but you won't find that here. We're here to talk about the food obviously!

This year there was a new addition to the fest with the PLUS+ where you were able to upgrade your Pitchfork tickets to a luxurious experience away from all the other fest goers. This extra upgrade got you: 

  • Access to premium food vendors and specialty cocktails curated by Land and Sea Dept. including Parson’s Chicken and Fish, Lost Lake, and more. 
  • Air-conditioned bathrooms (MAJOR KEY!!!!))
  • Use of cell-phone charging stations 
  • Complimentary storage lockers 
  • Exclusive and expedited entry to festival & "Come and Go" re-entry privileges
  • Short lines 
  • Exclusive preview of Land and Sea Dept. new restaurant (opening this fall)
  • BONUS: Paul McGee sightings all weekend. 

The upgrade will definitely set you back, but if you're 30+ festival goers like ourselves, the advantages are well worth it. Check below for some flicks of this exclusive area.

 

If you didn't have the funds and were stuck outside the PLUS+ walls like most of us, you still had some tasty options. Highlights for us included: 

  • Coconut crusted avocado fries and churro sweat potato fries from Estella Negra
  • Italian Ice from Connie's
  • Any of the gelato choices from Black Dog Gelato
  • $3 Big Ass lemonades from Chicago Diner (definitely the best bang for your buck)
  • Goose Island beer, lots of beer

What we'd like to see more of at next years fest: 

  • More focus on local vendors; CH Distillery instead of Deep Eddy Vodka, Dark Matter Coffee instead of High Brew, any of the local breweries (you get the idea).
  • More efficient way to purchase alcohol, all three days had ridiculously long lines for tickets.
  • Innovative food choices, fest like Coachella are always places to check out new and exciting food. Many of the vendors have been the same over the years. 
  • Free, accessible water, we are firm believers that water is not a commodity it's a necessity.

The music highlight of the fest for us was A Tribe Called Quest, the energy of that crowd was unbeatable.  Joey Purp was the biggest surprise of the fest, he rocked with the crowd and had waves of people coming over to the Blue Stage. 

 

 We love that Pitchfork is family friendly and socially conscious. This year, attendees were encouraged to wear orange ("the color hunters wear to protect themselves") to show their support to two amazing groups Everytown for Gun Safety and Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK). As always they people were gorgeous, and the weather was great. Can't wait for next year!