Festivals & special events
Chicago House Music Festival and Conference
Aug. 22 – 23, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park and beyond The Chicago House Music Festival is an annual celebration of the Chicago-born genre…
Festivals & special events
Discover the best of the city’s fests.
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago Blues Festival
June 5 – 8, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park and beyond A legendary Chicago event since 1984, the Chicago Blues Festival is the world’s…
Festivals & special events, Music
Lollapalooza Chicago guide: lineup, schedule, tickets, and more
July 31 – Aug. 3, 2025 Grant Park Each year, thousands of fans travel from around the world to experience Lollapalooza in Chicago. Those lucky…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago Jazz Festival
Aug. 28 – 31, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park The oldest of Chicago’s free lakefront music festivals, the Chicago Jazz Festival boasts an incredibly…
Festivals & special events, Music
Top summer music festivals in Chicago
Music lives large in Chicago, from our neighborhood streets and historic venues to downtown parks and our iconic lakefront. And Chicago’s iconic festival season brings…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago Gospel Music Festival
July 12, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park Gospel music has deep roots in Chicago. The Chicago Gospel Music Festival, one of the city’s free…
Architecture & history, Festivals & special events
Chicago Architecture Biennial
Sept. 12, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026 Free admission • Chicago Cultural Center & partner locations Experience the future of architecture at the 10th annual…
Festivals, Festivals & special events, Special events
Your guide to the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade 2024
Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 • State Street It’s turkey time! The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, a local tradition for almost 90 years, kicks off the holiday…
Blog, Family, Festivals & special events, Holidays, Special events
Your guide to The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival 2024
The holiday season in Chicago is always an exciting time. With countless events across multiple neighborhoods, there are so many ways to celebrate. One of…
Architecture & history, Festivals & special events
Open House Chicago
Free admission • Citywide One weekend. 20+ Chicago neighborhoods. 170+ places to explore. Open the door to architectural gems all over Chicago. Every October, the…
Festivals & special events, Food & drink
Chicago beer festivals and events
Attention all beer enthusiasts! Cheers to Chicago’s booming craft beer scene at the city’s packed calendar of beer fests. Sample craft beers — from IPAs…
Festivals & special events, Food & drink
Taste of Chicago
Sept. 5 – 7, 2025 Free admission • Grant Park and citywide Taste of Chicago has been a foodie staple for more than 40 years.…
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