Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
World Music Festival Chicago
Sept. 26 – Oct. 5, 2025 Free admission • Multiple locations The annual World Music Festival is your passport to musical acts from across the…
Chicago music
Feel the beat of our non-stop nightlife.
Articles, Music
Gospel music in Chicago: history and local events and landmarks
The legacy of gospel music in Chicago is enduring — you can still feel its heartbeat in church pews and historic venues across the city.…
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…
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…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago SummerDance
June 29 – Sept. 7 2025 Free admission • Grant Park and parks citywide Enjoy live music and dancing on an open-air dance floor during…
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
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…
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