# StarEvents

> StarEvents is a Chicago event-production company founded in 1996 by John Barry. It built its name by turning neighborhood streets into repeatable festival venues, handling permits, vendors, stages, talent, security, sponsorship and promotion for community groups, nonprofits and brands. Its record includes long-running events such as Taste of Randolph and Andersonville Midsommarfest, more than $25 million in reported charity fundraising, and a useful lesson in how public-space events must adapt when their funding mechanics collide with public expectations.

- **Founded:** 1996
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, United States
- **Founders:** John E. Barry (Founder and CEO)
- **Products:** Festival and event production, Event management and logistics, Talent buying and production, Sponsorship and experiential marketing, Marketing and public relations
- **Notable:** Reported more than $25 million raised for charity by the 2025 event deck., Reported annual reach of more than one million attendees in the 2025 event deck., Built a portfolio including Taste of Randolph, Andersonville Midsommarfest, Retro on Roscoe, Mayfest and Festa Italiana.

## Products & services

- **Festival and event production** — End-to-end planning and execution for street festivals, art fairs, races, galas, corporate functions and private events.
- **Event management and logistics** — Site scouting, permits, insurance, budgets, floor plans, contracts, run-of-show planning, vendor coordination, staffing, security, sanitation, setup and cleanup.
- **Talent buying and production** — Entertainment booking, talent contracts and advances, staging, rigging, audio, video and lighting, supported by related company Chicago Entertainment Agency.
- **Sponsorship and experiential marketing** — Sponsor acquisition, branded activations and face-to-face audience engagement at neighborhood events.
- **Marketing and public relations** — Event branding, publicity, social media, photography, videography and promotion.
- **Pandemic compliance advisory** — COVID-era protocol design, duty-of-care documentation, compliance communication, cleaning staff and on-site safety enforcement.

## Achievements

- Reported more than $25 million raised for charity by the 2025 event deck.
- Reported annual reach of more than one million attendees in the 2025 event deck.
- Built a portfolio including Taste of Randolph, Andersonville Midsommarfest, Retro on Roscoe, Mayfest and Festa Italiana.
- Founded in 1996 and developed into an 11-50 employee festival and event-production company, according to LinkedIn.
- Received a Best of 2020 Chicago Business Hall of Fame award in entertainment promotion.

## Latest updates

- **2023-07** — Chicago officials required online Taste of Randolph listings to clarify that a $10 payment was a suggested donation, after complaints that it appeared mandatory; refunds were offered through the ticketing channel.
- **2024-12** — StarEvents published its 2025 event deck, reporting more than $25 million raised for charity and more than one million annual attendees.
- **2025-08** — Time Out listed the West Loop Music and Art Fest with photography credited to StarEvents; Amdur Productions was separately reported as adding Southport Art Fest to its 2025 roster.
- **2026-03** — FestivalNet listed StarEvents as producer or organizer of 2026 editions of Andersonville Midsommarfest and Taste of Randolph.
- **2026-06** — Taste of Randolph replaced suggested gate donations with an optional raffle and silent auction; organizers expected 75,000 visitors and cited falling gate donations as a reason for the change.

## Links

- Website: https://starevents.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starevents-inc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/starevents
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-oWc4Xyn8
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarEventsUSA/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stareventsusa

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/starevents
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-22