Between the 1920s and the 1950s, Union Park became well-known for cultural and social events, with a number of notable musicians performing there. Among them were Thomas A. Dorsey; trumpeter Sunny Cohn; and jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis. The park is site for the annual Pitchfork Music Festival, usually held in July, focusing primarily on artists and bands from alternative rock, rap & hip-hop, electronica, and jazz in its lineups.