Mai Fest Riverview Park Chicago

Black text with an illustration of white flowers on a green background

Riverview Park was an amusement park located on the north side of Chicago and it was open from 1904 to 1967. It started out as Schuetzen Park, which was a shooting range park created by Wilhelm A. Schmidt. In 1903, Schmidt's son encouraged him to build rides on the property to attract more people. The amusement park eventually had over 120 rides including Ferris wheels, carousels, and wooden roller coasters. Admission to the park was cheap and people paid separately for each ride. The Schmidt family sold the park in October of 1967 because of increasing crime in the area and the rising costs to maintain the park. 

Maifest is a German festival that celebrates the beginning of spring. It is traditionally celebrated with the decorated maypole which shows off the crafts and history of the local culture. Maifest is currently celebrated in Lincoln Square every year in Chicago.