R&B singer-songwriter Ashanti will be taking the stage at the 2022 Hyde Park Summer Fest in June, festival organizers told The TRiiBE on April 21.
She’ll be joining headliner Busta Rhymes on the Saturday lineup of the two-day festival at Midway Plaisance. Other performers include Chicago artists Lupe Fiasco and BJ the Chicago Kid, singer-songwriter Marsha Ambrosius and Grammy Award winner DJ Jazzy Jeff.
The Hyde Park Summer Fest kicks off on Saturday, June 11, and closes out on Sunday, June 12. Each fest day will go from 12:00 P.M. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $69 (for the current Spring Break sale) for ages 12 and up.
April marked the 20th anniversary of Ashanti’s self-titled debut album, Ashanti, which gave us Billboard-charting hits “Foolish,” “Happy” and “Baby.” She won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2003 Grammy Awards, and the album has since been certified triple platinum.
In the coming weeks, Hyde Park Summer Fest organizers will release the full lineup, including another headliner and performer for Sunday, June 12.
Formerly known as the Hyde Park Brew Fest, organizers and founders Dave Jeff and Jonathan Swain are bringing back their summertime function — after a two-year hiatus — under a new name and location, the Hyde Park Summer Fest at Midway Plaisance on 59th Street and Ellis Avenue. It was previously held on 53rd Street and Harper Court, a mile and half from its new location.
In February, festival organizers gave The TRiiBE a first look at this year’s lineup.
Although DJ sets have always been a part of the festival, a new addition to the lineup this year is live performances from music artists. Because of that, the event will also be ticketed for the first time.
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Hyde Park Summer Fest returns in June with Busta Rhymes, Lupe Fiasco, BJ the Chicago Kid and more in the lineup
Formerly known as the Brew Fest, the Hyde Park Summer Fest gives The TRiiBE a first look at its two-day festival on June 11-12.
“In thinking about the long-term viability of the event and growth, we decided to make this a ticketed event, which allows us to bring top-level national and international talent to Hyde Park and to the South Side,” Swain said.
Additionally, fest goers will hear from some legendary and local deejays spinning live on the ones and twos, including Chicago house music DJ Terry Hunter, Boolu Master, Jay Illa, Mike P, Mustafa Rocks, DJ BG, DJ Grilla, Malik Shabazz, Wyld Chyld and Deejay Alicia.
2022 marks the 15th anniversary of Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore album The Cool. It was released in December 2007, and features popular tracks such as “Go Go Gadget Flow,” “Paris, Tokyo,” and “Superstar.” Back in September 2021, he performed the album at the Pitchfork Music Festival to commemorate the anniversary.
“To be able to kick this off again in June, and to experience kind of the first real summertime Chi that we’ve had in two years, we are really excited about it,” Swain said.
The festival got its start back in 2014. When Jeff and Swain started the event, it centered around craft beer. But as the festival grew, they wanted to change the focus to attract a variety of sponsors. The Hyde Park Summer Fest is a celebration of Chicago’s South Side, Swain explained.
“The interaction just from the community has been great with thousands of views and interactions on our personal pages, the Fest pages, personal phone calls, with people saying that they are going to fly in and make sure that they don’t miss this comeback,” Jeff said.
For more information about the Hyde Park Summer Fest, visit: hydeparksummerfest.com.