The South Shore Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to strengthen and support business corridors and small businesses in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, by empowering its members with effective training, technical assistance and access to private sector and governmental resources. The Chamber is focused on attracting new and diverse businesses and engaging all stakeholders to improve the overall quality of life in South Shore.

We were approached in 2019 to produce an outdoor festival at the South Shore Cultural Center that would bring together residents, businesses and provide a fun, cultural day for the entire family in one of the most beautiful settings – a country club on Chicago’s south shore lakefront!

We worked closely with the Chamber and secured local radio partners, corporate sponsors, business vendors and one of the biggest musical headliners of the time, Robin Thicke, at a price the non-profit could afford!  The festival was a huge success and, after a brief hiatus, we were asked to do a repeat for the event’s grand return in 2023 and we did!  We doubled the audience, via our media partners, increased corporate sponsors and vendors, and the organization was able to increase their email database by more than 15,000 with our recommendation to use a digital ticket platform for registration!

In the years since, we have continued to increase the event’s reputation as a must-attend summer activity for the South Shore community and beyond. In 2024, we held the event as a street festival with the incredible Dru Hill as the main act. Last year, we returned to the South Shore Cultural Center and had the highest attendance they’ve seen with 10,000 guests – so many that we crafted an overflow lawn!