All Day I Dream Felt Like a Fairytale

Last weekend, hundreds of techno fans flocked to Tom Ping Park in Chinatown for a one of a kind event. All Day I Dream is a one-day festival celebrating the complexities of house music and dance that has been floating from city to city since 2011. Started by Lee Burridge (who closed the day’s festivities) and Matthew Dekay, the day aims to combine music with atmosphere in a meaningful and positive way. Before coming to Chicago, Burridge and company played beautiful outdoor venues in Los Angeles, Toronto, New York City, and Montreal. Decorated with hundreds of flowers, streamers, and colorful lights, the aesthetic of All Day I Dream seems to be just as important as the music.

DJ Lauren Ritter

For their Chicago stop, Burridge brought EDM artists Lauren Ritter and Lost Desert (ft. Junior) to each play 90-minute sets. The music was calm and introspective, not at all like the dubstep or trance music you’d hear at Spring Awakening or Electric Daisy Chain. Instead, those who swayed under the paper lanterns moved with purpose and without breaking a sweat. It was refreshing to go to a dance festival and be able to find a place to sit and relax, and having the festival in Ping Tom Park was the perfect choice. The park is settled in Chicago’s traditional Chinese-American neighborhood, with pagoda-style structures and lush trees and bushes. Festival-goers took in the sights and sounds (not to mention the stunning view of the Chicago skyline) while keeping a relatively low profile. Even those who came dressed to the nines were content to sit on the grass and sip fruity drinks. It was a lovely day. Let’s hope Burridge and Dekay come back next year.
#All Day I Dream#Chicago music#edm#house music#Lauren Ritter#Lee Burridge#Lost Desert#Ping Tom Park#React Presents#Summer festivals
Kate Scott

Kate Scott Daly specializes in music journalism. Her body of work includes live documenting over 200 bands, reviewing several albums and concerts, and multiple artist interviews. Kate continues to brave the photo pits of major music venues and outdoor festivals throughout the Chicagoland scene.