Festivals & special events
Chicago House Music Festival and Conference
Aug. 27 – 30, 2026 Free admission • Millennium Park and beyond The Chicago House Music Festival is an annual celebration of Chicago house music…
North Coast Music Festival
Festivals & special events
Discover the best of the city’s fests.
Festivals & special events, Food & drink
Taste of Chicago
July 8 – 12, 2026 Free admission • Grant Park and citywide The 46th annual Taste of Chicago is bringing some of the city’s most…
Festivals & special events, Food & drink
Your guide to Chicago’s food festivals
Get a taste of Chicago’s award-winning dining scene at the city’s packed schedule of food festivals, featuring everything from barbecue to international cuisine to Chicago-style…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago Blues Festival
June 4 – 7, 2026 Free admission • Millennium Park and beyond A legendary Chicago event since 1984, the Chicago Blues Festival is the world’s…
Festivals & special events, Music, Parks & outdoors
Millennium Park Summer Music Series
Select Mondays and Thursdays, June 15 – Aug. 6, 2026 Free admission • Millennium Park The Millennium Park Summer Music Series offers free outdoor concerts…
Festivals & special events, Food & drink
Chicago Gourmet
Sept. 24 – 27, 2026 Millennium Park Welcome to Chicago Gourmet, one of the country’s most distinguished food festivals. Each year, Chicago Gourmet celebrates the…
Festivals & special events
Chicago festival and event guide 2026
Every season is festival season in Chicago. Each month brings a packed line-up of special events celebrating food, music, culture, art, history, and beyond. Choose…
Entertainment, Festivals & special events
Chicago film festivals and events
Chicago has a long and illustrious cinematic history. In the early 1900s, Chicago was home to the famous Essanay Studios in the early 1900s, which…
Festivals & special events, Music
Lollapalooza Chicago guide: lineup, schedule, tickets, and more
July 30 to Aug. 2, 2026 Grant Park Each year, thousands of fans travel from around the world to experience Lollapalooza in Chicago. Those lucky…
Festivals & special events, Food & drink, Music
Windy City Smokeout
July 8 – 12, 2026 United Center parking lot Country music, barbecue, and craft beer — it’s hard to think of a better way to…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap
Chicago Air and Water Show
Aug. 15 – 16, 2026 Free admission • Chicago lakefront The Chicago Air and Water Show has been an iconic Chicago event since 1959. The…
Festivals & special events, Free & cheap, Music
Chicago Jazz Festival
Sept. 3 – 6, 2026 Free admission • Millennium Park The oldest of Chicago’s free lakefront music festivals, the Chicago Jazz Festival boasts an incredibly…
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