Fest For The Beatles Fans Returns To Chicago For 40th Summer!

Aug 08, 2016 James Currie Breaking News, Music News, This Just In 0

Get back to where you once belong along… with thousands of other screaming Beatles fans. The Fest For Beatles Fans is back again. 2016 marks their 40 summer in Chicago. This is the year of Revolver. The albums 50th anniversary is celebrated with the annual gathering of Beatle fanatics from all around the tri-state area – and beyond.

The line up and activities at this years festival continue the tradition of uniting fans with direct links to the Fab Four’s past. This year brings Klaus Voormann, Peter Asher, Albert Lee and so many others.

Come out for the weekend and stay with your kindred souls at The Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. There will be things to see and do all day long that include guest lectures and speakers talking about working with the Beatles or being a family member of one as is with Louise Harrison, art exhibit and traveling Beatles memorabilia from the very beginning to recent art of John, Paul, George and Ringo, Merchandise to fill any fans tribute room to the hilt and much, much more.

Here is more info about the event. You’ll know the names, know look up the numbers (or times) when they’ll be presenting.

THE YEAR OF REVOLVER CONTINUES

AT THE FEST FOR BEATLES FANS 2016

ROCKING OUT WITH THREE GENERATIONS OF

BEATLES FANS FOR THE 40^th CHICAGO CELEBRATION

HYATT REGENCY O’HARE, ROSEMONT, IL // August 12, 13, 14, 2016

THE FEST FOR BEATLES FANS 2016 CHICAGO rolls up to Rosemont, Illinois for a weekend where a Fab Four thousand fans will come together to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of The Beatles’ 1966 groundbreaking album Revolver, while immersing themselves in all things Beatles. #BeatlesFansUnite at #ChiFest16.

Beatles fans from 30 states already have their Ticket To Ride to join in as FEST traditions are kept alive and new ones spring to life as we celebrate the Fab Four’s legendary music and iconic influence. Beatles friends of all ages will gather at the spacious Hyatt Regency O’Hare, with over 15 ballrooms and areas featuring non-stop concerts, special guest speakers, contests and giveaways, photo and art exhibits, panel discussions, yoga, Transcendental Meditation talks, author presentations, a giant Beatles Marketplace, Beatles videos, the FABoratory Beatles Experimental Zone, Beatles puppet shows, jams into the wee hours, and much more. Major special guests perform, jam, and recall memories from the 60s and beyond that they shared with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

THE HEADLINERS:

KLAUS VOORMANN | Musician/Artist who performed with John, George, Ringo

PETER ASHER | of Peter and Gordon, legendary Musician and Producer

ALBERT LEE | Legendary Guitarist

BILLY J. KRAMER | British Invasion star

JOEY MOLLAND | of Badfinger, Beatles protégé band on Apple label

LOUISE HARRISON | Sister of George Harrison

MARK HUDSON | Ringo’s Producer for 10 years

LIVERPOOL | World’s Finest Beatles Tribute Band In Concert All Three Nights, Drew Hill, Glen Burtnik, John Merjave and Chris Camilleri , Performing the Revolver album in its entirety and much more

TOM MURRAY | Photographer of Beatles ‘Mad Day Out’ session, World Premiering new book

PIG LIGHT SHOW with Marc Rubinstein
THE WEEKLINGS | In Concert on Saturday Afternoon

SCHOOL OF ROCK | In Concert on Sunday Afternoon

KLAUS VOORMANN makes a triumphant return to the Fest as we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Revolver, which Klaus designed the cover art for. Klaus first met the Beatles in Hamburg in 1960, eventually bringing his girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr to hear them. The bass player for Manfred Mann, Klaus also performed/recorded with John, George, and Paul, appearing in concert with John in Toronto and George at the Concert for Bangladesh. At the Fest, Klaus will be speaking about his experiences with the Beatles and debuting his brand new graphic novel about the creation of Revolver.

PETER ASHER and ALBERT LEE will unite for special concerts, with Part 1 on Saturday and Part 2 on Sunday. Native Liverpudlians BILLY J. KRAMER and JOEY MOLLAND will perform, and LIVERPOOL – the World’s finest Beatles tribute band – will be in concert all three nights and jam with our musical guests. The incomparable MARK HUDSON will lead our Grand Jam Finales with LIVERPOOL and our musical guests on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

THE WEEKLINGS, who recently recorded in Abbey Road’s famed Studio Two, will perform songs the Beatles wrote but never officially released as well as their Beatles-inspired originals from their latest album and other Beatles cuts. SCHOOL OF ROCK CHICAGO, making their second Fest appearance, will give us a taste of what the future has in store.

This year, THE FEST will continue to offer new ways for fans to share their Beatles insight and enjoy the music the lads made timeless. The FABoratory, an experimental Beatles zone curated by Michelle Joni, is the place to put on your Fab Coat, turn on your Beatle Brain, and explore the depths and intricacies of The Beatles mythology. The FABoratory made its Chicago Fest debut last year with much excitement, and fans have been brewing on ideas in the virtual Facebook FABoratory for many months now.

THE FEST will also feature the Apple Jam Stage, which was a hit in its Chicago debut last year. Local musicians and musicians from other parts of the country will be performing Beatles and solo Beatles tunes all weekend. Rockers PHIL ANGOTTI & FRIENDS, last year’s Battle of the Bands winners THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA, the uniquely talented JACQUI ARMBRUSTER, solo Beatles tunes from MEGABEATLES (featuring CHAD CLIFFORD), acoustic-driven SCOTT ERICKSON, a special performance from THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA STRINGS, the stylings of JAY GOEPPNER, Polka sounds by SGT. SAUERKRAUT’S BAND, a Beatles ukulele strum with GIGI & CLAR, youngsters from SCHOOL OF ROCK, and more will be featured here.

