Chicago’s summer festival season may be winding down, but there’s still another standout event on the city’s cultural calendar — Chicago Live Festival at Navy Pier.
The Midwest’s largest free performing arts festival is set to take over the lakefront on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026.
Chicago Live 2026 fast facts
- Two days: Sept. 19 and 20, 2026
- More than 100 acts: Performing arts groups and artists from Chicago and beyond
- Must-see acts: Joffrey Ballet, The Second City, Hubbard Street Dance, Trinity Irish Dancers
- New this year: Utica and Denali, Q Brothers, Nico Segal, and more
The annual event is designed to showcase the city’s world-class cultural scene, with free performances from more than 100 artists and organizations.
Check out this year’s performances and start planning your visit to Chicago Live Festival.
Chicago Live Festival 2026
When is the Chicago Live Festival?
The festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20.
Check back for the full daily schedule of performances.
What is the Chicago Live Festival?
Back for its sixth year, the Chicago Live Festival will feature more than 100 local groups from Chicago and beyond.
Fest-goers can expect two full days of back-to-back performances across multiple lakefront stages — all surrounded by the stunning skyline views you can only find at iconic Navy Pier.
The multi-disciplinary festival is a vibrant representation of the city’s rich and diverse artistic spirit. The packed lineup includes a huge variety of Chicago-grown talent, including dance troupes, orchestras, theatre companies, improv troupes, DJs, and more.
Performances will unfold across the Pier, ensuring non-stop entertainment all weekend long. Even better, all events and performances are free and open to the public.
Chicago Live was founded in 2021 to reconnect audiences with Chicago’s performing arts community. The festival has continued to grow, making it a true testament to the resilience of Chicago’s performing arts community.
What is the Chicago Live Festival 2026 lineup?
The full Chicago Live Festival lineup represents the depth and diversity of Chicago’s performing arts scene, spanning genres and encompassing both emerging talents and established stars.
A few of the most-anticipated acts at this year’s festival include:
- Common, the Emmy, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning artist
- Joffrey Ballet
- The Second City
- Anthony Rapp
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
- Melody Angel
- Trinity Irish Dancers
Nearly one-third of this year’s lineup will be performing at the fest for the first time, including:
- RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Utica and Denali
- Q Brothers
- Nico Segal
- Fat Theatre Project
Check out all the groups and artists performing at the Chicago Live Festival this year:
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Check back soon for the full 2026 schedule for Chicago Live!
In the meantime, start planning your visit to Navy Pier.
