Music Guide For The 2026 Taste Of Elmwood Park
The 41st annual Taste of Elmwood Park is here, and the summer festival has a full lineup of music for each day. Here’s your guide to the acts that will be on stage this year.
Thursday - 8/6
6 p.m - The PriSSillas
The songs covered by this all-female cover band come from several genres, but no matter what they play, you can count on them to sound like “classy rock.” Some of the artists they cover are the Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Dolly Parton, and Harry Styles. They pride themselves on their energy, humor, and chemistry on stage, and it’s a safe bet that you’ll hear at least one of their signature “classy rock” medleys before their set ends.
8:30 p.m. - Icons Of Country
Playing at casinos, fairs, theaters, and private events, each member of the Icons of Country takes on the persona of a country music star. You can expect to see Chris as Luke Bryan, Erica as Miranda Lambert, and Cecil as Jason Aldean in this fine-tuned tribute show.
Friday - 8/7
4 p.m. - Full Volume
Those who love classic rock, like Cheap Trick, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and ZZ Top, will enjoy this straightforward crowd-pleasin’ hard-drivin’ cover band that performs songs from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.
5:45 p.m. - The Drawers
Maybe you saw former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich sing his rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” with the Drawers at last year’s Taste. That band is back to perform classic rock from the Beatles to Elton John to the Grateful Dead. If Elmwood Park is lucky, Blagojevich may appear with them again.
7:30 p.m. - Yacht Rock-ettes
Led by three female vocalists, Dina DiCostanzo, Keely Vasquez, April Nelson, this cover band performs smooth-sailing rock and roll. Escape from your sorrows, and take it easy as you set adrift to the sounds of Christopher Cross, Orleans, Player, Quarterflash, Toto, and of course, the Doobie Brothers. Because the sweet dulcet tones of Michael McDonald are essential to any yacht rock voyage.
9:30 p.m. - Hi Infidelity
What Hi Infidelity does particularly well is perform songs by Journey and Foreigner. They can play just about any hit from those two bands. Additionally, they are a polished ‘80s arena rock tribute band that regularly pops up at bars and festivals in the Chicagoland area, and the band caps off the first full day of music at the Taste.
Saturday - 8/8
1 p.m. - Triangle Park
Triangle Park was formed in 2019 by three longtime friends from Elmwood Park. It’s fronted by Steve Sprovieri, and they perform classic rock hits of the ‘60s and ‘70s with some smokin’ middle-aged dad band energy.
2:45 p.m. - Prairie Station
Performing a combination of classic and modern country hits, Prairie Station is a cover band that hails from the Chicago suburbs. They enjoy playing songs by Johnny Cash, Shania Twain, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Morgan Wallen, and other similar well-known musicians.
4 p.m. - One of the Boyzz
One of the Boyzz may be the only band with a member who produced music that is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Vocalist Dan Buck led the Boyzz from Illinoizz in the late 1970s, and they opened for Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, and REO Speedwagon. Their 1978 song “Too Wild To Tame” is in the museum’s collection. Buck still leads the “rock n’ soul band,” and their shows honor music legends while mixing in some original songs, too.
6:45 p.m. - R-Gang
The band, which performs classic soul, gospel, and R&B tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, was once a field band for the Chicago Bears. Lead vocalist Robert Davis auditioned to be the lead singer for Kool & the Gang and was a finalist. The entire group’s bios are impressive. Bassist Bill Syniar wrote music for the Doobie Brothers. Guitarist Will Crosby played with blues greats Otis Clay, Willie Clayton, and Eddy Clearwater, and he just toured with Mavis Staples. Come and enjoy some grooves.
9 p.m. - Wedding Banned
Hailing from Gas City, Indiana, this wedding band is filled with fun characters like Garri Manilow on lead vocals, Bruce Winche’ll, the American Thighs on bass guitar, Ted Spumonte, the Gooch on drums, and Dickie Rippers on lead guitar. They pride themselves on being a guilty pleasure at events.
Sunday - 8/9
12 p.m. - Sam Fazio Quintet
The Sam Fazio Quintet kicks off a final afternoon of music at the Taste with some jazz standards. Fazio is known for performing lounge versions of songs that people love.
2 p.m. - Ocean’s Rat Pack
Ocean’s Rat Pack is a premier tribute to the Rat Pack and has performed in venues throughout the country. Tony Ocean is Dean Martin, Elliot Wimbush is Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Serritella is Frank Sinatra, and they’ll entertain any fan of the swingin’ standards of Sinatra, Martin, and Davis.
4 p.m. - Ginger Road
Ginger Road returns to the Taste, and this year it is no longer the only country music act on the schedule. The group sings contemporary country (Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton) along with more classic outlaw country (Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson).
6 p.m. - Sucker Punch
This female-fronted party band is based in the Chicagoland area and made up of four friends, who enjoy jamming together. They perform classic and contemporary pop/rock hits, like “I Love Rock N’ Roll” and “Uptown Funk.”
8 p.m. - Mike & Joe
If you like more contemporary rock, this is the cover band for you. Most of what they play tends to come from groups like Blink-182, Goo Goo Dolls, Jimmy Eat World, Mumford and Sons, Pearl Jam, and other artists known for hits that were released between the ‘90s and 2010s. And once again, Mike & Joe close out the Taste.
I am actually thinking of coming out to see Mike and Joe. They got their start in DeKalb back in the late 90s, and I saw them a few times while I was out there for a year. They do put on a good show; at least they did back then.
Looks like a great lineup this year.