Friendly Beatles competition ensues all weekend long, with Friday night’s Dance Party that features sixties dress-up and Beatles look-alike contests, the Sound-Alike contest Saturday (tryouts that day, solos and duets), Battle of the Bands on Sunday (advanced signup required), Trivia and Name That Tune contests each day, and our Beatles Art Contest that runs all weekend, with the winners announced on Sunday.

Fans look forward to a jam-packed schedule of music, talks and activities. Dozens of guest artists, authors and other Beatle-folk will lead presentations, showcase works, and participate in lively and enlightening discussions about The Beatles. TERRI HEMMERT of WXRT will emcee. LOUISE HARRISON, George’s sister, will talk about her efforts to promote the arrival of the Beatles in America in 1964 and much more (her new book is My Kid Brother’s Band…a.k.a. The Beatles). TOM MURRAY, who shot the infamous ‘Mad Day Out’ photo session of the Beatles, will tell his tales from that day while hosting an exhibit of his photos and World Premiering his brand new book. See incredible paintings by acclaimed Beatles artist ERIC CASH, and enjoy Puppet Shows each day by BOB ABDOU, who will also be leading our Yellow Submarine-themed Beatles Parade on Saturday. The PURE MCCARTNEY virtual reality exhibit will be a must-see for Festers, as will the STEINER SPORTS Beatles exhibit.

The Beatles’ history and influence is discussed in detail by an insightful and diverse array of authors and experts, including VIVEK TIWARY, whose graphic novel The Fifth Beatle is turning into a major TV Series, BRUCE SPIZER, JUDE SOUTHERLAND KESSLER, TOM MURRAY, PAUL SKELLETT, SIMON WEITZMAN, CHUCK GUNDERSON, TOM FRANGIONE, PIERS HEMMINGSEN, KIT O’TOOLE, CANDY LEONARD, AL SUSSMAN, WALLY PODRAZIK, ANTHONY ROBUSTELLI, SUSAN RYAN, GREG STERLACE, KENNETH WOMACK, ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, and JORIE GRACEN.

ARTISTS AND POETS, this is a calling for self-expression. The Beatles Art Museum will be open for submissions for the Beatles Art Contest all weekend long in three categories: Professional, Amateur, and Kids, with attendee voting determining the winners. There will be discussions with Beatles authors and experts all weekend long, and tons of collaborative events in the FABoratory Beatles Experimental Zone.

YOGA AND MEDITATION will happen throughout the weekend in our Beatles Ashram, which was created with a little help from Michelle Joni, The Beatles Maharishi crew, Donovan, and Dear Prudence. Here, teachers and guests (such as Louise Harrison) honor George Harrison’s critical role in The Beatles’ journey to India, which brought Transcendental Meditation to the masses, sparking a new wave of consciousness in the Western World. The Ashram is a place to stretch, meditate, and seal The Beatles message into our hearts.

THE BEATLES LOVE by CIRQUE DU SOLEIL partners with The Fest For Beatles Fans for a sixth year. On Sunday evening, we will draw the winner of our Las Vegas Beatles Getaway: a trip for two to the Mirage to experience the acclaimed Beatles LOVE Show.

CHARITY RAFFLES: In addition to everything else going on, The Fest has raised over $590,000 over the years for John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Spirit Foundation, The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and numerous other organizations since 1974. Yoko has been a generous supporter of The Fest for over 30 years, donating signed items for the Spirit Foundation raffles. The Chicago Fest will also feature a special raffle for a limited edition print of one of Tom Murray’s iconic photographs of the Beatles from the ‘Mad Day Out’ photo session.

LOCATION:

The Hyatt Regency O’Hare

9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue

Rosemont, IL 60018

Ph: 1-847-696-1234

Rooms at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for the FEST are $149.00 per night. Fans who are booking should mention the Fest in order to receive the special rate.

EVENT TIMES:

Friday, Aug. 12 – 5:00 PM TILL MIDNIGHT

Saturday, Aug. 13 – NOON TILL MIDNIGHT

Sunday, Aug. 14 – NOON TILL 10:30 PM

ABOUT THE FEST FOR BEATLES FANS: The Fest For Beatles Fans is the world’s longest-running Beatles fan celebration. It was launched in New York City in 1974 when founder Mark Lapidos thought of the idea for a 10^th Anniversary Celebration of The Beatles’ arrival in America. He went to John Lennon and received his blessing. John said “I’m all for it, I’m a Beatles fan too!” Ever since that first Beatlefest, The Fest has become an integral part of the Beatles fan experience in America, with celebrations in multiple cities and regions throughout the year. Over the past 42 years, The Fest has featured appearances by a huge range of fellow musicians, artists, family members, friends, and associates from the Beatles world. The Fest also carries the world’s largest selection of licensed Beatles merchandise and publishes the only Beatles mail order catalogue in circulation.

For tickets, go to www.thefest.com and click on Buy Tickets OR call 1-866-THE-FEST.

Prices through July 22 Prices July 23 – Aug. 11 Prices at the door

Friday, Aug. 12 – $46.00 $52.00 $52.00

Saturday, Aug. 13 – $69.00 $78.00 $78.00

Sunday, Aug. 14 – $69.00 $78.00 $78.00

Friday & Saturday – $108.00 $120.00

Friday & Sunday – $108.00 $120.00

Saturday & Sunday – $132.00 $145.00 *Children 16 and under: Half price for all tickets

Three Day Pass – $172.00 $190.00 *Children 5 and under: Free

For full details and guest bios, visit www.thefest.com and click on the Chicago FEST.

OFFICIAL HASHTAGS: #ChiFest16 and #BeatlesFansUnite