The Navy Pier Beer Garden is a great place to stop and take a breather, providing a full menu of bar food and drinks, and a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. The Beer Garden also features live music on the weekends -- here's the entertainment schedule for the summer of 2009 (weather permitting, subject to change):
May
Friday, May 22
5 p.m.: Doko Benjo (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: The Business (Top 40/Pop/Soul)
Saturday, May 23
5 p.m.: Too Deep (Soul/R&B)
8 p.m.: Elevation (U2 Tribute)
Sunday, May 24
2 p.m.: Lubriphonic (Rock/Funk)
5 p.m.: 7th Heaven (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Too White Crew (Hip Hop Tribute)
Monday, May 25
1 p.m.: Hairbangers Ball (Monsters of Rock Tribute)
4:30 p.m.: DJ Warp (Electronic/Dance)
Friday, May 29
5 p.m.: One Night in Gotham (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Final Say (Pop/Rock)
Saturday, May 30
5 p.m.: Project Fr3sh (Hip Hop/R&B)
8 p.m.: PowerPlay (Soul/R&B)
Sunday, May 31
1 p.m.: Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico
2:30 p.m. Angel Melendez's Tribute to Hector Lavoe (Salsa/Tropical)
June
Friday, June 5
5 p.m.: Jennifer Jennings Band (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Funkadesi (Funk/Roots)
Saturday, June 6
5 p.m.: The Ripleys (Pop/Rock)
Rico! (Latin Rock/Soul)
Sunday, June 7
1 p.m.: Ballet Folklorico Nacional Victor Soria
2:30 p.m.: Willie Gomez con Cache Orchestra
Friday, June 12
5:30 p.m.: Chicago Catz (Soul/Motown)
8 p.m.: Wedding Banned (80s Tribute)
Saturday, June 13
5 p.m.: Grana Louise (Blues/R&B)
8 p.m.: Caliente (Latin Rock/Soul)
Sunday, June 14
1 p.m.: Somos Colombia Folkloric Dance Group
2:30 p.m.: Mannix Martinex & Su Orquestra
Wednesday, June 17
6 p.m.: Dance Instruction (Salsa)
7:30 p.m.: Orquesta La Crema (Afro-Puerto Rican Salsa)
Friday, June 19
5 p.m.: Soul Groove (Soul/R&B)
8 p.m.: Maggie Speaks (Pop/Rock)
Saturday, June 20
5 p.m.: Rebel Roots (Reggae)
8 p.m.: Ultimate Concept (Motown/Soul)
Sunday, June 21
1 p.m.: Renacer Bolivaiano Dance Troupe
2:30 p.m. Johnny Blas Orchestra (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, June 26
6 p.m.: "Presencia Michoacana" ft. Tarima Son & Ballet Folklorico Mexican Ensemble
Saturday, June 27
5 p.m.: Abstract Giants (Funk/Hip Hop)
8 p.m.: Elevation (U2 Tribute)
July
Friday, July 3
5 p.m.: Spoken Four (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Too White Crew (Hip Hop Tribute)
Saturday, July 4
2 p.m.: Nicholas Barron Band (Blues/Soul)
5 p.m.: Lynne Jordan & the Shivers (Soul/R&B)
8 p.m.: PowerPlay (Soul/R&B)
Sunday, July 5
1 p.m.: Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico
2:30 p.m.: Carpachu & Su Super Combo Sexy (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, July 10
5 p.m.: Planet Groove (Funk/Soul)
8 p.m.: Gentlemen of Leisure (Soul/R&B)
Saturday, July 11
5 p.m.: Blue Island Tribe (Rock/Reggae)
8 p.m.: Rendition (Rock/Top 40)
Sunday, July 12
