Music, Nightlife
30+ must-see Chicago live music venues
Mainstream pop, indie rock, hip hop, punk, blues, or jazz — no matter your musical taste, you’ll find it live in Chicago any night of…
Chicago music
Feel the beat of our non-stop nightlife.
Festivals & special events, Music, Parks & outdoors
Millennium Park Summer Music Series
June 26 – Aug. 7, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park The Millennium Park Summer Music Series offers free outdoor concerts in downtown Chicago, showcasing…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago SummerDance
June – September 2025 Free admission • Grant Park and parks citywide Enjoy live music and dancing on an open-air dance floor during the annual…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Grant Park Music Festival
June 11 — Aug. 16, 2025 Free admission • Millennium Park Experience a Chicago summer tradition like no other. The Grant Park Music Festival, now…
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, Food & drink, Music
Windy City Smokeout
July 10 – 13, 2025 United Center parking lot Country music, barbecue, and craft beer — it’s hard to think of a better way to…
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…
Music, Nightlife
Explore Chicago blues
If you’re a blues fan, you need to add a trip to Chicago to our bucket list. No one sings the blues quite like Chicago,…
Music, Nightlife
Explore Chicago jazz
Chicago is home to a legendary jazz scene. You’ll find contemporary clubs giving the spotlight to surprising new sounds, a free downtown festival dedicated to…
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