Chicago is a prime place to be this summer if you want to attend some fantastic music festivals. There are tons of events where local musicians perform as well as numerous opportunities to see your favorite superstars.
The 20th annual Mayfest kicks off the Chicago’s festival season on Friday, May 15. The three-day celebration brings some of the best local bands and cuisine to the city’s Lakeview neighborhood. For animal lovers, there will be a pet pageant and expo during the festival. Mayfest is held under a huge tent, rain or shine, and ends Sunday, May 17. There is a $10 admission fee.
Another showcase of local music is the BelmontSheffield Music Festival. Located just a few steps from the Redline Belmont stop, the event showcases some of Chicago’s best tribute bands. The festival begins Saturday, May 23 and ends Sunday, May 24. A $5 donation will be requested at the gate.
The 30th annual Chicago Gospel Music Festival begins Friday, May 29 in Millennium Park. The free event features three stages throughout the heart of downtown, the bulk of the performances taking place at the beautiful Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
The 57th Street Art Fair is a wonderful event to hear local reggae and jazz musicians, while also viewing local artwork. This free fair in the heart of the Hyde Park neighborhood begins on Saturday, June 6 and ends on Sunday, June 7.
The Grant Park Music Festival starts its 10- week series of classical concerts on Wednesday, June 17 and continues every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday through August 22. The concerts take place at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
Make Music Chicago is a free citywide event that takes place at 40 different sites in Chicago. It includes over 1,000 musicians who will be celebrating the universal ability to make music. It takes place Sunday, June 21. For more information visit rushhour.org.
On Saturday, June 28, Old St Patrick’s Church hosts the 30th annual World’s Largest Block Party. The festival is known as a premier summer event in the city and is for 21-year-olds and up.
On Friday, July 3, the African/Caribbean International Festival of Life begins in Union Park. You can enjoy great food, arts, and over 70 acts featuring reggae, African, Latin, Caribbean, rock, R&B, and gospel entertainers. The event ends Sunday, July 5 and admission begins at $15. On Saturday, July 4, Jackson Park hosts the Chose Few Picnic. This annual Chicago house music festival attracts “house heads” from all over the world to Chicago’s south side. For more information visit chosenfewdjs.com.
Ryan Flynn ’15 enjoying music with friends
The Taste of Chicago not only has about 100 local restaurants for visitors to sample, but also some great musicians. The free event begins on Wednesday, July 8 in Grant Park and has previously had artists such as Passion Pit, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, and Death Cab for a Cutie.
One of Chicago’s most famous summer events is the Pitchfork Music Festival. The event is the weekend of Friday, July 17 in Union Park. Local rappers Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa will grace stages along with artists like Mac Demarco, Jamie XX, and A$AP Ferg. Three-day passes are $150, while single-day passes are $65 each. Tickets and the full lineup can be found on the Pitchfork website.
On Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, Wicker Park will host the neighborhood’s annual festival on Milwaukee Avenue. The event usually attracts thousands of visitors to view local bands, food, and crafts.
Chicago’s biggest music festival is Lollapalooza in Grant Park. It begins Friday, July 31 and ends Sunday, August 2. The event attracts people from all over the world to watch their favorite artists perform.
This year’s lineup includes Paul McCartney, Florence + the Machine, Kid Cudi, Tyler the Creator, FKA Twigs, Brand New and many more. While all tickets have sold out for the festival, you can find many reasonably priced tickets on sites like StubHub.
