Jul 3, 2009 5:33 pm US/Central
Free Fun This Holiday Weekend At The Taste
CBS 2 Finds Ways To Have Fun Without Much Money
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
You want to celebrate the holiday, but you don't have a lot of cash? CBS 2's Mike Parker says you can still have a great time.
If you're heading to the Taste of Chicago this holiday weekend, you know sampling the food can take a bite out of your wallet – especially if you're bringing the whole family to the festival.
Some people may skip the Taste all together just to save money. But you can have fun without breaking the bank.
You say you're worried about losing your job in the recession; your mortgage is in trouble; your credit cards are maxed out and your wife and kids want to go to Taste of Chicago?
Is that what's troubling you? Here's how you can do it, free of charge – gratis guaranteed.
One trip to the ticket line will convince you.
"$18 and I'm going to have some fun," said one Taste attendee.
"I just spent $22. That's not too bad, I think. I think that's just the first round really," said another Taste reveler.
The Taste is not for the financially faint of heart. But if you stay away from the sweet corn or those turkey legs, you can spend the day at the food fest for free, guaranteed.
You can dance to the urban rhythms of the Bucket Brigade. Or let a "Wowie Zowie" jitterbug dance troupe cut an asphalt rug for you. No cost, no calories.
You can attend a gourmet cooking class. It's rollicking fun for a nine-year-old, who might enjoy the Best Buy Pavilion with its free video games, including video chess and a wild race driving a Formula One race car.
You can take a consumer survey and win a bottle of Texas Pete's barbecue sauce, or take some kind of insurance survey to win an I-Phone shuffle or some sunscreen.
All these freebies bring to mind the paraphrase: "Dealing with the bad economy ain't beanbag."
And folks on the knoll overlooking the Taste will be happy to help out.
"If there's anybody out there who wants to save some money, use our grill. We'll be happy to host," said some Taste goers.
And they'll be in great position to watch Friday's fireworks show.
"About 25 percent of the product we'll be shooting tonight is all new – new toys we got for this year's show," said master of the fireworks show Bob Kearns of Melrose Pyrotechnics.
And it's all free.
One word of caution: coming to the Taste and staying away from the food is not easy. The sound of the sizzle and the smell of all those goodies on the grill, it can be tempting. Just regard it as a challenge that can be beaten. Surrender instead to all those freebies and use that complimentary sample of sunscreen.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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