What is Chicago’s cultural scene like?

Chicago’s cultural scene is rich with history stemming from the World’s Fair and the Great Chicago Fire to notorious mobsters John Dillinger and Al Capone. Chicago is also a city full of diverse neighborhoods boasting world-class restaurants and museums, shopping, blues and jazz clubs, festivals, comedy and theater, not to mention the Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Blackhawks and, of course, the Cubs.

In a word, diverse. Like a lot of other American cities, Chicago was founded by several bands of immigrants, which is visible in pockets of the modern city such as Pilsen (Mexican-American), Andersonville (Norwegian-American), Jefferson Park (Polish-American), Lincoln Square (German-American), and dozens of others. This diversity accounts for an incredible calendar of celebrations, a number of unique museums and historical sites and, my favorite benefit, an incredible array of cuisine. It’s possible to sample traditional dishes from India, Poland, Mexico, Vietnam and Norway, all within a few miles’ radius on the North Side. And depending on what neighborhood you’re hanging out in, you’ll see signs in Chinese or Spanish, Polish or Czech. Chicago is a cultural melting pot in the best sense of the term.