1 p.m.: Ballet Folklorico Nacional Victor Soria
2:30 p.m. Orquesta Ardiente (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, July 17
5 p.m.: Alex Wilson Band (Blues)
8 p.m.: Final Say (Pop/Rock)
Saturday, July 18
5 p.m.: Nicole Garza & the Oh Geez (R&B/Top 40)
8 p.m.: Wedding Banned (80s Tribute)
Sunday, July 19
1 p.m.: Estampa Colombiana Dance Company
2:30 p.m.: Hector Silveira y Su Orquesta (Salsa/Tropical)
Wednesday, July 22
6 p.m.: Dance Instruction (Steppin')
7:30 p.m.: The NuBlu Band (R&B)
Friday, July 24
5 p.m.: Patty Elvis (Elvis Tribute)
8 p.m.: Lynne Jordan & the Shivers (Soul/R&B)
Saturday, July 25
5 p.m.: Kong Fuzi (Funk)
8 p.m.: Mike and Joe (Pop/Rock)
Sunday, July 26
1 p.m.: Calima & Boliviamanta Dance Ensembles
2:30 p.m.: James Sanders & Conjunto (Salsa)
Friday, July 31
5 p.m.: Brett Mitchell and the Giant Ghost (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: The Business (Top 40/Pop/Soul)
August
Saturday, August 1
5 p.m.: Joe Zelek Band (Country/Rock)
8 p.m.: Elevation (U2 Tribute)
Sunday, August 2
1 p.m.: Casa de la Cultura Guatemalteca
2:30 p.m.: Grupo Cha Cha (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, August 7
5 p.m.: Nicholas Barron Band (Blues/Soul)
8 p.m.: Chicago Catz (Soul/R&B)
Saturday, August 8
5 p.m.: Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel (Alt Country)
8 p.m.: Rico! (Latin Rock/Soul)
Sunday, August 9
1 p.m.: Ballet Folklorico Nacional Victor Soria
2:30 p.m.: Orquesta Nabori (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, August 14
5 p.m.: Local Favorite (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Gentlemen of Leisure (Soul/R&B)
Saturday, August 15
5 p.m.: The Ripleys (Pop/Rock)
8 p.m.: Angel Melendez's Tribute to Hector Lavoe (Salsa/Tropical)
Sunday, August 16
1 p.m.: Renacer Boliviano Dance Troupe
2:30 p.m.: Angel in the Solar System (Salsa/Tropical)
Wednesday, August 19
6 p.m.: Dance Instruction (Swing)
7:30 p.m.: The Outcast Jazz Band (Big Band)
Friday, August 21
5 p.m.: Crossfire (Country/Rock)
8 p.m.: Lubriphonic (Rock/Funk)
Saturday, August 22
5 p.m.: The Micah Walk Band (Rock)
8 p.m.: Ultimate Concept (Motown/Soul)
Sunday, August 23
1 p.m.: Calima & Boliviamanta Dance Ensembles
2:30 p.m.: Picorelli's Pa' La Rumba (Salsa/Tropical)
Friday, August 28
5 p.m.: Two of Us (Beatles Tribute)
8 p.m.: 7th Heaven (Pop/Rock)
Saturday, August 29
5 p.m.: Anish (Celtic/Irish Rock)
8 p.m.: Caliente (Latin Rock/Soul)
Sunday, August 30
1 p.m.: Patiperros Dance Group
2:30 p.m.: Rumbaye (Salsa/Tropical)
September
Friday, September 4
5 p.m.: Sway Chicago (Top 40/Hits)
8 p.m.: Lynne Jordan & the Shivers (Soul/R&B)
Saturday, September 5
5 p.m.: Akasha (Reggae/Hip Hop)
8 p.m.: PowerPlay (Soul/R&B)
Sunday, September 6
2 p.m.: Lowdown Brass Band (New Orleans Swing)
5 p.m.: The Chicago R&B Machine (Blues/Soul)
8 p.m.: Wedding Banned (80s Tribute)
Monday, September 7
1 p.m.: Spoken Four (Pop/Rock)
4 p.m.: DJ Itch 13 (Electronic/Dance)
