Winter in Chicago can be brutal, so once summer hits, the city celebrates like nobody's business, with concerts and neighborhood festivals every weekend. Here's a short list of ones worth checking out — including a trek up north of the border.
• 40th annual Summerfest, through July 8: Milwaukee's marathon of music is well worth the two-hour drive
• Pitchfork Music Festival brings out all the alt-rockers July 13-15
• The Chicago Folk & Roots Festival, July 14-15, fills Lincoln Square's Welles Park with music and dance
• The World's Largest Block Party lives up to its name at July 20-21
• On August 3, Lollapalooza swallows Grant Park, stuffing 150 bands into three days