Chicago is a polka town, and who better to kick off our rockin' Summer Concert Series than one of the Windy City's finest polka-rock ensembles, The Polkaholics? Thanks to the music, great weather and good times, fans of all ages packed Town Square to dance, play and have a good time!

For the past 19 years, through the eras of Michael Jordan and Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas and Jonathan Toews, John Merkel has been Northcenter's go-to guy in the world of cards and collectibles. Merkel, the owner and manager of Elite Sports Cards & Comics on Montrose Avenue, began as many collectors do, as an "avid sports fan and a novice collector." He got into it as a hobby, and after an early retirement, took over a previous incarnation of Northcenter's sports card and collectible shop.

The Northcenter Chamber of Commerce could not put on all the events, programs and networking opportunities that we do without the help of an amazing volunteer Board of Directors. This board is comprised of business owners, entrepreneurs and committed residents who have made an impact on the Northcenter business community. In this series, we will introduce you to them one by one. Today, meet former President Maribel Selva, who now heads the Ribfest and Community Events Committees.

There are plenty of things that say "Summer in Chicago": enjoying the lakefront, Cubs and White Sox games, countless street festivals. But one of our favorites has to be wandering a great farmers' market, and we love having one right here in Northcenter!

And the winners are…

Stop by Northcenter landmark The Globe Pub for the next month or so and you’ll see a colorful United Nations’ worth of flags greeting you at the entrance. Chicago’s eminent neighborhood soccer bar is getting ready for the World Cup (the aforementioned flags represent each participating country), and over the next month, will be packed with Americans and expats from all over the globe (see what we did there?) cheering on their teams.

The temperature's going up, school's about to be out for summer and the days are getting ever closer to Northcenter's annual summer bash, Ribfest Chicago.

The Northcenter Chamber of Commerce could not put on all the events, programs and networking opportunities that we do without the help of an amazing volunteer Board of Directors. This board is comprised of business owners, entrepreneurs and committed residents who have made an impact on the Northcenter business community. In this series, we will introduce you to them one by one, starting with our Chamber Board President, Michael Kane of Kane Insurance.

The Craft Beer Movement in Chicago is exploding, and we're so excited to see the Northcenter neighborhood in the middle of it all. These talented brewers and the chefs and entrepreneurs they inspire have contributed to the creative spirit and character of Northcenter.