Aug. 2 – Sept. 13, 2021
Free admission • Millennium Park
The Millennium Park Summer Music Series features free outdoor concerts, showcasing a broad spectrum of established and emerging musicians in a spectacular setting. Grab a seat or a spot on the lawn and enjoy views of the soaring Pritzker Pavilion overhead and the surrounding city skyline that lights up around you as dusk falls.
This year’s concerts will take place on Mondays from Aug. 2 – Sept. 13 and Thursdays from Sept. 2 – 16. Shows will run from 6 – 8:20 p.m. Check out the full Millennium Park Summer Music Series 2021 schedule:
Monday, Aug. 2: I’m Every Woman: Divas Through the Decades with Akenya & Friends, and Mermaid
All are welcome to join in and celebrate Chicago’s LGBTQ+ legacy at this free concert. Slo ‘Mo celebrates its tenth anniversary with a tribute to queer pride anthems, featuring an all-star list of Chicago musicians and vocalists covering women-powered R&B, house, disco & pop.
Monday, Aug. 9: A Night of Healing, Truth & Restorative Love
An eclectic and inspiring look at the unique Muslim diaspora, featuring a wide range of voices, sounds, and experiences. The sonic aesthetic, lyrical themes, and visual beauty of the evening will take you on a journey of healing, truth, and restorative love.
Monday, Aug. 16: Andrew in Anotherland
Don’t miss Andrew Sa in this Millennium Park debut. A rotating cast of musicians of different backgrounds and talents share a microphone with the city’s country crooner backed by an all-star band and a sprawling cinematic experience that utilizes many Chicago artists and filmmakers.
Monday, Aug. 23: Preservation of Fire
This show will feature the Natural Information Society + Drum Divas, co-curated with Alejandro Ayala a.k.a. King Hippo.
Monday, Aug. 30: Afrodjia Social Club + Proximity
An experiential multidisciplinary performance by DJ Sadie Woods and friends, this show exemplifies underground art cool while exploring traditions of diasporic music and culture. This evening will feature a blend of jazz fusion, tropical disco, deep house, and musical accompaniment featuring a roster of musicians and special guest performances.
Thursday, Sept. 2: Zulema
On a spectacular musical journey — from her home in Mexico to Chicago — Zulema travels through the diverse landscapes of her homeland and our fair city. This show will include exhilarating regional music and dance from the Grammy-nominated Sones de México Ensemble, guaranteeing a joyous event for the whole family.
Monday, Sept. 6: Contemporary Indigenous Voices
These contemporary Indigenous performers, representing different nations from the U.S. and Canada, re-imagine what Indigenous music means with a truly unique performance rooted in long-held traditions and artistry that are older than America.
Thursday, Sept. 9: CIVL Summer Concerts
The CIVL Summer Concerts at Millennium Park will showcase diverse local talent in unforgettable collaborations. Don’t miss special guest collaborations that combine local acts, rarely on stage together, performing original, multi-sensory works.
Monday, Sept. 13: Angel Meléndez & the 911 Mambo Orchestra
This show, titled Homenaje a la Salsa Boricua de Chicago, features Grammy-nominated Angel Melendez, a Chicago composer, arranger, instructor, and trombonist. This special commission honors the golden era of Chicago’s salsa scene of the late ’60s and ’70s, when many of the genre’s new local bands emerged.
Thursday, Sept. 16: Grammy Legacies – Eighth Blackbird with special guests
The Chicago Chapter of the Recording Academy celebrates 60 years of supporting Chicago musicians. This event will star Eighth Blackbird, the American contemporary music sextet based in Chicago, with special guests to be announced.
Looking for more live music? Check out the Year of Chicago music for shows in every corner of the city.
Millennium Park FAQs
What items are prohibited from being brought onto festival grounds?
- Barbecue grills (open flames)
- Fireworks or explosives
- Illegal substances & weapons
- Pop-up tents/canopies
- Beach/picnic umbrellas
- Flag poles
- All pets (except service animals)
Can I bring a folding chair and blanket into the Chicago Jazz Festival?
Yes, but folding chairs are not allowed in the seating area of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Can I save seats in the Pavilion?
General seating in the Pavilion and on the Great Lawn is available on a first-come, first-served basis. In the seating bowl, you may save only one seat prior to the start of each show. Once the show has started, you must relinquish your seat. Please note that Millennium Park reserves the right to close the seating bowl and Great Lawn due to reaching capacity and appreciates your cooperation in ensuring the safety and enjoyment of your concert-going experience.
May I bring a picnic basket?
Yes! Millennium Park is the perfect place for a picnic and a night of music and dining al fresco. However, in order to ensure that events are enjoyable for all attendees and to protect the lawn from wear and tear, please respect the following rules of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion: tents, oversized umbrellas, oversized blankets or plastic tarps, helium balloons, oversized flags, signs/banners, barbecue grills, open flame candles, or staking of any kind are not allowed on the Great Lawn area.
May I buy beer or wine in the park? How about food?
Refreshments, including food, beer and wine, are available for purchase from the concessions tent located to the east of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. In addition, concessions can be purchased throughout the Park, including from the concession carts located on the Chase Promenade and at the Park Grill and Café on the McCormick Tribune Plaza. Alcohol may only be consumed in the seating area and the Great Lawn during the concerts. Alcohol sales in the Millennium Park concession tent end one half-hour prior to the end of the concert.
What is the rain policy?
Concerts and performances in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion are held rain or shine, unless there are severe weather warnings and/or the threat of lightning in the area. The Pavilion seats are not protected from the elements. The Great Lawn has a high-tech design with underlying layers of sand and gravel that allows water to drain quickly.
Are recording devices allowed during a concert?
Photography, video, or recording devices are prohibited at all concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
May I smoke?
Smoking is prohibited in the seating area of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Great Lawn, the Lurie Garden, the east and west arcades by the restrooms, and the east and west Exelon Buildings.
May I bring my dog along?
Animals are not permitted in Millennium Park, unless they are service animals.
Please note: Schedule is subject to change. For the latest on Millennium Park Summer MusicSeriesand all Millennium Park events, visit millenniumpark.org.
