Windy City Smokeout Day 2: Finding My Rhythm
Windy City Smokeout Day 2: Finding My Rhythm
I’ll be honest…
Day 2 was the day everything started to click.
While I enjoyed the opening day, Thursday felt more comfortable. Maybe it was because I knew the layout, maybe because we were settling into our role covering the festival, or maybe it was simply the lineup. Whatever the reason, I found myself having even more fun than I expected.
The weather definitely reminded everyone it was July in Chicago. It was humid enough that cold drinks weren’t just refreshing, they were mandatory. Thankfully, the crowd never seemed to let the heat slow them down.
One of the coolest surprises of the day happened away from the stage.
Walking through the grounds, we unexpectedly ran into Jim Belushi, whom we’d met at the Flower Expo last year. We exchanged a quick hello before both heading our separate ways. It’s one of those moments that reminds you why working these events is so much fun, you never know who you’re going to bump into.
As media, we also spent a lot of time capturing crowd reactions, B-roll, and talking with fans. One thing that’s become obvious after two days is just how welcoming the Smokeout crowd is. Whether people were dancing near the stage, relaxing with barbecue, or simply enjoying a drink with friends, everyone seemed happy to be there.
The night’s headliner, Hootie & the Blowfish, turned out to be the perfect bridge for someone like me.
I’ve admitted before that country isn’t really my genre, but Hootie occupies that interesting space where rock, pop, and country all overlap. Even if you don’t follow country music, there’s a good chance you know several of their songs. That familiarity made their set incredibly easy to enjoy, and the crowd responded exactly how you’d expect.
Sometimes festivals aren’t just about discovering something new, they’re about seeing artists you’ve known for years in a completely different setting.
By the end of Day 2, I realized I wasn’t just covering Windy City Smokeout anymore.
I was genuinely enjoying it.
We also spent part of the evening lining up food tasting interviews for Day 3, which should add another layer to our coverage. Between the music, the barbecue, the people, and the unexpected celebrity encounters, the weekend was shaping up to be much more than just a concert.
Two days in, and I’m beginning to understand why this festival has become one of Chicago’s signature summer events.
Now let’s see what Day 3 has in store.
Day 2 at Windy City SMOKEOUT. #country #music #bbq #festival #food #foodie #meat #countrymusic
