Although it will be tempting to cocoon inside of a cooled home during the sometimes-blistering summer months, braving the sun this June will yield a bevy of fun activities. Here’s a sampling of the festivals, events, exhibitions and more that we think are worth applying sunscreen for.
Play, Pretend, and Dream: Caldecott Medal and Honor Books, 2010-2013
June 1-December 1
Awarding exemplary illustration in children’s books, the Caldecott Medal is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. To honor those many years of colorful and outstanding images, The Art Institute of Chicago is gathering an illustration from each of the 16 titles that have won the award in the past four years. From Jon Klassen’s thieving fish of This Is Not My Hat to the bizarre and charming art of Creepy Carrots!, the collection embodies the expressive art found in all Caldecott Medal-winning books.
Big Apple Barbecue Block Party
June 8-9
With more than 15 pitmasters from across the U.S., New York City is about to get a serious dose of good old country barbecue in Madison Square Park at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. Jimmy Hagood from Charleston, South Carolina’s BlackJack Barbecue, Joe Duncan from Dallas, Texas’ Baker’s Ribs, John Stage from NYC’s Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and others will be grilling all the meat you can handle as live music from Spampinato Brothers, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, Marcia Ball and more echoes throughout the park. Want to work on your grill skills? Check out one of many seminars at the IKEA Cooking Stage — for example, learn the secrets to healthy summer grill favorites at “Let’s Get Grillin’!” — a seafood grilling seminar with James Beard Award-winning chef and Forbes Travel Guide Tastemaker Chris Hastings (of Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama).
Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
June 14-16
Cooking demos, wine seminars, reserve tastings — those who think Aspen is solely for skis will be pleasantly surprised by the event schedule set for the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. This three-day festival is packed with opportunities to sharpen your palate, culinary expertise and sommelier skills. At “Pure Leaf Iced Tea Science of Parings” (June 15), Ted Allen, Scott Heimendinger and John Cheetham will dissect the art of intertwining drink and dish, from the perfect apéritif to ending with a delicious dessert. Food & Wine’s Gail Simmons will host the “Last Bite Dessert Bash” (June 14), a haven for the sweet tooth obsessed, featuring a veritable flood of treats such as buttercream-frosted cakes, meringues, tarts and more. Looking to justify that dessert indulgence? The Food & Wine Celebrity Chef 5K Charity Race (June 14) will have you working up a sweat in Rio Grande Park before heading to events packed with delicious fare and savory drinks.
Weekend tickets to the festival are sold out, but visit Food & Wine’s site for a full list of events still on sale.
Sónar
June 13-16
Fusing music, art and technology, Barcelona’s Sónar festival spans two venues — Sónar by Day at Fira Montjuïc and Sónar by Night at Fira Gran Via de L’Hospitalet — and features a huge list of electronic musicians including Kraftwerk (with a 3-D show), Pet Shop Boys, Skrillex and Jurassic 5. In addition to the music, Sónar +D is a gathering ground for artists, promoters, software and hardware engineers, and digital designers who can use the meeting experience to collaborate, inspire creativity, network and do business.
