In the spirit of Chicago summer’s, despite how short it has seemed this year, this week’s date idea is festival’s.

There are many different flavors of festivals out there.  From relaxed culture centric, wine festivals, to great opportunities to meet other singles at the Old St. Pat’s fest.  Whatever you are looking for, these festivals are a great place to take a date due to the high level of interaction, social aspect, and the relaxed atmosphere.

Here’s the breakdown:

Pro’s –

People Watching – Walking around at a festival rivals the entertainment walking around at an airport.  Somehow it always seems to draw the most interesting of people.  Whatever your style is, you’re bound to find the opposite at different festivals, and that always makes for great people watching.

Easy Conversation – With so much going with the food tents, exhibits, and music, you won’t have to rely on the notes you wrote on your hand to keep the conversation flowing.
Group Interaction – Meet your friends there or make new ones.  Festivals are always fun in big groups.  You can even see how your interest works with all the interaction.

Con’s –

Chicago Weather – We all have heard it… if you don’t like it, just wait five minutes.  Well for those Lollapalooza go-ers this year, five minutes never came.  Despite the killer music, the rain and heat were hard to ignore.  You are at the mercy of the weather… rain, shine, heat, or random act of snow, so be prepared to make last minute changes if necessary.
Less focus on each other – With so much external interaction, the date will probably be more about what is going on rather than getting to know each other.  This can be a good thing later on down the dating path, but for first dates, curiosity is an ever-present thought.

While there are some small downfalls to a festival, it is overall a great place to take a first date.  There is a lot to talk about and it can end up being a great time interacting with one another instead of the traditional dinner date.

Click here for a list of upcoming festivals.

Overall 4/5 Stars