By Jose Luis Benavides on July 20, 2011

Rogers Park, known as one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods, is home to an almost equal number of white, Black and Latino residents with comparable demographics. It’s no wonder then that this rare and graciously appreciated ethnic safe haven would be home to one of Chicago’s many multicultural festivals. The 6th Annual “Celebrate Clark Street Festival” kicks off Saturday, July 23 from 1 to 11p.m. and Sunday, July 24, 2011 from 1 to 10 p.m. (both days). You can find the festival on Clark Street between Morse and Estes.

Promising a wide array of Rogers Parks rich culinery expertise, I’m sure you’ll find several tasty food stands from the best local diasporic communities: African, Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Ethiopian etc. Chicago’s widely renown Sound Culture curator, and close friend of Gozamos, David Chavez helps run this years festival and promises to bring an incredible line up of world music to accompany your globe trotting taste buds.

Last years festival hosted more than 25,000 people. Check out the world market, ethnic treats, and world beats. High lights include hip-hop pioneers Los Rakas and Chicago’s own Latin-ska sex bots, Los Vicios de Papa, who also recently rocked the Welles Park, Chicago Folk and Roots Festival. With everything from samba, Haitian roots, ska, reggae and banda, what more could you ask for? And with a failed economy, the festival ieven has a reasonale family rate so nobody is left out. Join up all the cousins and some friends you can pass for cousins and head up to Rogers Park.

Suggested Donation: $5 per person, $10 per family

Saturday, July 23, 2011
North Stage (Clark and Estes)

• 1:00 Grupo Cumbe (Colombian Classic Cumbia with Jazz)
• 2:50 Brimstone Reggae (Reggae)
• 4:40 Eyes Manouche / Ode
• 6:30 Juvenato
• 8:30 Sangre Michoacana

South Stage (Clark and Morse)

• 1:30 Jugo de Mango
• 3:20 Banda Los Franco (Banda)
• 5:10 Chicago Samba (Samba)
• 7:00 Tchaka – Roots of Haiti
• 9:00 Los Rakas

Sunday, July 24, 2011
North Stage (Clark and Estes)

• 1:30 El Payo
• 3:15 Ifficial Raggae (Raggae)
• 5:00 Planeta Azul (Samba)
• 6:45 Papo Santiago & Infrared
• 8:30 Los Vicios de Papa (Latin Ska)

South Stage (Clark and Morse)

• 1:00 Sangre Michoacana
• 2:45 Carpacho y Su Super Combo
• 4:30 Chicago Bomba Plena Orchestra
• 6:15 Occidental Brothers DBI
• 8:00 Funkadesi